Organisations frequently want to support their employees in such circumstances both by offering enhanced terms in exchange for employees entering into settlement agreements and by ensuring those employees can obtain straight forward and easy to access legal advice. In just these circumstances, we recently advised around 250 individuals on entering into settlement arrangements with their employer during a company-wide redundancy process.
In this particular situation, the employees were being asked to enter into mutually agreed settlement terms. In return, employees were offered an enhanced redundancy package which was extended to include those with less than two years’ service.
To kick start the process, we liaised with the company and negotiated an initial, balanced draft of the proposed settlement agreement. Further meetings were held with the company to get an understanding as to how the redundancy situation arose and why there was a requirement for settlement. Our dedicated project coordinator attended the meetings in order to discuss logistics and plan an accessible solution for each of the individuals involved.
Group webinar and one-to-one sessions
Due to the number of individuals and the timescales within which we had to advise, we held two separate group sessions via a live webinar which involved advising on the general terms of the settlement agreement. These group sessions were followed by an individual online meeting to clarify queries and provide the statutory advice. Individuals were able to book this directly with our project coordinator at a time that suited them. The settlement agreements were sent out using Docusign enabling hassle-free electronic signing for all of those involved.
This is what the organisation had to say about us: “We were faced with a big task with a large number of employees to push through a settlement process where we expected that achieving 100% would be difficult. Shoosmiths provided independent support for our employees through this challenging period allowing us to achieve100% in a shorter timeframe than we anticipated. Thank you to all of the Shoosmiths team involved in this, in particular thanks must go to one of their Trainee Solicitors, Becca Horley, who worked efficiently with our Executive Assistant to create a seamless, efficient service.”
Our experience and how we can help
Our specialist employment lawyers advise on a range of employment matters including redundancy, dismissal and settlement agreements. Given the difficult circumstances in which many organisations find themselves in due to the pandemic, such advice is in high demand. We can support businesses tackling these issues, from those in the process of making large-scale redundancies where the pandemic has forced closures to those looking to restructure to safeguard the organisation.
We can also offer independent legal advice to those individuals employed by such businesses and can offer cost-efficient packages to companies who are looking to fund legal advice for their employees. We pride ourselves on providing uncomplicated and easily accessible support to our clients be that the business itself or the individual employees.
Visit our employment & immigration page to learn more or contact our employment team today.
Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given. © Shoosmiths LLP 2024.