You were handed a termination packet and told you have days to sign. Signing in panic, in the room, is how people give away leverage they did not know they had. You do not have to decide at your worst moment, in someone else’s office, on someone else’s clock. You need time to read the packet, understand what each clause means, compare what you are giving with what you are getting, and answer in writing like a professional.
The Severance Negotiation & Counter-Offer Letter kit is a calm, 10-page organization and negotiation-preparation toolkit: slow the clock down, decode every clause in plain words, weigh the exchange honestly, and make a small number of specific, polite requests — in writing, with every date and answer tracked. Example letter language is included for you to edit; requests are framed as requests, never guarantees of any outcome.
What it is
This is a printable kit, a fillable phone version, and an offer comparison calculator that work together as one calm plan:
- START HERE — where your files live in your Etsy account, how to open them, and which file is for what
- Do Not Sign Yet — first actions, a deadline tracker filled in from your packet itself, and the plain-language questions to ask about consideration and revocation terms — this kit states no deadline or law as applying to you
- Severance Packet Decoder — every clause: what it says, what it means in plain words, and your question about it
- Giving vs Getting — the full exchange on one honest page
- Counter-Offer Letter Template — polite, professional, editable: end date, payout timing, benefits continuation, reference wording, outplacement — framed as requests
- Phone Negotiation Script — the opening, the power of the pause, what not to say, and a closing that locks agreements into writing
- Counter-Offer Tracker — every ask, every answer, every follow-up date
- Final-Signing Checklist — re-read the final version, copies, proof of sending, secure storage
- Next 30 Days: Money Bridge — expected income vs must-pay bills, plus pause / call / decide prompts toward a full budget reset
- Questions For Your Attorney + Closeout — starters plus space for yours and the answers
The fillable PDF version is included — open it on your phone and tap-type into 137 fields. No printing is required to complete it.
The Offer Comparison Calculator (.xlsx, for Excel and Google Sheets) does the arithmetic: offer vs counter totals calculated for you, a deadline tracker with date math, and a negotiation log — with demo data so you can see it working in about a minute.
Why it was created
A severance packet arrives at the exact moment you are least able to read one: shocked, embarrassed, and worried about money. The packet itself is written in dense agreement language, and the pressure to sign quickly is real even when the deadline in your own packet allows more time. This kit was created to restore order to that week: first actions before any signature, a decoder that turns each clause into plain words and a question, an honest one-page view of the exchange, and a counter-offer that asks for a few specific things politely and in writing — because a written, tracked negotiation is calmer and clearer than a panicked conversation.
Who it’s for
- Anyone handed a severance or termination agreement and asked to sign it
- Laid-off employees who want to compare the offer with a considered counter before answering
- People who freeze on negotiation phone calls and want a script and a pause built in
- Anyone who needs the next 30 days of money organized while the negotiation runs
How to use it
Start with Do Not Sign Yet. Write down the deadline exactly as your own packet states it — the kit takes its dates from your documents, not from any general rule — and take the first actions listed before signing anything. Work through the Severance Packet Decoder clause by clause, turning each into plain words and a written question. Complete Giving vs Getting so you can see the whole exchange on one page, then enter the offer in the calculator and build a counter from a small number of specific requests. Edit the Counter-Offer Letter Template in your own voice, use the Phone Negotiation Script if a call happens, and log every ask, answer, and follow-up date in the tracker. Before any signature, run the Final-Signing Checklist on the final version itself, keep copies and proof of sending, store everything securely, and use the Money Bridge page to organize the next 30 days.
This kit is a general organization and negotiation-preparation tool with example wording for you to edit. It is not legal advice, consult an employment attorney to review any agreement before you sign it. It states no statute, deadline, or right as applying to you.
Get the kit
DIGNITY. Get the Severance Negotiation & Counter-Offer Letter for $14.95, or find DealShore on Etsy.
Get free sample pages + new kit alerts — email contact@dealshore.com