{"id":2799,"date":"2026-10-23T00:47:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T00:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kewlegal.com\/resources\/employee-legal-issues-florida-business-owners\/separation-agreement-severance-release-attorney-florida-employers\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T14:41:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T14:41:54","slug":"separation-agreement-severance-release-attorney-florida-employers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kewlegal.com\/resources\/employee-legal-issues-florida-business-owners\/separation-agreement-severance-release-attorney-florida-employers\/","title":{"rendered":"Separation Agreement Lawyer for Employers Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Employment Law for Employers | Coral Gables & Sunny Isles Beach<\/p>

Separation Agreements for Florida Employers, Drafted with Care<\/h1>

KEW Legal helps business owners in Miami-Dade and Broward end employment relationships with clear, well-documented separation agreements. Kristina E. Wilson is the responsible lawyer for this page.<\/p>

Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div>
Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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How KEW Legal Supports Employers<\/h2>\n

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Agreements Built for Your Situation<\/h3>

We review the employee's role, tenure, handbook, and offer letters so the separation agreement reflects your actual relationship with the employee.<\/p><\/div>

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Risk Considered Up Front<\/h3>

We look at the release language, confidentiality terms, and review periods together, so the agreement is clearer and less likely to invite a later dispute.<\/p><\/div>

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Outside General Counsel Approach<\/h3>

Separation planning is part of our ongoing work with business owners, so you get advice that fits your broader employment and operational needs.<\/p><\/div>

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Offices in Coral Gables and Sunny Isles Beach<\/h3>

We serve employers across Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and South Florida.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

By Kristina E. Wilson \u00b7 Published October 22, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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A separation agreement is the written contract that ends an employment relationship on agreed terms. Its severance release is the section where the employee gives up certain legal claims in exchange for pay or benefits. KEW Legal helps Florida employers draft and review these documents before they reach the employee.<\/p>\n

What a Separation Agreement and Severance Release Do for Florida Employers<\/h2>\n

A separation agreement sets the terms of an exit. It covers final pay, benefits, company property, and the employee’s duties after leaving. The severance release is the part where the employee agrees not to sue over the claims it lists.<\/p>\n

Florida is an employment-at-will state. Either side can end the job at any time. But a firing cannot rest on a reason the law prohibits, such as retaliation or unlawful discrimination (Laguerre v. Palm Beach Newspapers<\/a>).<\/p>\n

This document fits three common situations. You may be ending a role where the employee could have a claim. A sale or restructuring may be changing your staff. Or an owner may want a clean exit with a defined end date.<\/p>\n

The agreement is not the termination decision itself. The document is what makes the outcome clear and written down.<\/p>\n\n

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Ending an employee's job and need a release that is clear and fits the facts? Reach out to KEW Legal before the agreement goes to the employee. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div>
Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Why Release Language, Consideration, and Review Periods Decide Enforceability<\/h2>\n

A release holds up better when it names its claims, offers real value, and gives the employee time to decide. Vague or overbroad wording invites challenges.<\/p>\n

Release language.<\/strong> List the types of claims being waived, such as discrimination, retaliation, and breach of contract. Use plain words that a non-lawyer can follow.<\/p>\n

Consideration.<\/strong> The employee should receive something extra, such as added severance or extended benefits. Write the payment terms into the agreement itself, not into a side email.<\/p>\n

Review time.<\/strong> Give the employee a reasonable period to read the document and ask questions. In Basulto v. Hialeah Automotive, the court concluded that both the procedural and substantive aspects of unconscionability must be present, although not necessarily to the same degree, and both should be evaluated interdependently rather than as independent elements (Basulto v. Hialeah Automotive<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Federal Age-Claim Waiver Rules Under the ADEA<\/h2>\n

Federal obligations for employers are enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).<\/p>\n

Check these terms before you use a standard release for an older employee.<\/p>\n

Florida’s civil rights law also bars discrimination because of age (Fla. Stat. \u00a7 760.10<\/a>). A person may file a complaint within 365 days of the alleged violation (Fla. Stat. \u00a7 760.11<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Terms Beyond the Release: What a Well-Drafted Agreement Usually Covers<\/h2>\n

A complete agreement covers more than the release. Most drafts include these items:<\/p>\n