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RIF Notice: What to Include

January 10, 2019 by Careerminds

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Are you getting ready for some workforce reductions? Perhaps you want to save a bit of money here and there, increase the efficiency of your current talent pool, or undergo a complete business overhaul? Whatever the reasons, it sounds like you need to prepare a RIF notice to notify employees about their impending layoff.

And, no, we don’t mean getting management to tell employees to clear their desks. Or sending them an email informing them there is no need for their services in your company anymore. It’s not that simple. You can’t expect employees to accept termination of employment without a timely RIF notice accompanied by a proper explanation.

There are a lot of legalities and moral obligations to fulfill for a termination of employment to be valid. All of which should be covered and addressed in a formal RIF notice.

But what exactly should a RIF notice include for it to be formal, respectful, and legally binding? Well, there are a few points you need to go through, actually. Here is an overview of what you should include in your RIF notice to notify employees about their impending layoff.

Prepare a Reduction in Force Letter

After the reduction in force is approved, it’s up to the HR department to prepare a reduction in force letter. This is the first step of a formal RIF notice. Although writing a letter might sound easy enough, it can be the cause of many problems later on. To avoid any problems from occurring, your reduction in force letter should follow a specific content structure.

You can download our reduction in force letter here.

Here’s what you need to include in your reduction in force letter:

  • Date and addressee. Who does the reduction in force affect and when is the employee informed about the impending termination of employment?
  • Reason for the layoff or RIF. What is the reason for the termination of employment and is there an alternative?
  • Outplacement services. Will the affected employee receive outplacement support, such as access to resources, tools, and career counselors?
  • Employee rights. What rights does the affected employee have and should they exercise them?
  • Positive acknowledgement. What positive contributions has the employee made during their time in your employment?

If you fail to include even one bit of information in your letter you may face a whirlwind of security risks, retaliation, and lawsuits. So it’s best to consult HR experts who can help you create a risk-free reduction in force letter template. Or at the very least get someone to look at your letter before sending it out. This can save you a lot of headaches later on.

Also, remember that RIFs and layoffs are technically different. You can learn the difference between the two here so that your staff understands fully what is happening.

Coordinate a Reduction in Force Notification Meeting

After you’ve provided a formal written RIF notice to the affected employee, it’s time to coordinate a reduction in force notification meeting.

RIF Notice

There are two stages of coordinating a reduction in force notification meeting: preparation and execution.

Preparing for a reduction in force notification meeting should look something like this:

  • Familiarize yourself with the standardized RIF process and HR protocols.
  • Arrange a date, time and location to meet with the employee.
  • Speak to your HR team to discuss outplacement, severance and benefit packages.
  • Anticipate questions and prepare answers.
  • Gather resources that will help the employee transition.
  • Prepare yourself for a range of emotional reactions.

Conducting the actual meeting should look something like this:

  • Cut to the chase and clearly state the nature of the meeting.
  • Make it clear that the reduction in force is caused by business necessity.
  • Remain assertive throughout the meeting to show that the decision is final.
  • Listen and respect whatever the employee has to say.
  • Offer support and try to resolve any uncertainties or issues.
  • Discuss the next steps to finalizing the termination of employment.
  • Remain calm regardless of emotional outbursts and provocations.

Follow a Layoff Script

Following a layoff script is an effective way to communicate a layoff to employees. Sure, it might seem a bit automated at first – but in reality it’s quite the opposite. Having a layoff script has its major perks. For one, it helps the person conducting the reduction in force meeting stay on track to hit specific talking points, such as:

  • Explaining the reason for the layoff.
  • Clarifying why a particular employee or their position is affected.
  • Suggesting what the organization can do to help affected employees, like offer outplacement services, severance packages, and various employment benefits.

Additionally, a layoff script ensures that whoever conducts the reduction in force notification meeting follows the same criteria.

Download Our Layoff Script Here!

Can you imagine the chaos if one person from HR starts the meeting by listing the affected employee’s negative characteristics and their inability to do their job well, while another one begins the meeting by talking about last night’s football game? Not only will it alter the talking points of the meeting but it will affect the quality, delivery, and receipt of the RIF notice, too.

With a layoff script, the person conducting the meeting knows precisely what, when, why, and how every piece of information should be conveyed to affected employees. It helps set the tone, pace, and flow of the reduction in force notification meeting. It’s a must have tool for a seamless RIF process.

Don’t Forget About the WARN Act

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act) requires employers to give 60 days written notice of the intention of terminating the employment of more than 50 employees as a result of a plant closing or any mass layoff that will result in over 500 employees losing their job during any 30-day period. In these circumstances, RIF notice must be provided to affected employees, labor unions, the local chief elected official and the state dislocated worker unit.

However, the WARN Act notice requirements do not apply to the layoff of employees who have worked for the employer for less than 6 months in the last 12 months. Employees that work less than 20 hours a week are not entitled to this RIF notice period either.

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There are a bunch of different rules and regulations that dictate whether or not a company has to comply with the WARN Act. Learn all about them here.

The purpose of the advance notice is to protect employees from finding themselves in a financially vulnerable position. The WARN Act gives employees sufficient time to adjust to the prospect of losing their job and seeking new employment. Organizations that fail to provide a 60 days written notice to employees will face a penalty for violating notification requirements.

Get Your RIF Notice Right: A Recap

It’s absolutely crucial that your workforce reductions are handled with care. A properly prepared RIF notice is quite beneficial for your brand in order to maintain a positive employer brand. In turn, this will help you attract new talent, retain star employees, and ensure a strong brand positioning.

When a reduction in force is done right, affected employees will leave with dignity, with a positive impression of their employer, and with the confidence to seek new employment opportunities. Sometimes workforce reductions really are a stepping stone towards success, for employees and employers alike.

So make sure you get it right by getting your RIF notice up to scratch. Prepare a thorough reduction in force letter, conduct a methodical reduction in force notification meeting, follow a layoff script to ensure consistency, and consider WARN Act notice requirements to avoid legal trouble.

Need advice about preparing your RIF notice? Check out our guide below:

You can download our reduction in force letter here.

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