It's similar with asking about severance pay. Employers, in fact, often count on the candidate feeling too nervous that they will look bad to ask about negotiat

It's similar with asking about severance pay. Employers, in fact, often count on the candidate feeling too nervous that they will look bad to ask about negotiating a severance benefit. However, in start-ups in particular where someone being wrong about growth or certain forecasts can mean significant risk of short term layoffs, almost at any time, getting a severance agreement is quite important. And if the company won't do it, because they think you're somehow trying to game the system for your severance benefit, or because they say something dumb like, "well, no one else has asked for a severance benefit" -- then you know it's probably a company to avoid.