How to Write a Redundancy LetterWhilst an unfortunate part of any business, in these times of economic upheaval redundancies are becoming ever more commonplace. A by-product of this is the need to create professional and legally compliant redundancy letter. Obviously it's something that you want to avoid as much as possible. But when a company is forced to lay-off certain members of staff, a redundancy letter is a vital part of the whole legal process involved. It needs to inform the employee of the process, the termination of their contract and any other surrounding issues - such as compensation pay. Clarity is obviously a key factor when you come to produce redundancy letters. Whilst in most instances the management will openly discuss the terms of the staff redundancy person to person and give them all the information needed, the letter offers clarification. This is necessary for both parties. From the company's point of view they can be protected from any future legal issues regarding the laying off of staff if they have clearly set out terms. Similarly, the employee has a legally binding document explaining entitlement and their terms of redundancy; so if there are any issues later in the process, they can legitimately query it. You also want to be thorough, but without being overly confusing. Legal speak can often confuse anybody who isn't in possession of a law degree, so by providing all the information in a way that can be understood by anybody you can avoid any unnecessary problems or confusion. Ordinarily you want to reflect what you have already discussed with the employee. Outline the reasons for redundancy, when their final working day will be, any holiday due or other entitlements. All of this information will help to smooth the process along and ensure there are no contradictions or potential legal loopholes being created. You will also have to bear in mind that being made redundant is often very difficult to deal with emotionally. Whether voluntary or completely out of the blue, facing up to unemployment isn't always easy. So you don't necessarily want to take an entirely sterile tone, although avoid being condescending or worse, offering excuses. People generally appreciate it when you're upfront. So don't try to sugar coat anything, where redundancies are concerned, there are a lot of hard facts to face up to and plenty of legal issues to confront. A personal touch is also never a bad idea. Working from a template is reasonable and will save time writing the same necessary information, but for smaller companies particularly, showing appreciation for the work they done during their time can't be a bad thing. More likely than not you'll need to produce letters right throughout the redundancy process, not just the final confirmation. So you will need to have prepared letters to invite them to the initial meeting, where options are often discussed. A follow up to this meeting, with what was discussed and the outcomes. You may also need one to explain the redundancy process works and how the employee came to be chosen as one of those getting laid off. Generally there will be a set of four during this whole process, but you may of course have your own protocols within the company. Essentially the fundamental requirement for businesses is to cover all of the legal bases. If you can add a personal touch and keep everything clear, all the better. Vincent Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For employment documents, he recommends Cleardocs, one of the UK's leading suppliers of Redundancy Consultation Letters. Have a Great Tip, Photo or Comment About This Topic?Do you have a great tip or photo about this? Something that you believe we should read or see? Contribute and share it today! |