I have been advised that the business which I have been employed at, for ten years, has been sold. I was advised that I must sign an employment agreement that has a probation period. Am I entitled to severance pay, because of this new job classification?

Thank you for your question. You have absolutely no obligation to sign a new employment agreement, especially an agreement that contains a probationary clause. In fact, I would strongly advise you not to sign the agreement until you have had it reviewed by a lawyer.

At the point of sale, you could consider your employment terminated and you would be owed severance. That said, if the offer from the new Company is similar to your prior position you may have an obligation to accept the position.

I would strongly encourage you to call us and set up a consultation to review the new agreement and discuss this matter further. I would also encourage you to visit the severance pay calculator our firm has developed to see what you would be owed if terminated (www.SeverancePayCalculator.com).