I was recently laid off from my IT role at a large company due to a reduction in force (RIF) after being with them for about a year and nine months. My severance offer is four weeks of pay along with roughly two months of health, dental, and vision coverage. I initially reached out to HR to request additional severance, but they rejected my request within an hour. I haven't signed the separation agreement yet and I have a consideration period to make my decision. Now, I'm contemplating hiring an employment attorney to review the agreement and possibly negotiate with the company on my behalf. I'm particularly interested in hearing from others who have been in a similar situation. Did you have success in negotiating after HR had already said no? Did the involvement of an attorney change the company's stance? How much additional severance did you manage to secure? Also, what were the costs associated with hiring the attorney—did they charge hourly or work on a contingency basis? I'm not claiming that my company did anything illegal; I'm just trying to assess whether it’s worth the investment to have legal representation in this negotiation. I would really appreciate insights from anyone who has gone through a similar experience, especially those from a U.S. corporate layoff.