Off shoring and knowledge transfer under UK law

[shaithis]

The company I work for have been off-shoring services for the last 2 years. I was lucky in as much as my team was going to be one of the last to go, but it is finally starting to creep up on us.


Speaking to others that have left, they were paid an addition sum of money (in addition to their redundancy) to transfer their knowledge before they left.

For my team, they want us to transfer our knowledge over the next year, so the knowledge transfer would not get paid as we have no redundancy agreement nor date yet.

My question is, knowing that we are going to be out-sourced in the next 12 months, do I have to share my knowledge with the new people they have hired in Delhi? or am I within my rights to withhold it and hang on for a bonus payout?

I would be slightly more sympathetic if it were not for the £1m+ bonuses the 600+ partners got paid this year and the 50+ years service the 4 members of my team have between them.

[Lucio]

Simply put, whilst you are still employed at the company, you have to do more or less what they tell you and should expect to do it to a professional standard if you want a decent reference. It's galling, but that's the way the world is.

[dave87]

Have you had a look at your contract? It depends if there is any clause in there which would necessitate you handing over info/knowledge as part of your job. If not, I can see room for negotiation?

[Splash]

Much as it hurts me to say so - if you want legal advice, consult a lawyer. Internet forums will be quite happy to tell you anything you like, but there's absolutely no comeback if they're wrong.

[Kumagoro]

I think I would want to punish them by just getting a new job and if possible help the others
after you have left.

[Rave]

At the end of the day, this is an enormously destructive trend for the country. We have a bloody massive current account deficit as it is, without further jobs leaving the country to be done 'cheaper'.

Resist by all means foul and fair.

I don't suppose your company has had a government bailout? If so call a journalist immediately.