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Employment Attorney, Katherine Kleyman sat with a VP who was fired after 12 years. During his exit interview, he made one offhand comment that cost him $50,000 in severance.
He thought it was just a final conversation.
It wasn’t.
The exit interview isn’t about your closure. It’s about protecting the company from liability.
Here’s what she tell her clients to do before walking into the most dangerous conversation of their career:
๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
โข Prepare emotionally. This is a business transaction, not a therapy session
โข Review your severance package ahead of time
โข Know exactly what you’re legally entitled to, including wages, bonuses, PTO, commissions, stock, COBRA, and any vested benefits
โข Understand the release of claims and non-disparagement language
โข Speak to an attorney if the offer includes complex terms or exceeds $10,000
๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
โข Say as little as possible. Be polite, but don’t overshare
โข Never admit to performance issues or say you were โstrugglingโ
โข Don’t sign anything during the meeting
โข If you’re caught off guard, say: โI need time to review thisโ
โข Take notes about who was present and what was said
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ:
โข Statements they can use to defend against wrongful termination claims
โข Emotional outbursts that make you look unstable or reactive
โข Comments that undermine your legal leverage
โข Language they can spin to suggest cause for termination
โข A signed agreement they can label โknowing and voluntaryโ
That VP I mentioned?
He casually said,ย โI was struggling with the new system.โ
That one sentence gave the company enough cover to reclassify his termination as performance-based, not part of the layoff.
His severance? Gone.
Exit interviews are not neutralโฆthey are designed to protect the company, not you.
Your best strategy is simple: say less, sign nothing, and get legal eyes on the agreement.
If they press you to talk, ask them to put their questions in writing.
Follow for more workplace protection strategies from a former corporate insider who now fights for employees.
#employmentlaw #severancenegotiation #californialaw #newyorklaw #humanresources
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship.