Being continuously employed is more or less a sign of economic security for an employee, especially if his or her family has no other source of income but the salary being earned by the employee.

However, even if the employee has shown exemplary performance on the job, nothing may keep him or her from maintaining or holding on to it if the company itself is going out of business or suffering terrible financial losses.

Failing businesses eventually closes down and then, even if there is still some money left in its bank accounts, these funds are returned to the investors of the business. Thus, there is no chance that the employees affected by the closing down may get any severance pay.

Some companies that are already failing but have not yet entirely shut down, may provide severance payments for those employees intending to remain behind even as the company continues to suffer constraints. While those who are being discharged because of downsizing policies, to save at least part of the business, may be given severance pay as an act of goodwill by the employer.

If the company has failed altogether and shut down, there is no reason for the company to preserve any goodwill with former employees, although admittedly, they are the hardest hit when these things happen.

Receiving severance pay would have helped in tiding them over after losing their jobs. However, this kind of benefit is based on the capacity and/or willingness or the employer, a management prerogative.

On the part of the employees, negotiation is the key to gaining a severance package and securing an agreement with the employer concerning the provision of such package.

It remains largely on the decisiveness of the employees to ask for what they believe is just and lawful to ensure their continued economic security even as their employment and regular salary is on shaky ground.

Here are several tips in negotiating for your severance package agreement:

1. Preparation - distinguish yourself from the others being offered with package. Set these factors about yourself apart from others:

- your year of service - contributions to the business - specific contribution that had a huge impact in the business Repeatedly persist on these albeit politely stressing your right to sufficient package based on these points.

2. Remember that items you may want to be included in your package may not have been considered or thought about by your employer.

3. If you feel that the employer benefits plan to be offered on the next month is much better than what is being already offered, you can request that the date of your official termination be changed to avail of the next month's package offer.

4. Other important milestones may be treated the same way, too. If you were already nearing a vesting milestone to have stock options, check out to see if you can extend your termination date and then request for a prorated incentive payout.

If these do not work, appeal to your human resources manager and supervisor, ask about their terms and sign if you agree to such terms. It would still depend largely on your company's circumstances and financial situation.

However, this issue has grave importance on every employee facing these circumstances. There is no other way than to assert yourself and hope for the best.

Know more information about Employment Severance Packages and the terms and conditions in Severance Package Agreements

About the Author

Lala C. Ballatan a.k.a Kay Zetkin discovered the pleasure of writing through her daily journals way back when she was 10. With writing, she felt freedom - to express her viewpoints and assert it, to bring out all concerns -- imagined and observed, to bear witness.