LifeinAsia - 4:13 pm on Oct 4, 2012 (gmt 0)

So, for example, if you offered them 4 or 6 weeks pay (you would need to pay at regular payroll intervals instead of a lump sum), you would push out the timeframe they could apply for unemployment by 4 or 6 weeks, respectively.

This would depend on your local labor laws. In California, all payments must be made within 72 hours of termination. If you terminated the employee with a "4-week" severance package, but paid that package amount over 4 weeks, you could be hit with a "waiting penalty" equal to 1 day of the employee's salary until the final amount was paid (30 days max).