Reduction in Force :: essays research papers

The Role of Length of Service in a step-down in ForceOrganizations participating in a reduction in force (RIF) are typically reacting to an economic reason. A poorly designed and punish RIF procedure is fraught with potential litigation possibilities. Using length of service with the company or in a job classification is the nearly common, easiest, and most objective standard (Wildman-Harrold).Any RIF is subject to potential lawsuits. Considering the number of employees involved, the amount of potential dam mount ups tramp easily escalate. Consequently, RIF decisions need to be consistent, uniformly applied, and found on objective measures.Using seniority has several advantages. It is a quantifiable measurement that is readily understood and appreciated by employees. Using Seniority can also aid in the positive perception that employees have in their organization by valuing loyalty. Seniority can also reduce the liability that comes with age discrimination. One survey indicated that age discrimination necessitates are twice as frequent as any other claim in a RIF. (Wildman-Harrold) epoch using seniority as a RIF measurement tool has distinct advantages, companies that use seniority as the sole measurement tool for a RIF frame themselves at a disadvantage. These companies are potentially at risk for not retaining productive and high performing, less senior employees. Companies that create a hybrid of measurements that overwhelm skill set analysis and performance based measurements, along with seniority will be better served.Considerations of Gender, Race, Age, and Other Protected Class DesignationsState and federal official laws protect employees from unlawful termination based on gender, race, and age. It is estimated from the Displaced Worker Survey that over 2.4% of all employees displaced in the mid 1990s filed a discrimination claim with the EEOC (Harriet Zellner, 1998, p.1). Understanding this large potential risk, employers must be cognizant of t he effect that any RIF will have as it relates to this protected class.To understand the potential import of a RIF on the employers protected class, the employer should conduct statistical pre-testing of RIF lists (Harriet Zellner, 1998, p.1). In this carry through the employer would conduct a mock RIF to develop lists of employees both before and by and by the RIF. These lists would provide the statistical data for the workforce composition, from which a statistical analysis of patterns in the data are completed. From this data, the organization must make an assessment whether the statistics stage a disparate impact on a protected class. If a disparate impact exists, the organization needs to determine if the impact is statistically significant, is the RIF process fair, impartial, and caused by a business need?