Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the population for Human Resource Management, the globe’s largest HR professional population and author of “Reset: A chief’s navigator to Work in an Age of Upheaval.”

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Question: We may make personnel cuts or layoffs due to a transformation in our business structure. What is the best way to leave about determining who gets cut? We have a large handful of people reaching (or over) superannuation age, but we don’t desire to cross lines of age discrimination. Should we leave with a “last in, first out” mentality? Or base it on act and/or attendance? While we don’t desire to lay anyone off, we just don’t require the workforce we currently have on board. – Austin

respond: Navigating layoffs or reductions in force is a test, plain and straightforward. The procedure can be demanding for both employers and employees, but one of the most significant stressors is the potential for legal fallout. A business may require to reduce its workforce for several reasons – from restructuring to budget cuts, outsourcing to mergers, and so much more. These factors will influence the selection-making procedure in determining which employees will be let leave. It’s crucial, however, for employers to base those decisions on legitimate business reasons to avoid legal exposure or discrimination claims.

You could make selections based on seniority, often referred to as “last in, first out.” This is typically seen as a fair way, as it rewards the loyalty and commitment of long-tenured employees. It’s also one of the methods to defend with proper documentation.

Another alternative is the merit-based way, which allows employers to retain top talent while keeping their best performers on board. Keep in mind, that objective and well-documented act metrics are your best defense. Without solid act reviews, discipline records, and objective ratings in place, this way could open the door to discrimination claims.

You could also merge criteria such as seniority, act, knowledge, skills, attendance, education, and encounter. If you have solid documentation to back it up, a multiple-criteria ranking way can strike a settlement, helping you keep top performers while also honoring long-term employees.

As an alternative to layoffs, some employers do propose early superannuation incentives to a select throng of eligible employees. However, you should do this with caution. This could backfire if the expense of offering these incentives is too high or if they don’t produce the number of separations needed.

As an alternative to layoffs, consider implementing a pay reduction program. To ensure fairness and effectiveness, it’s best to apply uniform pay cuts across the board. Additionally, you could explore scaling back on benefits or other perks currently provided to employees. This way helps protect jobs while making essential adjustments to manage costs.

In the complete, layoffs and reductions in force are complicated, but employers can minimize their uncertainty by sticking to objective, nondiscriminatory criteria and seeking legal counsel. The key is to handle the procedure with worry and thoughtfulness, ensuring decisions are defensible if questioned.

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I work for a restaurant corporation, and we don’t have an HR rep physically in place at restaurant locations. One is available only during the open enrollment window at the complete of the year. Outside of that, we are steered to an internal website for HR back. How can I get detailed answers to benefits questions under this setup?‒ Sanaa

It’s frustrating to feel like you’re navigating significant benefits questions without a obvious point of contact. HR should indeed serve as a reliable resource for employees, especially regarding benefits that directly impact their well-being. While having an HR representative only during open enrollment limits access, there are still steps you can receive to get the answers you require:

◾ commence with your manager or colleagues. Your manager may have insights or encounter in handling similar situations and can point you in the correct path. Likewise, coworkers may have faced similar questions and can distribute how they resolved them.

◾ Explore the internal HR site. While impersonal, many companies provide comprehensive resources on their HR platforms. Look for FAQs, benefits guides, or a contact form to submit specific inquiries. Some systems even propose live gossip features or scheduled callbacks.

◾ Look for a third-event administrator. Some companies outsource benefits management to third-event administrators. If this is the case, the HR site might list contact information for the third-event administrator or their customer service line, which could provide more personalized back.

◾ Review your employment documents. Check your job propose note, onboarding materials, or employee handbook. These often include a summary of benefits or contact details for further assistance.

◾ Advocate for better access. If these steps still leave gaps, respectfully voice your concerns to management. explain how timely access to benefits information supports employee satisfaction and productivity and recommend implementing more year-round HR availability.

I’ll add this: You’re probably not the first employee on your throng to run into this issue. Once you discover an respond, distribute what you discover with your colleagues and manager, so they don’t have to deal with your battle. Anyone at any level can assist make a better workplace.

Employers advantage when employees have the resources they require to comprehend and use their benefits. I aspiration you can get the answers you require by being proactive and exploring all available avenues, and I aspiration you achievement in resolving your questions.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

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