How do you become entitled to severance pay?

No one is ever entitled to severance pay. Severance pay is either a listed benefit from the employer or not. It is the employer's decision to give severance, however, severance should be written into the first contract the employee signs if it is a benefit. It is important to ask possible new employers about severance before signing a contract. Depending on how important that back-up is to you, you can go forth with the company or not. This article goes into more detail on severance pay and other aspects such as its relation to obtaining unemployment benefits.