Tongue Tied

[Hot Topic]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

In order to get severance pay, I signed an agreement that forbids me from holding the company up to "ridicule" or making any "disparaging" remarks about anyone with said company.

Am I correct in thinking I'm held to that after the severance runs out? It's not that I want to run around telling people what a jerk so and so was or make sure nobody will hire me by griping about my former manager.

[quincy]

It depends in large part on how exactly the agreement you signed is worded, Hot Topic. No agreement can prevent you from exercising your right to free speech, but there could be repercussions in doing so.

Certainly you would want to hold to all terms of the agreement while collecting your severance, but it would also be wise afterwards not to ridicule the company or disparage any of its workers. Depending on how the company is ridiculed or the workers disparaged, a defamation action could result or, potentially, a breach of agreement action or, as you said, a less-than-flattering reference given to you by your former employer.