severance dispute

[rightwingfolkie]

I left my former employer in September, and they gave me a 3-month severance package with the understanding that I would not go to work for a competitor during that severance period. I have not gone to work for anybody, but I had made a tentative agreement to go work for a company/competitor who has not opened for business yet and will not be open until at least January (well past the severance period). I also contacted one of my former customers and told them that this was the case (that I would be going to work for this outfit in the near future).

My former employer found out about this and deemed to be a breach in our agreement, so they have cut off my severance pay, even though I am not yet working for this new company. Our agreement was via email (not an actual signed document). My questions are these: are severance agreements legally binding and, if so, since I did not violate the agreement, do I have a legal case here?

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

[ecmst12]

You need to take the severence agreement to a local attorney for review. But I would agree what you did was not smart and not in the SPIRIT of your agreement.