Asked to sign a deed of release? Here's what it actually means.
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This page is general information, not legal advice. A deed of release is a legal document that typically asks you to give up your right to bring any further claims against your employer, in exchange for a payment. Read it carefully, and don't sign it on the spot.
Before you sign, it's worth understanding
- Exactly what you're giving up, deeds are often written broadly, covering far more than the immediate issue.
- Whether the payment reflects what you're actually owed, or is meant to buy off a genuine problem with the process.
- Whether you're being given a fair amount of time to consider it and get advice.
- Whether there's a separate exit agreement or settlement document that should say the same thing.
None of this means you shouldn't sign, plenty of deeds are entirely reasonable. It means it's worth having it read by someone who isn't your employer before you do, and we can help connect you with an employment lawyer who can review it properly.
Common questions
Often, yes. The terms and the payment attached aren't always fixed, especially if there's a genuine question over how your employment ended.
You generally keep your right to bring a claim, along with whatever your statutory or contractual entitlements are regardless. Not signing isn't automatically a worse outcome, it depends on your situation.
There's no single fixed number, but you're entitled to a genuinely reasonable period to read it and get advice. Being pressured to sign within hours, or on the spot, is itself worth questioning.
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