Terminated if the client wishes it?

[phoenix25]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?Connecticut

I work in the marketing industry for a public company. The office I work in services three major clients.

One of our clients, that I work on exclusively, has undergone a major reorganization. We had a critical meeting with the new regime. I completely botched my speaking part in front of the new client contact as well as my company president and now I feel like I came off as being incompetent.

The new client contact is known as "General Patten" and is known for shaking things up to make a "big splash".

If this client requests that I be taken off the business, can my company legally terminate me? Does my company first need to see if there is an equivalent position with one of our other clients?

Also, this is more general but related to my situation.

If a company does decide to terminate, can they dangle a severance package only on the condition that a document indemnifying them from pursuing legal action is signed? If yes, does the newly terminated employee have a legal right of sufficient time to think over the offer or can the employer pressure a fast decision from the newly terminated employee?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

The answer to your first question is:

Absent the existence of a specific clause in an existing employment contract, yes, they can.

The answer to your second question is yes. But the severence package isn't necessary to ask for a signature and, in fact, even without the severence and the agreement to hold harmless, in this scenario there are no grounds to sue without a contract.

And the answer to your third question is no, they can require you to sign the document or not, but are not required to give you five minutes.

 

[cbg]

Caveat to Belieze's post:

If you are over 40, the ADEA says that IF your severance is contingent upon your signing a waiver of liability, they must give you a minimum of 21 days to decide whether or not to sign.

If you are under 40, or if the severance is not contingent upon such a waiver, Belieze's answer stands as written.

Also, to clarify Belieze's answer to your first question; yes, you can legally be terminated if the client requests that you be taken off their account as long as you are not operating under an employment contract that says otherwise. No, they are not legally required to first try to find you any position, equivalent or otherwise, with another client, again unless you are operating under a contract that says they do.