Settlement Agreement Solicitors

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Here, we will highlight everything you need to know about a settlement agreement and how to navigate through one without incurring losses.

Speak with our settlement agreement solicitors to learn more.

 

What is a settlement agreement?

A settlement agreement (formerly known as a compromise agreement) is a legally binding agreement between a business and an employee under which the employee agrees to settle their potential claims and in return, the employer will agree to pay financial compensation. Sometimes the settlement agreement will include other things of benefit to the employee, such as an agreed reference letter.

To ensure a smooth settlement for both parties, it is important to draft a clear and legally binding agreement. If you need help drafting such an agreement, you can turn to our settlement agreement solicitors today.

 

What are indemnities?

In a settlement agreement, an indemnity is a promise (made by the employer) to pay (the employee) for damages or losses caused by the other party (employer).

Businesses must be particularly careful when drafting terms under which they provide indemnification for costs incurred in relation to future legal proceedings.

In most cases, such an indemnity will only be provided in return for the employee agreeing to act as a witness on behalf of their employer. Where this type of indemnification is necessary, both parties should clarify the circumstances in which they think the indemnity may be called upon and its scope. Businesses should also consider capping their financial exposure and carefully wording the clause to only cover specific types of fees and costs and only those that have been "reasonably and necessarily incurred."

 

What a business must consider with indemnities and settlement agreements   

A high-profile Court of Appeal decision (Coulson v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 1547. Jurisdictions, England, Wales.) underlines the need for businesses to ensure that any settlement agreements they enter are carefully drafted.

The checklist below sets out the key questions and answers a business should consider before entering into a settlement agreement with an employee.

Contact our settlement agreement solicitors for more information.

 

In what circumstances will a settlement agreement be appropriate?

An employee can make a claim against a business under both their contract of employment and under statute. These claims may arise:

  • on recruitment
  • during employment
  • when their employment has been terminated.

In many cases, a business may want to make a payment to an employee in return for an effective waiver of their potential settlement claims. Businesses can enter into an agreement with an employee to settle potential claims when they are still working for the business, but in most situations, their employment will have ended (or be about to end). 

 

What are the legal requirements for a valid settlement agreement?

For a settlement agreement to be legally binding, there are a number of conditions that must be met:

  • The agreement must be in writing.
  • The agreement must relate to a particular complaint or particular proceedings.
  • The employee must have received legal advice from a relevant independent adviser (for example, a qualified lawyer or union official) on:
  • the terms and effect of the proposed agreement; and
  • its effect on their ability to pursue any rights before an employment tribunal.
  • The independent adviser must have a current contract of insurance (or professional indemnity insurance) covering the risk of a claim against them by the employee for the advice.
  • The employee’s adviser must be identified.
  • The agreement must state that the conditions regulating settlement agreements have been satisfied.

Need to know when to settle? Get legal assistance from our settlement agreement solicitors today.

 

What should a settlement agreement contain?

Other than the legal requirements listed above, the contents of a settlement agreement are largely at the discretion of the business and the employee involved. Examples of common clauses include:

  • Compensation for loss of employment.
  • Contribution to legal fees.
  • Waiver of claims by the employee, including warranty that the claims listed are the only claims which the employee has against the employer.
  • Re-assertion or modification of existing restrictive covenants.
  • Indemnity from an employee in relation to tax and National Insurance Contributions.

 

How is ‘Confidential information’ handled in a settlement agreement?

Protecting confidential information is usually crucial to a business and therefore settlement agreements often contain confidentiality provisions, for example, the employee agrees:

  • Not to use any confidential information.
  • Not to disclose any confidential information to any person, company or other organisation.
  • To keep the terms and existence of the agreement confidential.
  • To not make any derogatory comments about the employer (or any individuals employed by it) to a third party.

Need help drafting a settlement agreement? Our settlement agreement solicitors can help. Get in touch.

 

Which types of claims can be settled by a settlement agreement?

Many statutory claims can be settled by a settlement agreement. For example, claims for:

 

Which types of claims cannot be settled by a settlement agreement?

There are a number of statutory claims that cannot be settled by entering into a settlement agreement, including some types of:

  • Personal injury claims.
  • Pension claims.
  • Claims following the transfer of a business.

For legal advice on employment law matters, please contact our team of settlement agreement solicitors.

 

  • Neil Largan
      • Neil Largan
      • Director, Head of Dispute Resolution Team
      • 01904 624185
      • View profile