Forcing staff to return to work may mean legal woes for firms

New Delhi

Rushing employees back to work against their comfort level not only creates a psychologically unsafe environment for these employees, it may lead to lawsuits, public backlash and increased regulatory scrutiny, according to a new Forrester report detailing most critical risks for businesses to avoid post Covid-19 lockdowns.

 Employees who speak out about going back to work could be seen as troublemakers, be alienated by their colleagues and bosses, and be managed out, causing a series of unfair dismissal cases. “All of this will, in turn, lead to a toxic culture and employee, customer, and public backlash. Worse, the issue of liability for employees that get sick has yet to be determined,” said Heidi Shey, Principal Analyst.

 In Australia, claims for unfair dismissal have risen by 70 pc during the pandemic, and the estimated cost of for firms to defend an unfair dismissal claim can range from $15,000 to $100,000 per claim.

COVID-19: JCB India lays off 400 employees
JCB India has laid off 400 permanent staff to adjust its workforce with dip in demand due to the lockdown. It said demand for its products in May and June has dropped by 80 pc compared with the corresponding period last year due to the current situation. “We have had to take the difficult and painful decision of re-organising our staff strength across levels to tide over this extraordinary situation,” a spokesperson said.