Webinars

  December 3, 2008 at 02:00PM ET

In today’s turbulent economy, the Department of Labor (DOL) reports that mass layoffs—instances where 50 or more employees lose their jobs—are at their highest level since September 2001.

Recent IOMA research has found that nearly half of all companies offer severance pay to select groups—but a shocking one-third report that they do not give any severance at all.

However, in today’s difficult economy, responsible companies must have a formal, legally-sound severance policy to handle layoffs of even a few employees.

But what and how much should you offer, to whom, and for how long?

HR professionals know that dealing with severed employees is an unfortunate fact of life, but how you handle this situation can make all the difference.

A formal severance policy can do more than reduce the stress of departing employees—it promotes a sense of commitment and equity among your current employees, and can protect your organization from lawsuits.

Since there’s no telling when your severance policy will be needed, the best time to update it is NOW.

Join IOMA and our expert faculty for this fast-paced webinar that examines both the legal and human aspects of this tough topic.

In just 90 minutes, you’ll learn:

• The overall purpose of severance and why a formal severance policy is prudent
• How to structure these arrangements including how much to give and to whom
• The laws that must be heeded in relation to severance
• What the employer can ask for in the terms of a release by the employee in return for severance
• The overall goal of change-in-control arrangements and what situations call for corporate change-in control-agreements
• What is the ‘magic number’ of severance payments that most companies provide?
• Health benefits continuation: what you should know if you want to extend beyond COBRA limits
• How to best use waivers and releases in tandem with severance agreements
• Best practices in communicating about severance: tips on delivering the options to workers
• And more

Plus, get all your toughest questions answered in the Q&A session following the discussion. AND, you can invite your entire department—for one low price!

Register today! Unable to attend? Order the CD now!

FEATURED FACULTY

Robert Jones
CEO
Innovative Compensation and Benefits Concepts

Robert Jones is the CEO of Innovative Compensation and Benefits Concepts, LLC - an independent and objective consulting firm that specializes in representing Compensation Committees as an independent and knowledgeable advisor, developing Total Reward retention strategies, achieving better alignment of Human Resources programs with a Company’s business strategy, designing more effective and competitive Compensation and Employee Benefit plans and acting as an independent ombudsman and third party opinion source.

Phil Davidoff
Partner
Ford & Harrison LLP

Phil Davidoff represents management in employment law matters, including claims involving discrimination, sexual harassment, wage & hour laws, family and medical leave laws, breach of contract, restrictive covenants and common law torts. He has defended litigations in federal and state courts and administrative agencies across the United States, as well as in arbitrations before the National Association of Securities Dealers and the American Arbitration Association. He also regularly counsels employers on all aspects of employment law and workplace issues.

He has practiced employment law in New York for over 10 years and has significant experience in employment law matters including developing workplace policies and presenting management and other training programs. He is a contributing author and featured expert in a number of publications and newspapers including The New York Law Journal, Forbes Magazine and The Miami Herald.

Phil is admitted to practice in New York State. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association's Labor & Employment Law Section.

During law school, Phil served as Editor in Chief of the St. John's Legal Commentary and authored “The Drug War in The Workplace: Employee Drug Testing Under Collective Bargaining Agreements,” St. John's Journal of Legal Commentary, 1989. (New York, NY).