‘SOSR’ Dismissals - A Complete Guide for Employment & HR Professionals

Introduction

Some other substantial reason (‘SOSR’) is one of the potentially fair reasons for dismissing an employee. It can cover a wide variety of situations and can be a very useful tool for employers facing unusual or difficult situations.

Most employers are well-versed in redundancy, capability, and conduct dismissals.

However, attempting to fairly dismiss an employee who has no performance issues, has not committed misconduct, or whose role has not ceased or diminished can be fraught with uncertainty.

Presented by expert speaker Paul Jennings, this in-depth seminar will provide you with a complete and practical understanding of SOSR.

What You Will Learn

This course will cover the following:

• The legal framework: What is SOSR and where does it sit in the Employment Rights Act 1996?
• The test for a fair dismissal
• Overlap with other fair reasons - spotting when SOSR is the right (or wrong) choice
• Examples of SOSR, including:
• Refusal to accept new terms
• Conflict of interest
• Personality clashes
• Reputational risk
• Breakdown in trust and confidence - when this amounts to SOSR
• The requirements of a fair SOSR dismissal including process, and documentation
• The typical process that must be implemented in order to achieve a fair SOSR dismissal - from initial identification of the issue, consideration of alternatives, and formal decision-making, to effective communication of the outcome
• Common mistakes employers and advisers make - and how to avoid them
• Practical guidance supported by recent tribunal and EAT decisions
• Interactive case studies to apply your learning in real time