If you have a downturn in workload or introduce technology which means that you no longer need the employees that you currently have, we can help you to identify an appropriate redundancy procedure to follow. Announcing such plans to your employees will be one that is met with caution, and we can advise on the proper procedure to make the transition as smooth as possible for you and your employees who are affected.
Legal Considerations
Over the past few years, the nature of work has undergone fundamental changes. And with the potentially game-changing possibilities of emergent AI technologies those changes are only going to accelerate. As a result, many employers will likely soon be faced with a situation where they have many more staff than they need prompting the need for redundancies and reorganisation. There are, however, myriad legal considerations that arise from reorganising and releasing employees, including:
Compliance issues: You cannot simply choose people at random for redundancy. The process by which you arrive at your choices must be compliant with applicable law. Our Redundancy and Reorganisation Solicitors can help.
Potential discrimination claims: It is a given that virtually everyone who receives a notice of redundancy is going to feel they have been unfairly targeted. For that reason, it is imperative you get sound legal advice when making your selections so that any discrimination claims can be effectively neutralised.
Potential contract violations: Before sending out redundancy notices you need to make sure you are not violating any existing collective bargaining agreement or individual employment contracts. This is another instance where our Redundancy Solicitors for Employers can provide essential advice and guidance.
Severance considerations: If there is an express or implied policy regarding severance for redundant workers you will need to be certain that your downsizing efforts do not run afoul of it. Conversely, you may be able to use severance payments to facilitate the downsizing process in a way that helps eliminate the spectre of Employment Tribunals.
Notification wording: Employers need to be careful when it comes to the wording of redundancy notices. There cannot be anything in the notice that suggests bias against a given employee or raises even the slightest hint of discrimination in the redundancy process. This is another reason why experienced Redundancy and Reorganisation Solicitors are so important. We can ensure your redundancy notices pass legal muster at every level.
Why Frederick Solicitors?
We regularly advise businesses on how best to avoid the legal pitfalls of redundancy and reorganisation. Speak to one of our experienced Solicitors before you send out a single redundancy notice.
We can advise you on the pools of employees from which you will choose, the consultation process and the appointment to alternative roles where possible. We will help you to follow the right steps to ensure that you do not end up in the Employment Tribunal, and we can carry out the calculations for you so that you know what your employees are entitled to.
Our expert employment solicitors are here to help resolve your issue as quickly as possible.
