COVID-19 Update – Things To Think About When Contemplating Workforce Adjustments Or Reductions

COVID-19 and the resulting social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine directives have forced businesses to make hard decisions in the interest of immediate business continuity and, ultimately, long-term business survival.

While not what most employers want to be dealing with this week, it is inevitable that many are looking at workforce adjustments (such as hours reductions, shift-size reduction, reallocation of job duties, etc.) or even workforce reductions, particularly where the business is facing a slowdown or temporary closure situation (whether voluntary or directed by public health or government). When dealing with these hard decisions, employers must not lose sight of their legal obligations. In an effort to assist you in making informed decisions, we have summarized some key considerations concerning workforce adjustments and/or reductions in the current climate.