Employment template

Separation Agreement

The agreement that ends an employment relationship on recorded terms: severance on one side, a release of employment-related claims on the other.

No account needed to start.

AI-assisted document tools — not legal advice. A starting point you can understand and customize.

What it is

A separation agreement sets out the terms on which an employee leaves a company. It usually pairs severance pay or some other benefit with a release — the departing employee gives up employment-related claims against the employer in exchange for money or benefits they would not otherwise receive. It also records the practical closeout: final pay, company property, benefits continuation, and which obligations from the job carry on afterward.

When you’d use it

  • An employment relationship is ending and severance is being offered.
  • You want final pay, benefits, and property return recorded in one place.
  • The employer is asking the departing employee to release employment-related claims.
  • A departing employee reads another language and should understand the terms fully.

Key sections & clauses

The parts a separation agreement usually needs to cover. Use them as a checklist — XOsign flags the ones a draft is missing.

  • Separation date & final pay

    The last day of employment and what is owed regardless of signing.

  • Severance consideration

    The pay or benefits offered in exchange for signing — the part that is conditional.

  • Release of claims

    The employment-related claims the departing employee is being asked to give up.

  • Claims not released

    What the release does not cover — the carve-outs worth reading line by line.

  • Continuing obligations

    Confidentiality, IP assignment, and any restrictive covenants that survive the job.

  • Benefits & continuation coverage

    What happens to health coverage, retirement accounts, and unvested equity.

  • Company property & references

    What must be returned, and what the employer will say about the departure.

  • Time to review & revoke

    How long there is to read it, and whether a revocation window applies.

How XOsign helps

Understand it, translate it, refine it, sign it.

The same four steps behind every XOsign agreement — from the moment you upload or start a draft to the moment it’s signed.

Understand it

XOsign reads the document and explains every clause in plain language, so you know what you're agreeing to before you sign — not after.

Translate it

Read and sign in English or Spanish. XOsign presents the agreement side by side so nobody signs a document they can't fully read.

Refine it

XOsign flags missing, vague, or one-sided terms and suggests clearer language for your consideration — so you can decide what the agreement should say.

Sign it

Send it for legally binding e-signature (ESIGN/UETA) with a tamper-evident audit trail and a trusted timestamp on the signed copy.

Frequently asked questions

What is a separation agreement actually trading?

In most cases: money or benefits the employee would not otherwise be entitled to, in exchange for a release of employment-related claims and often confidentiality and non-disparagement promises. Final wages already earned are generally owed either way — a useful test when reading a draft is to separate what is being offered as consideration from what is owed regardless. XOsign lays that distinction out in plain language.

How much time does someone get to review a separation agreement?

It varies. Some agreements give a set review period and a revocation window after signing, and the applicable periods depend on the circumstances and on the law where you are — the document should state its own timelines explicitly rather than leaving them implied. If a draft is silent or vague on how long you have, that is a question worth raising. This is general information, not legal advice.

Should I have an attorney review a separation agreement?

A release of claims is significant enough that many people consult an attorney before signing one, and many separation agreements say in their own text that the employee was advised to do so. XOsign helps you understand what the document says — what is being released, what is being offered, and which terms are worth attention — and can present it alongside a translation. It does not decide for you whether to sign, and it is not a substitute for an attorney.

XOsign provides AI-assisted document tools and does not provide legal advice. These templates are starting points you can understand and customize — not a substitute for advice from a qualified attorney. Requirements vary by state and situation.

Start your separation agreement in XOsign.

Understand every clause, translate it for whoever signs, and send it for signature — all in one place. No account needed to start.

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Free Separation Agreement Template & Guide · XOsign