Should I sign the severance agreement my employer handed me?

Not before someone values what you'd be releasing. Michigan severance releases routinely wipe out ELCRA claims with three years left on the clock, live Toussaint claims, and Wages and Fringe Benefits Act penalties. If you're 40 or older, federal law gives you 21 days to consider and 7 days to revoke an age-claim release — use that window to get the agreement reviewed.

Call

Michigan Employment & Wrongful Termination Attorneys

Michigan hands fired workers two things almost no other state does: the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act lets you walk straight into circuit court — no agency charge required — with a full three years to file, and it protects characteristics nobody else covers, including your height and your weight.

Free to use — no fee unless you win
Matched with a Michigan attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Michigan employment case review

A Michigan attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Michigan employment case

When you submit a Michigan employment matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A employment matter needs someone who handles employment work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Michigan law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Michigan who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with an employment claim in Michigan

Day 0
Something happens at work.
A firing, demotion, missed pay, harassment, retaliation. Write down dates, names and what was said, and save emails and pay stubs before access disappears.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Michigan employment attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Your attorney builds the record.
Personnel file, pay records, texts, witness accounts, the handbook. Employers keep meticulous files; you need one too.
Months 1–3
Demand, or an agency charge.
Many Michigan employment claims start with a demand letter or a charge with the state agency or the EEOC. Your attorney picks the route that protects your deadlines.
Before the deadline
Suit is filed if it has to be.
Deadlines are strict and vary by claim. Your attorney tracks every one of them.
Resolution
Settlement or judgment.
You pay nothing along the way. The fee — typically 33% — comes only out of what’s recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing.

State Anti-Discrimination Statute: Elliott-Larsen
Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA), MCL § 37.2101 et seq. — religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex (incl. pregnancy), height, weight, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity (codified 2023). Disability handled separately by the PWDCRA, MCL § 37.1101. Covers employers with 1+ employees.
Deadline to File Charge: 3 years
No administrative exhaustion for ELCRA — file directly in circuit court within 3 years (MCL § 37.2801). Federal Title VII / ADA / ADEA still require an EEOC charge within 300 days. Whistleblowers' Protection Act suits: 90 days (MCL § 15.363).
At-Will Doctrine: At-will
At-will, but heavily qualified: public-policy discharge tort (Suchodolski v. Michigan Consolidated Gas Co., 1982), implied just-cause contracts from handbooks and assurances (Toussaint v. Blue Cross Blue Shield, 1980), Whistleblowers' Protection Act (MCL § 15.361), and workers' comp retaliation (MCL § 418.301).
Non-Compete Enforceability: MCL § 445.774a
MCL § 445.774a — enforceable if reasonable in duration, geography, and scope and tied to a legitimate competitive business interest; Michigan courts blue-pencil overbroad terms rather than void them. The FTC's attempted nationwide ban was set aside in federal court in 2024, so the Michigan statute still controls.
Minimum Wage & Overtime: $12.48
Rewritten after the Michigan Supreme Court's 2024 Mothering Justice decision reinstated the voter-initiated wage law: $12.48/hour as of February 2025, stepping up annually toward $15. Overtime at 1.5x after 40 hours (Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, MCL § 408.934a). The Earned Sick Time Act replaced the old Paid Medical Leave Act in February 2025. Unpaid wages and fringe benefits: MCL § 408.471 et seq.
Typical attorney fee: 33%
33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win

Because Michigan employment law is a patchwork of long fuses and short ones, and picking wrong is fatal. ELCRA (MCL § 37.2101 et seq.) covers every employer with even one employee and bans discrimination based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity — the last two confirmed by the Rouch World decision and codified by 2023 amendments. You get three years and can skip the agency entirely. But preserve federal Title VII / ADA / ADEA claims and you're back to a 300-day EEOC charge; sue under the Whistleblowers' Protection Act (MCL § 15.361) and you have 90 days, period. Layer on Toussaint v. Blue Cross Blue Shield — Michigan's signature doctrine letting handbook language and oral assurances convert at-will employment into just-cause — plus a public-policy discharge tort (Suchodolski), the Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act, and a wage landscape rewritten by the Supreme Court's 2024 Mothering Justice ruling, and you need someone who has litigated these statutes, not a form letter.

Exhibit B

When to call an employment attorney in Michigan

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

0of 6 apply

Tick anything that applies. Even one is reason enough to talk to a Michigan employment attorney before you talk to an insurer.

Talk to an attorney anyway

Meanwhile, don’t

Assuming the 3-year ELCRA clock covers everything — the EEOC charge deadline is 300 days and the Whistleblowers' Protection Act gives you only 90
Forgetting you signed a job application that contractually shortened your deadline to sue — Michigan courts enforce these
Throwing away the employee handbook and offer letter that could support a Toussaint just-cause claim
Signing a severance release without anyone valuing the ELCRA, Toussaint, and wage claims it extinguishes
Venting to HR verbally and never putting the complaint in writing — undocumented complaints are deniable complaints
Losing access to work email, Teams, and texts before saving the messages that prove your case
Posting about the firing on social media while the case is live — defense lawyers screenshot everything

Exhibit C

Employment cases we take in Michigan

Which one is closest to yours?

Race and national-origin discrimination

ELCRA (MCL § 37.2202) plus Title VII. Auto plants, suppliers, healthcare systems, and logistics operations across metro Detroit generate a steady stream of these cases, often proved through shift-assignment and discipline disparities.

Sound like yours? A Michigan attorney reviews it free — no fee unless they win.

Start my free review

Exhibit D

How much do Michigan employment attorneys cost?

Sample settlement statement

Michigan · Employment

Recovery$100,000

Attorney fee · 33%− $33,000

Case costs (advanced by firm)repaid at the end

To you$67,000

Due today$0

Try a different recovery$100,000

$5,000$3,000,000

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Most Michigan employment attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.

Most Michigan employment lawyers take strong cases on contingency — typically 33% to 40% of the recovery — or on hybrid arrangements mixing a reduced hourly rate with a smaller percentage. Because ELCRA, the WPA, and Michigan's wage statutes all shift attorney fees to a losing employer, a well-built Michigan case can be worth a lawyer's time even when the lost wages are modest. The consultation is where you find out which of Michigan's several clocks are running on you — don't wait 90 days to have it.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Michigan employment compensation can include

A Michigan employment recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Back Pay

Wages and benefits from the adverse action through judgment, uncapped under ELCRA and federal law.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Michigan employment questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Michigan attorney will review it for free.

Start free review

For the state-law claim, yes — and you can file directly in circuit court without ever touching an agency, which is rare. But don't let the long ELCRA clock lull you. Federal Title VII, ADA, and ADEA claims die if no EEOC charge is filed within 300 days, Whistleblowers' Protection Act claims die at 90 days, and many Michigan employers shorten everything by contract (see below). The three-year clock is real; it just doesn't cover the whole case.

In Michigan, often yes. Courts here have enforced clauses — frequently buried in employment applications — cutting the limitations period to as little as 180 days, even for discrimination claims. Whether yours is enforceable depends on the language, how it was presented, and which claims it reaches. If you signed anything at hire, get it in front of a lawyer before assuming you have years to act.

Yes — ELCRA is the only state civil rights act that expressly protects both. If you were passed over, mocked, or pushed out because of your size, that's actionable in Michigan in a way it simply isn't in most of the country. These claims are underused because workers don't know the protection exists.

Potentially a lot. Under Toussaint v. Blue Cross Blue Shield, handbook language, policy statements, and even oral assurances of job security can create an enforceable just-cause contract, overriding at-will status. Employers now plaster disclaimers everywhere to kill Toussaint claims, so the analysis turns on your specific documents — which is exactly why you shouldn't toss the handbook on your way out the door.

Ninety days. The Whistleblowers' Protection Act (MCL § 15.361) is one of the broader state whistleblower statutes — it covers reporting or being about to report a violation of law to a public body — but MCL § 15.363 gives you just 90 days to sue. This is the single most missed deadline in Michigan employment law. If this is you, call a lawyer this week, not this quarter.

The Supreme Court's 2024 Mothering Justice ruling held the Legislature's 2018 "adopt-and-amend" maneuver unconstitutional and revived the original voter-initiated laws. The Legislature then enacted a compromise: the minimum wage jumped to $12.48 in February 2025 and climbs annually toward $15, and the Earned Sick Time Act replaced the old Paid Medical Leave Act, extending paid sick time well beyond the prior 50-employee threshold. If your employer is still running 2024 policies, they may be violating current law.

Not as such — Michigan doesn't allow common-law punitive damages. What you can get under ELCRA are uncapped compensatory damages for emotional distress plus "exemplary damages" for malicious or willful conduct, and federal claims carry their own capped punitives ($50K–$300K by employer size). A Michigan verdict is built on the state claim; the federal claim is the backup.

Employment attorneys by city in Michigan

Same Michigan rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.

Other case types in Michigan

All Michigan practice areas →

Animal Incident attorneysMichigan holds dog owners strictly liable — the owner pays for unprovoked bites even on first offense.

Business Dispute attorneysMichigan enforces reasonable non-competes under state law — and recent legislative proposals have repeatedly targeted enforcement.

Car Accident attorneysMichigan’s 2019 no-fault overhaul let drivers choose PIP levels from $50K to unlimited — your coverage selection now drives most case strategy.

Consumer Protection attorneysThe Michigan Consumer Protection Act covers deceptive trade practices — though court rulings have narrowed it for businesses that are already regulated.

Criminal Defense attorneysMichigan’s indeterminate sentencing structure and habitual-offender enhancements make sentencing strategy critical from the first plea offer.

Defective Product attorneysMichigan weighs risks against benefits when judging design defects — and Michigan’s no-fault auto system overlays product-defect crashworthiness claims.

Family Law attorneysMichigan divides marital property equitably — and the Friend of the Court system processes most custody and support enforcement before reaching a judge.

Immigration attorneysMichigan has immigration courts in Detroit — and proximity to the Canadian border creates unique entry, deportation, and asylum issues.

Lemon Law attorneysMichigan’s Lemon Law covers manufacturer defects within 1 year — and attorney fees shift to the manufacturer if you prevail.

Medical Malpractice attorneysMichigan med-mal requires a 182-day Notice of Intent and an Affidavit of Merit — and court rules cap contingency fees at 1/3 of net.

Personal Injury attorneysA 3-year filing deadline and 51% modified comparative fault frame every Michigan PI case — no-fault auto carves out its own threshold rules.

Slip and Fall attorneysMichigan’s "open and obvious" rule bars many slip-and-fall claims — though a 2023 state Supreme Court decision softened the doctrine.

Social Security Disability attorneysMichigan SSA hearing offices in Detroit, Lansing, and Grand Rapids process moderate volumes — counsel helps tighten the medical record SSA needs.

Workers’ Compensation attorneysMichigan workers’ comp runs through Magistrates at the state agency — and wage-loss benefits are 80% of after-tax wages.

Michigan Employment & Wrongful Termination Attorneys

How we match your Michigan employment case

Case type

Size and complexity

Jurisdiction and licensing

Capacity and fit

What happens with an employment claim in Michigan

Something happens at work.

Tell us what happened.

Your attorney builds the record.

Demand, or an agency charge.

Suit is filed if it has to be.

Settlement or judgment.

When to call an employment attorney in Michigan

Employment cases we take in Michigan

Race and national-origin discrimination

Sex, pregnancy, and LGBTQ+ discrimination

Height, weight, and appearance discrimination

Age discrimination

Disability discrimination and failed accommodation

Whistleblower retaliation

Toussaint just-cause and public-policy wrongful discharge

Wage, overtime, and fringe-benefit claims

Earned sick time violations

Independent-contractor misclassification

Non-compete and restrictive-covenant defense

How much do Michigan employment attorneys cost?

What your Michigan employment compensation can include

Back Pay

Front Pay

Emotional-Distress Damages

Exemplary Damages

Wage Penalties

Attorney Fees and Costs

Michigan employment questions, answered

Employment attorneys by city in Michigan

Other case types in Michigan

Ready when you are.

Your help is just

a minute away.

Start your case

in minutes.