2005 Human Resources Conference

Sarah Millar presented at Law Bulletin Seminars and to the Society for Human Resources Management at the 2005 Human Resources Conference on February 23, 2005. It discusses downsizing and severance package options that a company can offer to employees. The presentation starts with considerations to address before downsizing begins. Before a company makes the decision to downsize, it must first realize if it is practical and if it is able. This discussion is followed by a discussion on what sort of options you want to give your employees – for example, is it a voluntary or a forced exit, are options negotiated one-on-one or offered to a large, defined group. These various choices trigger different sets of questions, laws and regulations, all of which are then discussed in depth. For every answer a company makes with regard to the severance package it will offer, more questions arise, bringing with them more rules that must be followed. This presentation takes you through it all and makes suggestions for the best options available at each stage.