Is it legal for a company to force an employee to sign a form saying the employee gives up all rights to sue the company and that the employee will be terminated if they do not sign it?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it legal for a company to force an employee to sign a form saying the employee gives up all rights to sue the company and that the employee will be terminated if they do not sign it?
Asked on June 20, 2015 under Employment Labor Law, Kentucky
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
Yes, it is legal, because all employment is employment at will: the company may put any conditions it likes on employment, including giving up the right to sue it, and can refuse to hire (or terminate, if already hired) anyone who does not sign. Such forms have their limits, however: while they can often protect against a lawsuit based on negligence or unintentional wrongdoing, courts tend not to allow them to protect against intentional wrongful acts--you can't make someone give up the right to sue, then deliberately and illegally harm him, as a general matter.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.