Severance and Separation Agreements for Officers
A severance or separation agreement is on the table, and what you sign away there is usually permanent. Lady Law Shield reviews the terms, explains what you would give up, and negotiates before you sign.
Before you sign a separation agreement
Most of the leverage exists before you sign. Work through these eight steps.
1
Do not sign on the spot.
You can ask for time to review the agreement, in writing if needed. A deadline to sign is not a reason to sign unread.
2
Read what you are releasing.
Most agreements release claims against the agency, including discrimination and retaliation claims, in exchange for the payment. Know what you are giving up.
3
Check the money and benefits.
Pay, accrued leave, insurance, and retirement or pension terms. Ask what happens to each, and get the answer written into the agreement.
4
Check how it will be recorded.
Resignation or termination, what goes in your personnel file, and how the separation will be reported to your state's licensing agency, where your state requires it.
5
Look at the restrictions.
Confidentiality, non-disparagement, no-rehire, and cooperation clauses can follow you for years.
6
Know the deadlines.
If you are 40 or older and the agreement waives age claims, federal law generally gives you at least 21 days to consider it and 7 days to revoke after signing.
7
Weigh your claims first.
If you have a discrimination or retaliation claim, the release usually ends it. A charge with the EEOC generally has to be filed within 300 days, so do not let the clock run while you decide.
8
Negotiate with counsel.
Terms are often negotiable before you sign and rarely after. Have an employment attorney read it and make the ask.
Read every page. Sign nothing yet. Know what you are giving up. Negotiate before the deadline.
"You cannot control what happens around you. You can control what happens inside of you."
Bridget Truxillo, speaking at RISE 2026
Read the release →The release is the price.
The payment buys your claims. Value what you are giving up before you value what you are offered.
More than money is on the table.
References, the reason recorded, the resignation date, and benefits can all be negotiated.
How it is recorded follows you.
In many states, the separation is reported to the licensing agency, and that record can reach your next background check.
Deadlines are built in.
Many agreements set a deadline to sign. Some carry a period to revoke after signing.
A claim changes the math.
If the separation follows discrimination or retaliation, the agreement is often a settlement of that claim.
Union help and outside counsel
In Police1, Bridget walks officers through preparing for mediation, arbitration, hearings, and litigation. On Resilience Development in Action, she explains where union representation shines, where conflicts of interest derail you, and when outside counsel is worth it.
Where the work starts
Most officers who reach out are not looking to file a lawsuit. They are trying to understand what is happening to them, what their options are, and what to do this week. That is where the work starts.
Book a Discovery Call- 1
Reviews the agreement
The firm reads every term against what you would be giving up, including claims you may not know you have.
- 2
Explains the trade
You hear what the agreement does, what it costs you, and which terms are worth pushing on.
- 3
Negotiates before you sign
The firm makes the ask: pay, benefits, references, and how the separation is recorded.
Built by a Cop, for Cops and First Responders
Bridget was a Deputy Sheriff in Florida, spending time on patrol, in the Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit (NOCU), and on the SWAT team. She experienced the pressures of law enforcement firsthand, in the field and within her own department. Then she became an attorney.
"I have recommended Lady Law Shield since my positive experience and will continue to do so. It is a positive to have an attorney with experience in the Law Enforcement profession. I believe the integrity, ethics and dedication by Lady Law Shield is unmatched."
Questions officers ask
Should I sign a severance agreement from my police department?
Not before you understand it. A severance agreement usually trades a payment for a release of your claims against the agency, and what you give up is usually permanent. Check the money and benefits, the claims you are releasing, how the separation will be recorded and reported, and the deadline to sign. Ask for time, and have an employment attorney review it first.
Can I negotiate a separation agreement with my agency?
Often, yes. Pay, accrued leave, insurance, the reason recorded, a neutral reference, the resignation date, and how the separation is reported can all be on the table. Leverage is strongest before you sign and depends on what claims you may have. Do not counter in the meeting where the agreement is handed to you. Take it with you and get advice first.
What rights do I give up in a severance agreement?
Usually your right to sue the agency over the employment, including claims for discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Many agreements also add confidentiality, non-disparagement, no-rehire, and cooperation terms. Some rights generally cannot be waived, such as filing a charge with the EEOC, though you may give up any money from it. Read the release line by line before you sign.
How long do I have to sign a separation agreement?
Whatever the agreement says, unless federal law sets a minimum. If you are 40 or older and the agreement waives age discrimination claims, you generally get at least 21 days to consider it, or 45 days in a group layoff, and 7 days to revoke after signing. Either way, you can ask for more time in writing. Do not let a short deadline rush you.
Will a separation agreement affect my law enforcement license?
It can. In many states, agencies must report why an officer separated to the state licensing or certification agency, and that report can follow you to your next background check. A resignation in lieu of termination may be reported differently than a clean resignation. Ask how the separation will be recorded and reported, and get the answer written into the agreement.
Before you sign, get it read.
What you give up in a separation agreement is usually permanent, and the deadline to sign is often short.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and department procedures vary, and every situation is different. Speak with an attorney about yours.
© 2026 Truxillo Law Firm PLLC, d/b/a Lady Law Shield. Bridget Truxillo is responsible for this site's content. Primary practice location, Houston, Texas. Attorney advertising. General information, not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship, which begins only with a signed agreement. Testimonials reflect individual client experience, and results vary. A prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results. The firm is based in Texas and works with officers across the country on employment matters under federal law.