Thompsons Solicitors will be supporting 1,200 Honda employees with their settlement agreements following the closure of its Swindon plant in July.

A settlement agreement is a legally-binding document, used by employers, to set out the terms and conditions to resolve a dispute or end an employee relationship, including redundancy. A legal specialist is required by law to assist those being asked to sign one.

Thompsons’ team will be available to advise for four weeks from 28 April to 28 May 2021. During that time, Thompsons’ specialists will be on hand to advise Honda employees on the content of their agreement and to make sure they get the best terms possible on issues including termination payments, references and any confidentiality clauses.

News of the closure of the South Marston plant was announced in 2019 and its acquisition by logistics firm, Panettoni, was finalised earlier this year. Vehicle production will cease at the end of July and the plant will be handed over to Panettoni in spring 2022.

Honda said its closure and the resulting 3,500 job losses were not linked to Brexit, but rather global changes within the industry and the need to produce electric vehicles.

While the settlement agreement consultation process would usually involve meeting individuals on-site and face-to-face, coronavirus (COVID-19) means that the consultations will be by telephone instead. Thompsons’ dedicated team will talk the employees through the details of their agreement, offer advice directly and support them with any renegotiation. Facilities will be available for videoconferencing if that is the best way forward.

Natalie Hunt, head of Thompsons’ settlement agreement unit, said: “There is never a good time to lose your job, but we are proud that our specialist team will be on hand to support Honda’s staff through what will be a daunting and worrying time for them and their families. Like many others, we’ve been working from home all throughout the pandemic, so our team is experienced in remote working while still providing a first-class service.

“For 100 years, we have only ever acted for individuals and their families, never for employers, and while Honda has asked us to provide this service, our instructions will come from the individuals themselves and our commitment is to get every employee the best settlement agreement possible in these uncertain times.”

 

Support for Honda employees

Honda employees looking to get advice from Thompsons' specialist Settlement Agreement Unit can get in contact by emailing honda@thompsons.law.co.uk with their query. 

 

Thompsons’ expertise in settlement agreements

Thompsons offers a DocuSign and video service to clients needing support with settlement agreements. This allows users to sign their documents electronically from anywhere using any device. It is also more secure than traditional methods and saves time and the worries of relying on agreements being posted, faxed or couriered.  

Thompsons has vast experience supporting settlement agreements following mass redundancies. It estimates it has handled 155 mass settlements in the last 12 months, varying from 20 to thousands of people. In August 2020, it assisted British Airways and Unite the Union advising 3,000 employees over a three-week period.