To think she’s lying? Or do companies really do this?

Flip side - over my career so far I've been paid a total of £70k over there separate occasions to stay with the company (retention bonuses). I don't even think my bonuses were that high compared to some.

It's amazing what big numbers are bounced about.

Yep this is entirely real

Not just private companies who do it either. But in government they will often do it if they have cocked up and know a tribunal will be forthcoming (another reason to be in a union as they support the process).

but unlike a pp people with poor attendance due to illness will go through capability rather than be paid off. Unless they discriminate of course.

Law firms do this ALL THE TIME, like all the time. The first 30 k will have been tax free. Can’t believe she was that loose lipped about it! Although I do hope she has told her colleagues how much she got….so they know how much to go for! 🤭

Is it not better that the working conditions of all workers improve rather than a very few people taking a great pay-offinstead?

Moreso if it's the local taxpayer funding super-wimpy person's early retirement, in-btween job sojourn, etc.

I got much less when they pushed me out for being pregnant 🥲. Depends on the company.

Sadly yes, its a compromise agreement and you are basically agreeing to leave without kicking off and waiving your right to taking any legal action. Without it, they may have no legal reason to get rid of you (so you could sue for wrongful dismissal etc) or you might bring a case against them and even to defend a case when you win, it can cost thousands and isn't good for your reputation. It all depends on how desperate they are to get rid of you, how long you have been there and what your salary is.

Yes it does happen more often than you think, companies 'buy off' people to get rid of them, make them go quietly without a fuss usually signing NDAs as part of the settlement.

you dont make a fuss, you just fight for your life if you are being made redundant and your household income is being reduced by 2/3rds.

You sound fairly naive tbh @BlazingSunsh

I knew someone who was a lawyer too, and got paid out her wages for the rest of her working life. No idea how she managed it. But she did, it was millions. Employment law was her area so she obviously knew what to say.

It’s a simple way for companies to avoid a long and protracted HR process. Compromise agreements avoid a long, boring grievances, performance improvement plans etc.

I’ve just dealt with an employee grievance. It’s taken hours and hours of work over the past 6 weeks. The allegations are nearly all horseshit, intended to get a pay off I think. I’m determined the person won’t get a penny though 😂

It’s doubtful you’d get 2 year’s salary. 3 months’ ex-gratia (up to 30k is tax free), possibly a portion of bonus, plus pay in lieu of notice (taxed) isn’t unusual for a settlement.

Our council paid a director £200k to leave. It’s outrageous.

My sister is the person that does these pay offs where she works. I have offered to go and work for them then get paid off to leave after I balls it all up.

And of course all these 'pay offs' and 'settlements' for male bullshit eventually does trickle down to increased costs for the little people at the bottom.

Here's an idea; what about trying to eradicate the emulation of existing of patriachies as being the 'gatekeepers' of women's progression with a better share of all 'caring responsibilities' between the gender roles?

All fairy dust until women stop shitting on other women in order to get ahead.

yes it happens. In 2009 I was paid £60k to leave, after some negotiation. It was a years wages which was fair enough tbh

It’s possible, especially if the company were worried they had fucked up, but for the salary she was on that’s a huge pay off. She might be exaggerating the sun even if the story is broadly true.

I have 2 family members who received payoffs. Both were offered it to leave without fuss. One got 6 months' pay, and the other was 18 months from retirement and was sent on gardening leave until retirement and paid a full salary for the 18 months. It's a way of avoiding a costly time-consuming tribunal.

Yes happens regularly at my company. The amounts vary depending on who’s instigated them going, how much dirt they have on the company and how quickly they want them to go. Part of the pay out agreement is that the employee can never discuss the reason with anyone and they can’t go to tribunal.

A previous (very senior) boss got money thrown at him to leave - he was an utter sex pest, so seemed very unfair they didn’t just fire him with no golden goodbye.

As they used to say in the 60s, life's a shit sandwich; the more bread you've got, the less shit you eat.

Yes, my last boss got a hefty pay off to avoid her taking the company to tribunal. I've no idea how much as it came with a very strict NDA.

Why on earth would you disbelieve your DF? Women have .been shat on from greiat heights since fire was created. To escape scot free with a 70k pay off before the shizen hit the fan is a victory in my books.

£70 000 is nothing to a lot of companies. My dh is a finance director. Today he paid a bill of ten thousand pounds for some pot plants for people's offices.

People are always getting paid off. It's a quick and easy way to get rid of someone who isn't able to do what needs to be done. A big company will save more than £70 000 by getting rid of someone who is incompetent and replacing them with someone who is.

I'm a lawyer and often deal with settlement and termination agreements.

I got £120,000 (lump sum)to settle after my company was sold to a competitor! My actual annual salary was about £85,000 but they were sending me a temporary retainment payment every month for the duration of the acquisition to make sure I didn't jump ship early before it was completed. I was apparently key to the acquisition, and the settlement was based on that sum as well. Meant I could buy a house for the first time!

I also got gardening leave once at a subsequent job which meant I was given three months salary as normal. That was because I kept having to take time off sick with an underlying condition, and it was really affecting the one other legal team member so they wanted to recruit a replacement. Now that one, I wish I'd pushed for more because the underlying condition was serious and (obviously) not my fault 😬

If that’s two years income for you, no matter what you pull it’s hardly likely you’ll come out with the same amount.