What does it take to survive a downsizing?

From potential litigation landmines surrounding terminations to distraught layoff survivors, a reduction in force poses many perils for the unprepared HR professional and employer.

Now there's a new training solution that offers real-world advice from top employment law attorneys and HR experts on navigating the communication and legal challenges associated with a layoff:
HR Executive Answers: Downsizing.

With more than 4 hours of management instruction, this 4-module training system provides plain-English solutions for dealing with a downsizing. Use each module on your own schedule, at your own pace!

Module 1 - RIFs: How to Avoid Legal Missteps While Conducting Layoffs
Module 2 - RIF Communication for HR: How to Make the Best of a Tough Situation
Module 3 - Firings and Layoffs in '09: Legal Lessons for Employers
Module 4 - Bonus 56-Page Special Report: Reducing Risk in Reductions in Force

HR Executive Answers: Downsizing is presented by:

• Attorney Dennis Merley is a highly regarded lecturer on a wide variety of employment law topics and is frequently selected by his peers as a mediator of employment-related disputes.
• Wilma K. Mathews’ public relations experience includes positions with a large corporation (AT&T), a public university (Arizona State University), a medical center, two chambers of commerce and a weekly newspaper.
• Attorney Charles S. Plumb’s practice is dedicated to counseling employers on compliance with a broad range of state and federal employment laws and best practices for avoiding disputes arising from the employer/employee relationship.
• Attorney Sam R. Fulkerson assists employers with reductions in force, noncompetition agreements, breach of employment contract claims, handbook and personnel policy violations, and wage and hour disputes.

Use these 4 modules to help you downsize with the sensitivity and
the documentation necessary to help your organization recover in a troubled economy.

Module 1 - RIFs: How to Avoid Legal Missteps While Conducting Layoffs
Mass layoff are sparking mass lawsuits, as gender, age, and ethnic groups cry foul. This course helps you devise and execute a reduction in force without creating an environment ripe for litigation:

• Alternatives to mass layoffs
• What laws come into play when a RIF looms
• Determining goals in implementing a reduction
• Documentation needed to justify the business reasons for the reduction
• Crafting the selection criteria to avoid legal red flags
• Reducing the likelihood of age and other discrimination claims
• Buyout/severance issues to consider
• Waiver and release agreements
• Problems encountered by remaining employees
• And more!

Module 2 - RIF Communication for HR: How to Make the Best of a Tough Situation
Corporate communications expert Wilma Mathews (AT&T, Arizona State University) explains the essential elements of your communications strategy as a layoff looms:

• How to avoid negative publicity, shareholder discontent, and increased employee turnover
• When to start talking, and when to stop
• How to deal with the pain and fear of laid-off employees
• Employee questions to expect after a RIF announcement
• Minimizing the negative impact of a layoff on the stock price
• Communication channels to avoid at all costs
• Specific tasks for senior leaders and supervisors
• Timing and channels for communicating RIF to employees
• Measuring the effectiveness of your communication efforts
• How to prevent the "rumor mill" from spinning out of control
• And more!

Module 3 - Firings and Layoffs in '09: Legal Lessons for Employers
Done poorly, layoffs can result in devastating litigation. After cutting 10% of its workforce, Dell Inc. now faces a $500 million lawsuit from female executives and older employees who say they were disproportionately affected by the downsizing.
This course explains:

• How to comply with the WARN Act and still execute a reduction in force in the most efficient and painless way possible
• Real-life examples of RIFs conducted with care -- and poorly executed ones
• The common types of legal claims being brought against employers by downsized employees
• The types of ERISA suits that should concern HR
• Examples of sound strategies for executing a reduction in force
• Alternatives to large-scale RIFs, including creative ways to use part-timers, independent contractors, unpaid leaves of absence, etc.
• Potential legal hazards when using contractors and converting full-time staff to part-time employees
• Pros and cons of job cuts made through early retirement offers, eliminations through attrition, and voluntary buyouts
• And more!

Module 4 - Bonus 56-Page Special Report: Reducing Risk in Reductions in Force
Whatever you call it -- downsizing, rightsizing, layoffs, or a reduction in force, the primary goals of a workforce reduction is to cut costs and become more competitive. But if done wrong, a RIF can leave your organization vulnerable to litigation and actually make your business LESS profitable. This plain-English report explains the complex laws that apply to downsizing scenarios, the common pitfalls to avoid, and how to negotiate the obstacles presented by each:

• Before You Downsize
• Making Determinations
• Communicate with Employees
• Take Heed of WARN
• Benefits for Displaced Employees
• Downsizing Older Employees
• Voluntary Workforce Reductions