Protect your Business Now – Dont delay if you need to layoff staff
Relative to our general advice to protect your business now, lay off of staff may be the most sensible option for categories of staff or all your staff if you are closed for business as many in the non-food and personal services retail businesses. We do not know how long or bad this will get and what further actions will be required to beat this virus, but beat it we will. In the meantime, you must protect your resources so that you will be in a position to be competitive when business returns in its revised new form. It may be the hardest decision you have ever faced. You know your staff personally, their family stories, the trust and bond you have with them is like family for many business owners. You feel like you are betraying them by telling them, you have no work for them. These are very very hard times, but taking the hard action now gives you a fighting chance for the future. Jerome and his team have been very busy over the past few weeks, helping many of their clients to downsize rapidly and face the current reality.
Jerome has told us “that many of his clients have been left with no option but to place employees on lay-off due to the unprecedented circumstance arising out of the measures being taken to stem the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19)”.
“These decisions are incredibly difficult and our hearts go out to the employees that are being laid-off.”
“Employers should note that as the employees are being laid off temporarily, without pay, due to a reduction in business activity, they can apply for a jobseeker’s payment using one of the following methods:
- Online at mywelfare.ie if they have a verified MyGovID account. Individuals must have a Public Services Card to register for a verified MyGov account
- Alternatively, employees can complete the COVID Pandemic Unemployment Benefit form. Employees should post the completed application form, along with the Form RP-9 which you as Employer should give to affected employees and which details the terms of the layoff for your records and any associated social welfare claim to your local Intreo office.
For further information or advice please see the Employers Information section on gov.ie
Jerome’s extensive experience working at the Labour Court and Labour Relations Commission provides a range of challenging employee relations experience to draw upon in offering innovative conflict resolution support to organisations.