Voluntary redundancy What are my rights

Voluntary redundancy What are my rights by Michael Cheary Dealing with redundancy is never easy â€" even if it’s voluntary… Even if your employer has ultimately left the decision up to you, making sure you’re as well informed about the process as possible will go a long way to helping you make the right decision.We’ve already covered  how to deal with redundancy, but here are a few things you need to know should you be offered redundancy voluntarily:  What is voluntary redundancy?Voluntary redundancy is when an employer asks a member of staff to agree to terminate their contract, in return for a financial incentive.It is usually offered to more senior or long-term employees, although it is possible for other employees to apply if they want to be considered.  Is voluntary redundancy compulsory?No. As the name suggests, it is taken voluntarily by the employee.This means there’s no obligation for you to accept the terms offered by your employer. However, they are usually more lucrative than those that come w ith a standard redundancy payment.  Are my rights different because I left voluntarily?No. Your legal rights will not differ from those who have been selected for compulsory redundancy.In fact, under the Employment Rights Act 1996, voluntary redundancy is not considered as a resignation, and is therefore still classed as dismissal.As a result, you will not lose any right you have to redundancy pay, and employers must go through exactly the same protocol as any other redundancy.This means an employer should:Consult with employees individually and inform them of their rightsInclude advice and information on how the redundancy will be implemented, the financial compensation on offer, notice periods, and any other relevant informationAnswer any questions surrounding the terms offeredIf you have not been given the chance for a consultation, your redundancy could be considered as an unfair dismissal.Why does employment law exist?  Voluntary redundancy pay You’re entitled to statutory re dundancy pay if you have been with your employer for two years or more. You should also receive a written explanation of how your employer calculated it.The fee for voluntary redundancy is often more than the amount offered for statutory redundancy pay, and will take into account factors such as your age, salary and length of service.The first £30,000 of your redundancy pay will also be free from tax and National Insurance payments.As a general guideline, minimum redundancy entitlements (and, therefore, the minimum amount you can be offered as voluntary redundancy pay) based on your age are as follows:Half a week’s pay for each full year served (under 22 years old)One week’s pay for each full year served (between 22 and 41 years old)One and a half week’s pay for each full year served (42 years and older)There are exceptions to this rule, such as if you are offered alternative employment which you refuse without valid reason. However, these are usually more common for those ta king compulsory redundancy.For specific information about how much redundancy pay you are entitled to, you can use  gov.uk’s online calculator.  Voluntary redundancy notice period This will largely be dependent on how long you’ve been with the company.However, as a general guideline, the statutory redundancy notice period is:One week’s notice (for those employed between one month and two years)One week’s notice for each year (for those employed between two years and 12 years)12 weeks’ notice (for those employed for a period of more than 12 years)The numbers above are intended as a guideline only. For more specific details on your notice period, consult your contract.You may also be entitled to reasonable time off to look for a new job. This will apply if you’ve been continuously employed for a period of more than two years. However, if you decide to take this time off, bear in mind that you will be paid at a reduced rate (up to 40% of your weekly salary).  Financial supp ort options After your redundancy, you may be eligible for certain state benefits including jobseeker’s allowance or income support. However, there are a number of requirements to meet in order to qualify.For example, income-related jobseeker’s allowance will only be available if:Your current savings add up to less than £16,000 (including your redundancy pay)You work no more than 16 hours a weekYour partner works no more than 24 hours a weekYou may also entitled to other benefits, such as discounted council tax or housing benefit. For more information about what’s available to you, visit the  gov.uk website.If there’s a chance you may be out of employment for some time, it’s also recommended that you check whether any loans you have include payment protection insurance which may cover some of your outgoings.To learn more about your financial options, speak to your bank manager or financial advisor.How to claim Jobseeker’s AllowanceFinal thoughts Although the idea of a l ump sum may seem attractive at first, it won’t last forever.To make sure you don’t regret your decision, always set a realistic budget to put things into perspective. Not only will this help show how feasible voluntary redundancy is for your situation, it’ll also allow you to keep track of your outgoings. And, it’ll provide you with a timespan of how long you can financially go without working.If you’ve considered all of the above and have decided that voluntary redundancy is definitely the right option for you, all that’s left to do is inform your employer that you have accepted their terms.Once you’ve done this, it’s time to start looking for a new opportunity. For advice on how to deal with your redundancy when applying for new roles, read our  redundancy cover letter template  and  redundancy CV template.* Please note, the information outlined above is intended for general guidance purposes only, and is subject to change at any time. This article was first writte n in November 2014.For more detailed information about your rights around voluntary redundancy, please visit:  https://www.gov.uk/redundant-your-rightsFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Employee rights Employment Law

A New Angle for Lawyers The Legal Consultant

A New Angle for Lawyers The Legal Consultant There is certainly no shortage of qualified lawyers in the U.S.right now. It’s also fair to say that people get into this profession for a variety of reasons â€" ideology, a commitment to justice, financial reward. However, continuing down a career path in law doesn’t have to begin and end at only finding a job as a lawyer. One of the opportunities that those with legal expertise are finding to be fruitful is the field of consultancy. Its a chance to apply those skills learned in school in a way that can result in a more holistic benefit for the projects or companies you choose to connect with. Even more, an increasing number of businesses and industries are starting to recognize the value of obtaining the insights of professionals who are not necessarily technicians in their industry, but have an expertise that can give them the competitive edge. Thats not to say that its an inherently easy route to succeed in, however. There are plenty of challenges that you may not have been prepared for by education and experience strictly located in traditional attorney environments â€" but it can certainly be a lucrative, opportunistic means of making a creative and technical difference to an industry you care about. Not only that, but becoming a legal consultant can be a rewarding, fascinating path. Well take a look at a few areas of focus on your way to making this exciting new occupational direction a success. Discovering Your Niche In some ways, becoming a consultant can reflect the same choices you make embarking upon any other career in law. Attorneys specialize in a variety of areas â€" environmental law, family practice, intellectual property â€" for a variety of reasons, after all. Often their direction is cemented during law school, or further specialized after a couple of years in practice. Youll find the same is true of legal consultancy. Businesses require legal consultants for specific purposes, and your choice of niche will affect the types of business that can benefit from your services. It’s also worth noting that as our world changes, opportunities for emerging niche areas can present themselves. Currently, many businesses are still discovering how the transition into digital spaces and the adoption of new technology will affect the way they operate. In some cases, legislation has not caught up with the pace of technological advancement, and as a result, consultants who are able to provide expertise on data law, cybercrime, and other tech-related subjects, both in the current climate and as it changes, could be in high demand. Making the decision to become a legal consultant while you’re still in law school can certainly be advantageous as well, as this allows you to examine the market for legal consultancy opportunities and what niches could be explored. That said, those who make the move after working as practicing attorneys for some time have an added advantage of deep experience in their niche, and continuing to maintain your law license means that you are able to take advantage of charging higher fees. Networking and Sourcing Clients The path to becoming a lawyer is pretty well mapped out, but what about legal consultancy? Firstly, it’s important to understand that you’ll likely either be a full-time member of an existing management consultancy firm, or you’ll be toughing it out on your own as a freelancer. In the case of the former, you’ll be able to take advantage of an existing infrastructure and learn from your colleagues. On the other hand, if you’re bold enough to start your own consultancy, you’ll need to hit the ground running. Access to vast amounts of digital information along with advanced technology has not just made a legal consultant’s life easier, it has helped to drive a new wave of legal experts into that field. The combination of remote project management platforms and video conferencing software means that lawyers who go freelance have a practical way to work with a range of clients across the globe. But, as any freelancer will tell you, much of the challenge is finding, maintaining, and growing your roster of clientele. This is where you’ll need to create and maintain a smart social media strategy. One of the more direct networking platforms is LinkedIn, which should be used to maintain your current connections in the legal realm, alongside with hunting for prospects. On top of that, you also need to place focus on how to utilize other social media platforms in a way that helps you expand your business. For example, Twitter is excellent for making connections with potential clients, and starting conversations that could lead to work â€" it can also be used on a long-term basis to help build the personality for your brand. Cementing Your Expertise Whether you are operating solo or part of a consultancy firm, your reputation will be everything. Your successes and your expertise will need to have a level of visibility that allows you to parlay your results into more work. Todays digital environment provides you with tools to level up in a way that goes beyond the metrics you produce in your day-to-day operations, and with some extra effort, youll cement yourself as a leading specialist in your field. Focusing on creating a range of content on your area of expertise can reinforce your position as the voice of valuable knowledge. With relatively minimal equipment, you can start your own podcast exploring topics related to your consultancy, perhaps collaborating with or interviewing others in your industry; which also doubles up as a networking opportunity. Produce a YouTube channel with regular, short, digestible videos. Create blog posts doing deep dives on interesting subjects in your field. It is vital that a legal consultant take advantage of the current shift into digital transformation. Understanding how quality content and regular engagement in digital environments is key to future-proofing your consultancy business. These efforts can also be utilized to raise your rankings not only in your occupational field, but also in search engines, making it more likely that potential clients will find your details first, and view you as an expert in your field. Conclusion Becoming a lawyer can be a rewarding experience â€" both personally and financially. However, the current digitally-enhanced environment is opening career possibilities for legal experts who also have an entrepreneurial bug. By placing focus on establishing a niche, honing networking skills, and taking advantage of digital content, you can forge a fascinating and lucrative career path in legal consultancy. This guest post was authored by Dan Matthews Dan Matthews is a writer with a degree in English from Boise State University. He has extensive experience writing online at the intersection of business, finance, marketing, and culture.

How To Leverage Your Brand To Attract New Clients - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How To Leverage Your Brand To Attract New Clients - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What is the best way to use your brand online in order to attract clients and customers? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs.YECmembers represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more atyec.co. 1. Show Your Face Clients need to see a brand as more than a logo. It is a great strategy to use social media to give insights into the lives of the people behind the logo. This creates a human link between the company and the customers. This helps create a more likable persona of the company, which is seen as an extension of the people that customers get to see. This makes you more approachable and relatable. Abeer Raza,TekRevol 2. Amplify the Voices of Others Your brand cant effectively be an expert at everything and well-informed about every single topic. However, you can still take part in online discussions around trends and industries outside of your wheelhouse. Simply engage in conversation with people who are knowledgeable on these things and you can increase your brands online presence while also helping other people. Bryce Welker,Crush The CPA Exam 3. Ditch the Hard Sell The biggest mistake people make with their online presence is trying to pitch their products and services to the audience. Its the easiest way to lose attention. Show yourself to be an expert in your field and educate them without the hard sell. Your prospects will come to you naturally because eventually they will trust you and look to you as the authority. Its a much more natural process. Frank B. Mengert,ebenefit Marketplace (ebm) 4. Start Conversations and Build Relationships Create a conversational brand. Use online platforms to engage with customers through your brand vision and voice. Interact with them and use current customers stories and feedback as ammunition for building trust and support around your brand. The more you can use your brand to foster a community and relationship with potential customers, the stronger your business and brand will be. Jared Weitz,United Capital Source Inc. 5. Educate Your Clients Content marketing is a super scalable way of generating more leads and increasing brand awareness. Im not talking about posting a few funny Instagram photos, witty tweets or product videos. Share educational content around your greater industry. If youre a tailor for men, create content around your product and craft, but also talk about mens style in general. Its the new radio ad. Karl Kangur,MRR Media 6. Tell a Relatable Brand Story People buy from people. If a potential customer is deciding between you and a competitor, you can make yourself stand out by beingpersonaland sharing your story with them. Regularly post your story on social media. Have a page on your site that tells your story. Talk about it on podcasts. Network and share your story. The more your brand story is out there, the more attraction you will create. Connor Gillivan,FreeeUp 7. Find Your Niche Knowing your niche can help find your lifelong customers. Find out where they hang out â€" online message boards such as Reddit or popular social media pages. Become part of the community to gain recognition and to also make sure youre always up to date with what your customer bases needs are. The information gained through the niche community will be invaluable. Andrew Saladino,Kitchen Cabinet Kings 8. Provide Tremendous Value You need to understand your customers better than any of your competitors. This means you know what their psychological needs are, their fears, how they think and their consumer journey in your industry. Only then can you provide tremendous value to them at each stage of their journey. This value will come in the form of content and experiences that meet those psychological needs. Kevin Getch,Webfor 9. Personalize Every Customer Experience Attracting new customers and clients requires an attention to detail that most companies fail at achieving. Im talking about personalization. Make sure youre making every experience with your potential customerspersonalwith targeted content and products based on their behavior on your website. When a business nails personalization, both consumers and clients remember their experience. David Henzel,LTVPlus 10. Share Your Expertise Through Thought Leadership I think the best way that brands can attract clients or customers online is by building thought leadership. Showcase your expertise through writing bylines, guest blogging, booking podcasts and getting featured or quoted in the media. Kristin Kimberly Marquet,Fem Founder 11. Retarget Site Visitors Its very rare that a user visits your website for the first time and makes a purchase. To get consumers to come back to your website as well as to keep your brand at the top of their minds, use retargeting. A retargeting pixel is placed on your site, when a user leaves without buying, it follows them around the web to display targeted ads, encouraging them to return and make a purchase. Stephanie Wells,Formidable Forms 12. Solve a Problem The No. 1 thing every single brand can do to attract clients and customers is to solve a problem that currently doesnt have a solution. When you create something that improves the quality of life for a large number of people, potential clients and customers will take notice. Blair Williams,MemberPress 13. Stay True to Who You Are As abrandingexpert, Ive seen so many times how people move too far away from their real, authentic brands when marketing online! Stay true to who you are, but take steps to reach out to targeted online clients, including leaning into aspects of your brand that certain targeted cohorts will appreciate. Beth Doane,Main Rose

Your significant other can teach you workplace skills

Your significant other can teach you workplace skills When I was in couples therapy with my husband, I nearly died trying to force myself to listen to his ideas when I thought mine were better. But I realized that I had poor listening skills, and by dealing with my listening skills at home, I improved my listening skills at work. We can learn how to build relationships at work by paying attention to research about how to build them at home. For example, The Economist reports that men overestimate how attracted women are to them, and women underestimate how interested men are. This research comes from an article in Evolution and Human Behavior, and the conclusion is that the poor estimating is actually good for evolution, because men dont miss opportunities to spread their DNA, and women make sure to mate with someone who will stick around. I find that men and women do the same estimating at work, stereotypically speaking. Women try to make a good, solid connection with people, and men assume everyone wants to be their friend via (superficial) sports talk. This is why we read so much about how men are better at networking outside of work and women are better at consensus building at work. Understanding these tendencies can help you know how to expand your relationship skills at work. Heres another relationship study that makes me think of work: A good relationship hinges more on expressing joy from someone elses good news than about how you react to their bad news. Benedict Carey writes in The New York Times that a slew of studies find that your reaction to someones good news is an opportunity to strengthen the realtionship. So dont brush off your spouse when she has a good day at work, and the same goes for your co-workers good news express enthusisam. (Thanks, Mercedes) Finally, heres a link my brother sent me, and I keep waiting for it to be relevant to a post, and it never is, but it sort of is today: The intersection of people to work with and people to have sex with a diagram.

How to Create an Effective Executive Resume

How to Create an Effective Executive ResumeEffective executive resume writing is a critical element for the success of any career in the commercial or management sectors. Many people believe that it's an area where candidates with no previous work experience are most likely to succeed, but if you've spent any time doing your own research on this topic you'll soon realize that candidates who aren't confident in their ability to write a successful resume are in fact the ones who ultimately receive interviews and job offers.But how does one come up with an impressive resume? This question has probably already been asked to you more than once, so let's take a look at some tips on how to successfully create a professional looking document. You will need to go through and edit your CV as many times as necessary in order to present it in the best possible light.Writing a resume for a different industry, especially one that isn't commonly associated with the business sector, is a lot more co mplicated than the normal case. Because you won't have much background in the area you will probably require a good deal of additional information to make your resume successful.And yes, it's true that you do need to have fresh resume material. While you don't necessarily need to churn out a version of your CV that is literally brand new, you can't do without a few revisions in order to provide the prospective employer with enough information to understand your previous job history.For the most part it's fine to deviate from the usual format of a letter of introduction and objectives, since the information contained within is far more relevant to your current position, rather than having the employer to process the letter through the typical positions. However, it's important to remember that some employers prefer to read a more structured piece that gives them a clear understanding of what you do.As you do your research for your own resume you will be able to spot certain areas whe re you can improve upon, allowing you to write a successful executive resume. Taking a little time to analyze your CV will help you determine the areas where you have gaps in the skill set and career background.Using this information you can arrange your CV so that it is properly balanced and presents a clear picture of your skills, experiences, and educational background, which in turn allows the potential employer to understand your specific qualifications. This allows for a more engaging and professional approach when you present your resume and gives you the opportunity to focus on the strengths of your own knowledge, instead of having to justify what you don't know.This is not the first time that it has been stated that the best way to create an effective executive resume is to hire a professional. When you prepare a resume for yourself, you have the advantage of being in full control of how it will look and feel, but in order to create a successful executive resume, you need t o work with a company that has expertise in the field of resume writing.