Soft Landing · Chapter 3 · One counterproposal

The Severance Negotiation Prep Worksheet

The Decoder showed you where the paper bites. Turn that marked agreement into one truthful counterproposal, ranked by what changes your money, coverage, work options, or future obligations.

Output: One numbered email with no more than five requested changes.

Scope0/5 request slots used

Send-ready0/5 requests ready

Counsel gateOne serious trigger overrides the stack

No counsel trigger entered. That is not legal clearance.

Next: start Request 1.

1. Record the current package

Use the agreement and plan documents. Don't fill a gap with a remembered promise.

Cash severance weeksCash severance per weekHealth subsidy monthsHealth subsidy per monthPayment timingEquity or option treatmentRestrictive covenant scopeRestrictive covenant durationCooperation and clawback termsOfficial reference languageOther material term

2. Apply the counsel gate first

Stop self-negotiation and use Chapter 4 when one serious red flag appears. The worksheet doesn't total these facts into a legal score. One serious issue can outweigh ten routine provisions.

Record a trigger as unresolved or as reviewed for this draft. “Reviewed” is a factual workflow status, not a legal-clearance badge.

Suspected discrimination or retaliation

Protected leave or activity

A disputed decisional unit

An urgent deadline

Unpaid compensation

A career-blocking covenant

A clause you cannot safely evaluate

3. Build and rank the requests

Remove any request that doesn't change cash, coverage, work options, reference value, or a future obligation. Choose the smallest set that would make the agreement acceptable. Each item should allow a yes, no, or specific counterterm.

Request 1Open

Decision areaPriority rankProfessional review needed

Current termRequested termWhy the change mattersFactual supportDocument section

This request is truthful and doesn't hint at a claim I don't have. Any needed professional review is complete for this draft.

Request 2Open

Decision areaPriority rankProfessional review needed

Current termRequested termWhy the change mattersFactual supportDocument section

This request is truthful and doesn't hint at a claim I don't have. Any needed professional review is complete for this draft.

Request 3Open

Decision areaPriority rankProfessional review needed

Current termRequested termWhy the change mattersFactual supportDocument section

This request is truthful and doesn't hint at a claim I don't have. Any needed professional review is complete for this draft.

Request 4Open

Decision areaPriority rankProfessional review needed

Current termRequested termWhy the change mattersFactual supportDocument section

This request is truthful and doesn't hint at a claim I don't have. Any needed professional review is complete for this draft.

Request 5Open

Decision areaPriority rankProfessional review needed

Current termRequested termWhy the change mattersFactual supportDocument section

This request is truthful and doesn't hint at a claim I don't have. Any needed professional review is complete for this draft.

4. Draft the numbered email

HR contactYour name

Dear [HR contact], Thank you for sending the complete transition package. I reviewed the agreement and would like to request the following changes before I finalize the separation: [Complete at least one request and give every used request a unique rank before using this draft.] Please respond in writing. I remain committed to a professional transition. Regards, [Name]

Completion test: The worksheet is complete when every request is truthful, tied to a provision, ranked, and safe to send without an unresolved counsel trigger.

Send it once. Give HR time to consult finance and legal. Do not turn one counterproposal into daily follow-up messages.

Monday Move

Complete the highest-priority request with its current term, requested term, factual support, and document section. If a serious trigger is unresolved, the move is Chapter 4 instead.