Workforce Restructuring

Over the past eight to 10 years, many businesses and organizations have needed to restructure and reorganize their workforce to meet the demands of a changing, challenging and highly competitive economy. In order to successfully compete in a competitive job market, businesses need to constantly re-evaluate their daily operations and structuring. Workplace restructuring can be a complex and costly process without undergoing the proper execution.

In order to restructure your business, you need to have a legitimate business purpose. There are important legal obligations that must be complied with in order for a company to successfully restructure itself without incurring liabilities. For example, any change to an employee’s salary or benefits may leave to wrongful dismissal liability. Whenever a restructuring may impact employee jobs and positions, there are strict processes that must be followed. Employer must act in good faith by documenting all proposals, communicating the intentions of the business to the employees, and actively attempting to provide employees with timely and accurate information.

Restructuring a Company or Business may Include:

• Adding or eliminating jobs
• Merging two or more existing roles
• Realigning a brand or product offered
• Redeployment and downsizing
• Merging with another company or organization
• Changing a department or corporate structure

Our employment lawyers in Toronto, the GTA and across Canada help employers avoid the additional and unnecessary costs that can arise when restructurings aren’t properly handled – for example, costs that can be born out of statutory non-compliance and bad faith arguments from affected employees. Our employment lawyers can assist you in ensuring that any company transition is completed as sensitively and as promptly as possible. Our employment lawyers have the tools and expertise to help you avoid common mistakes employers make when issuing termination letters; to help you calculate and provide employees with their mandated statutory notice and severance payments; and to properly execute terminations so to avoid any liabilities and damages that can result from being sued.

Furthermore, our employment lawyers can ensure that your business or company is properly complying with its restructuring requirements as per various legislative provisions. In fact, we can help your company reorganize and optimize its employee structure in any business environment, so you can successfully carry on your business while preserving employee morale. Each situation is unique; so, talk with our employment lawyers in Toronto, the GTA or across Canada to learn about how Levitt LLP can help you reduce the HR risks in your organization.