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1542. A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party. California Codes Text Search.
Put simply, this means that even if the parties sign a general release, it does not apply to claims that were unknown at the time of signing the settlement, provided those claims would materially affect the settlement. The logic behind this rule makes sense. It’s a protectionary measure.
California Code, Civil Code - CIV § 1542 Current as of January 01, 2023 | Updated by FindLaw Staff A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her , would have materially affected his or ...
1542. A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.
Almost every severance or settlement agreement involving a California employee will include a Civil Code Section 1542 waiver. Typically, when entering into a severance agreement or settlement agreement, employers seek a release not only of the dispute at hand but also a general release of liability.
In order to effectively waive the protections of California Civil Code Section 1542, the language of the statute must be included in any agreement, and the parties to the agreement must acknowledge that they are waiving the rights and benefits of the statute.
So if you are settling a case with a nexus to California (whether or not you practice in California), consider whether you need a section 1542 waiver in the settlement agreement to make your general release ironclad.
A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.
At bare minimum, it must contain a waiver of California Civil Code section 1542 (assuming the parties wish to dispose of “all” claims, both known and unknown). Further, settlements are often arrived at after hours of negotiation.
The Section 1542 waiver may prevent you from ever bringing a wrongful termination lawsuit against that employer. Any time you are asked to sign a document containing a release or waiver of claims, you and an attorney should review it carefully.