{"id":4428,"date":"2026-05-31T19:17:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T19:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arbeidsjurist-eindhoven.nl\/?p=4428"},"modified":"2026-10-09T12:07:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:07:21","slug":"settlement-agreement-signed-under-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arbeidsjurist-eindhoven.nl\/en\/kennisbank\/vaststellingsovereenkomst-getekend-onder-druk-terugkomen\/","title":{"rendered":"Settlement Agreement Signed Under Pressure: Can You Still Get Out of It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Settlement agreement signed under pressure: can you get out of it?<\/h2>\n

Heb je een settlement agreement<\/a><\/a> getekend onder druk? Onder omstandigheden kun je de overeenkomst terugdraaien. We leggen je mogelijkheden uit.<\/p>\n

You have signed the settlement agreement, but in hindsight it doesn't feel right. Perhaps you felt you had little choice, or the pressure from your employer was so great that you simply put your signature down. The question that then arises is: can you still go back on it? The answer is: sometimes yes, but it depends on the circumstances and the point at which you act.<\/p>\n

Wat bedoelen we met ’tekenen onder druk’?<\/h2>\n

Druk bij het tekenen van een vaststellingsovereenkomst kan allerlei vormen aannemen. Soms is het subtiel: een werkgever die herhaaldelijk aandringt, suggereert dat je anders ontslagen wordt, of aangeeft dat dit je ‘laatste kans’ is. In andere gevallen is de druk directer en duidelijker onacceptabel, bijvoorbeeld door intimidatie of het geven van onjuiste informatie.<\/p>\n

From a legal perspective, it matters what form of pressure was involved. There is a difference between an employer who negotiates firmly with you and one who misleads or threatens you. That distinction determines what options you have to challenge the agreement.<\/p>\n

The cooling-off period: your first and simplest way out<\/h2>\n

Did you know that after signing a settlement agreement you always have fourteen days to reconsider? This applies to employees and is enshrined in law. Within that period you can revoke the agreement in writing without giving any reason. You do not need to prove anything and your employer cannot object to this.<\/p>\n

Want to make smart use of that cooling-off period? Send a recorded letter or an email with a read receipt, so that you have proof that you responded in time. Please note: if the cooling-off period is not mentioned in the agreement, you have as many as three weeks to reverse your decision.<\/p>\n

After the cooling-off period: what are your options?<\/h2>\n

Have you let the cooling-off period lapse? That makes things more difficult, but not impossible. In employment law there are legal grounds on which an agreement can be annulled. The most relevant are:<\/p>\n