The global recession has impacted every region in the world. Multi-national companies are being forced to make tough but necessary personnel decisions in all of their operations. One of many challenges is ensuring that layoffs and redundancies are implemented in compliance with local laws, which can vary greatly from country to country and often from region to region within a given jurisdiction.
The Employment Law Alliance (ELA) is offering a series of 90-minute "round-table" webinars -- for each major geographic region in the world -- that will provide practical, up-to-date information on how to implement these actions with the least amount of risk of litigation and liability. The format will be an informal question-and-answer discussion rather than formal presentations. There will be plenty of time for questions.
Participants include experienced employment lawyers from law firms around the globe that are affiliated with the ELA. Each session will be devoted to a particular region in the world and will focus on the following issues:
Using the right criteria to ensure the selection process for layoffs will withstand a legal challenge.
-
Giving advance notice of layoffs and redundancies - what's required by law and what local practice dictates.
-
Considering ways to save money short of terminations - what local law allows when considering options such as forced vacations, salary and work-hour reductions, temporary shutdowns, job sharing, relocations, and reassignments.
-
Providing severance pay and other legally mandated termination benefits such as health insurance continuation and unemployment benefits.
-
Using Separation Agreements and Releases - are they necessary and how to ensure their enforceability.
-
Interacting with labor unions, works councils, and government agencies.