to feel like giving up.....redundancy

[KidderminsterKate]

bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger

today we were told there would be redundancys. They are making a number of posts redundant so we basically all get rated in some sort of 'scoring' system. Currently consulting and then it will start.

I am pg and separated from OH. Have other children and am the only earner in the household.

Everythings so bloody hard and stressful at the moment.

if I get made redundant before I have baby will they still pay my maternity leave which includes and element of company mat pay?? if not we are royally screwed as no one is going to employ me pregnant. Plus this job is great...fab pay, conditions, pension, flexible, works around the kids.....I will never never never never never find anything else that will work around 4 school aged kids and a baby and be viable financially.Shit

[whackamole]

I don't know the ins and outs of this, but have you had your MATB1 form yet and decided on when you are leaving for mat leave? I think that makes a difference as a friend of mine was made redundant the week she went on mat leave, took them to a tribunal and won.

Very tricky situation, good luck with it.

[MrsCarriePooter]

Poor you. How pregnant are you? It makes a difference - if you've less than 11 weeks to go til your due date (or will at the date of termination of your employment) then you will get your statutory maternity pay. What is your notice period and have they said what the timetable is before the decisions?

Personally most of my clients would do anything to avoid making a pregnant woman redundant without a big payoff - you've got "risk of sex discrimination claim" written all over you so they'd need to be really really confident the process was fair.

[hester]

Oh Kate, I'm sorry. I was told today that the Govt agency I work for is being closed down: we will ALL be made redundant.

I'm not a lone parent but I am by far the major breadwinner and we have small children and a big mortgage. I was working almost FT but flexible hours and an easy commute. I won't find a job that family-friendly again

I feel your pain, I really do. Best of luck to you.

[HidinginaHardHat]

Poor you OP! I'm also in the firing line for redundancy so sympathise completely :( must be the time of year for it!

[BsshBossh]

Poor you (all of you) . Go post on the Employment Issues forum here as there are some very good HR and legal people there who can advise you:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/employment_issues

[KidderminsterKate]

Its so shit Hester. I'm sorry to hear you're in the same boat. The whole agency? that is awful.....so many people loosing their jobs. i also work public sector and agree the family friendliness of the job will be so hard to replicate. I also wish you all the best.....

I'm about 14 weeks so no mat b1 but I did tell manager last week.

[hester]

Yep, hundreds going here. And you're in the public sector, so you know what will happen: slash and burn this year, next year realise they need the work done so contract out to private sector consultancy, the year after set up new teams and recruit into them. And they wonder why it's such a struggle to bring down management costs in the public sector

[KidderminsterKate]

dont start me on managers.....all they seem to do is ponce about going to meetings while us practitioners do the actual work. but, yes its the practitioners being made redundant. Managers will have stoopidly small teams to manage - we struggle to get the work done as it is since the recruitment freeze but I doubt management will ever take a case.

[HidinginaHardHat]

Or they pretend they're one of the workers and say they "don't know whats happening and are worried about their jobs too" a new structure chart comes out and bang guess who's jobs are listed as protected...

[risingstar]

kidderminster- total sympathy but you need proper advice.

post in employment and hope that flowerybeanbag is around.

[KidderminsterKate]

lol - do you work where I do hiding?

[HidinginaHardHat]

ha ha ha pass, i thought it was pretty standard for all managers in this situation

[hellospoon]

this may be all wrong but when we was getting made redundant the process was;

First notification of consultations for redundancy - 30 days is provided for anyone to come forward who wishes to take voulantary.
Consultation period closed and notice is given to those who will be made redundant - again 30 days notice period

So in theory you will have 2 months before you would be made redundant; if this is the case you will be able to get your MATB1 in so that you can claim mat allowance. If this doesnt happen aslong as you have been working for 6 months prior and including your pregnancy you can claim SMP - which is £123 a week.

[HidinginaHardHat]

We've had no notifications that we are allowed to put ourselves forward for voluntary yet, we're nearly up on our 30 days, does this mean i'll have missed the boat?

[hellospoon]

quite possibly hiding. They have to by law notify you so if they dont give you any notice then you probably have good grounds to sue them

I dont know for sure though so dont take my word as gospel!