I have the feeling I’m going to lose my job today.

[ThomasShelbysfagend]

I’ve never been unemployed.
Had many jobs for over 40 years but always been in a job.
Things have been happening over recent months at my job that have made me paranoid and a gut feeling that something is about to happen. Not good.

Ive a meeting today so will know by the end of the day.

What the fuck do you do when “let go”?
Ive been scouring jobs on every jobs board there is and.. nothing. Nothing at all suitable anywhere.

I’ve got professional qualifications, I’m senior enough in my role, but there isn’t anything.

Tips from anyone who has been in this position are very welcome.

I’ve been there. I am there. I am sorry.
It’s incredibly hard and it knocks you for six. I am mentally in a hole which I am slowly coming out of but be kind to yourself. Allow yourself time.

I’d had a disagreement with our young and inexperienced CEO and my side of the (respectful) disagreement turned out to be true and he couldn’t forgive me for being right so I was on borrowed time. It’s very hard.

I can't offer any other advice than what has already been offered, however, I would just like to wish you well. I'm sure something suitable, more enjoyable or both will turn up soon. Be kind to yourself, there are some shitty employers out there and yours sounds like one of them. Good luck with everything 💐

Another one advocating LinkedIn. If you don’t use it regularly make a connection with any contacts in your industry. Then do a post explaining that you are being let go, but do it in such a way that doesn’t bad mouth your company.

Also, after 40 years you should have some pension provision, so start finding out what your options are there.

OP, I'm hoping this isn't the kind of meeting you suspect it is, but if it is, this is the statutory redundancy pay rules from the government site:

You’ll get:

• half a week’s pay for each full year you were under 22
• one week’s pay for each full year you were 22 or older, but under 41
• one and half week’s pay for each full year you were 41 or older

Length of service is capped at 20 years.

You say you've had 40 years working, so I'm guessing you should be at leat 57. So unless you've been in this job for more than 16 years you're entitled to 1.5 week's pay for every full year you've worked there — not the one week's pay you stated. I hope that makes you feel a tiny bit better.

If they are going to make you redundant then it's quite a long process, as others have said, and at your age they need to be careful — if they want to offload your because you're senior and expensive they could open themselves to accusations of ageism. Instead of going into the meeting feeling it's a fait accompli and there's nothing you can do about it, I'd go in prepared to fight a bit and see if I couldn't drive their offer upwards. Nothing like the realistic prospect of an Employment Tribunal (constructive dismissal/ ageism) hanging over them to make them add a few grand to your settlement. Record the meeting on your phone for evidence.

Whatever your next job is, join a union.

I had the gut feeling you have and joined. I had highlighted a serious breach in an email and knew it was me cutting my own throat but injuries were occurring and I couldn't sleep at night.

The axe eventually fell but my union rep roasted my employer's balls and I was untouchable until I left of my own volition a year later (and still got a 6k payout over something else).

I would never work without union now.

What age are you OP? Could you take early retirement if you are over 55. That would at least give you a bit of an income and you could always look for another job as well, maybe part-time?

Sorry for your situation. I've been made redundant twice. Once I was glad cos I hated it and I got 3 months money at least. The other time I didn't want to go but got offered a job by the same company a few years later (which I declined).

Take it gracefully and say you understand and clarify redundancy payment and that they will give you a reference. Don't burn your bridges by being undignified or angry.

You will feel a bit rejected and a bit humiliated (well I did) but it happens to everyone sooner or later. I promise you will be ok. Hugs

Remember that age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. So if it looks in any way that they're making you redundant because you are the oldest in your team etc then point it out to them.

I've been made redundant twice and it's shit. The second time, my role was split and shared amongst others in the team so my redundancy was covered by a Settlement Agreement (used to be called a Compromise Agreement). If your role is not redundant, then you should push for a Settlement Agreement and push for decent compensation, not just one week for each year worked there.

Sounds like you are covered bills wise for a while so like others have suggested, get yourself on the job boards, recruitment agencies and LinkedIn. Both times I was made redundant I had to switch to a different field and it worked itself out. Keep an open mind when looking at jobs.

Oh, I really feel for you, OP. Hope you’re doing as okay as you possibly could be!

I knew when it was going to happen to me. Had never been unemployed in my life, and had always done really well at work but I moved to a new company and knew two weeks in I’d made a big mistake. It was impossibly cliquey and childish. My manager, who’d only been there six weeks, was let go for nothing. Just didn’t fit their “vibe”.

My turn came six months later. It was a Friday morning. Boss said we could all WFH the following week and I spent all weekend knowing I’d be getting let go on the Monday, which is exactly what happened.

Had to go on JSA. It’s not nice and makes you feel like crap about yourself but it is there to help while finding a new job. It’s certainly not enough but it’s better than nothing.

Good luck, I hope you’re okay.

Take it gracefully and say you understand and clarify redundancy payment and that they will give you a reference. Don't burn your bridges by being undignified or angry.

This is really poor advice. Employers are obliged to give factual, fair and accurate references. As a result most references say that you were employed by the from x.y.z to a.b.c in the role of Account Manager (say) and nothing more. If there is clear evidence that you have made grave errors or caused major issues there are ways of indicating that, but it sounds as if the OP has nothing like that in her background.

And as others have said, age and sex are protected by the Equality Act 2010. If you are the oldest person and the only woman being lined up for redundancy then they are on a very sticky wicket — which gives the OP opportunities to bargain with them. An Employment Tribunal can be very costly for an employer: legal fees add up very quickly. It's usually cheaper for them to give you an extra £10k+ (depends on your role and salary) to encourage you to go quietly.

If it happens it happens, it’s part of most peoples lives so you just have to get on with it

I am going through similar at my place. I've been there less than 2 years and they also only pay one week per year worked. I have savings but still it would really suck.

Pretty sure it's coming though as various budgets have been frozen and manager acting shifty. All the best.

Redundancy can be better than being dismissed for performance as you get a payment. Play it by ear and phone ACAS if you need more advice. Who knows, maybe it a promotion?

2 things I would suggest. Sign on at the Job Centre - may sound odd if you gave never been out of work, but there are two benefits. 1, you will be entitled to JSA if you have National insurance contributions usually for 6 months whilst you actively look for work. They are also likely to assign you a job coach, and quite a surprising number of employers use the Job Centre 2 check out your employment rights with Citizens Advice. They can check that the redundancy procedure is being followed correctly and your statutory rights to redundancy pay abd notice.

If you are quite senior could you write to other companies speculatively? In my profession, companies will sometimes create roles for the right person.

No advice but completely understand how you’re feeling. I was with my company for 13 years, from the age of 17, and was made redundant in March, 4 months into maternity leave 🙃 I’m the main earner, so although I got a severence package I’m I’m worried about money in the future. I’m really struggling to find anything at all on job boards, LinkedIn etc that will be suitable as I have 2 kids under 5. I haven’t even got any childcare for the 5 months old until at least June, since the funding changes have come in this year everywhere’s got huge wait lists, and I was meant to go back end of June, so had her down for then. Everythings rather way too far out (I’m willing to travel up to an hour and a half each way) or the pay is nowhere near what I was on 😭 fingers crossed for both of us as I know how stressful this sort of thing is 🩷

I was made redundant in November from a senior professional role. I have a new job. It wasn’t easy but my advice is:

1. Get your LinkedIn profile up to date with a good clear statement of what makes you stand out.
2. Get your cv up to date - AI is really helpful for this. And you will need to tailor it for different roles. Make sure you use the words from the job advert in your cv as most cvs are read by AI in first screening.
3. Set alerts on LinkedIn for roles - keep it as open as possible - don’t limit the seniority or the pay as lits of roles are listed without them.
4. Apply for roles where you meet 50% or more of the required criteria.
5. Contact everyone in your network as lots of roles are never advertised and are filled through referrals. Think broadly about your network.
6. Be patient. Recruitment process is slow. Follow up politely if you don’t hear back.
7. Find yourself a supportive but critical friend.
8. Prepare for interviews. Write up your examples of when … use the STAR method (google this)

Good luck !!

Attend the meeting. Hear what they have to say. Say as little as possible in response. If you're asked questions or pushed to respond tell them you need time to process what's been said and will get back to them. After the meeting, contact ACAS for advice. Do, say and agree nothing until you have done that. (Unless you've read it wrong and it's positive of course!)

I’ve been in this position as you OP and it’s awful. I didn’t try to fight it as I just knew they wanted rid of me and the atmosphere was so heavy I almost couldn’t face going back into work each day. However at the last moment I found a new job, it’s brilliant, been there four years now and it’s perfect for me and on similar money.

Thinga may seem bleak right now, but they may turn around yet so please don’t lose hope. As others have said - throw yourself at recruiters, old business contacts, old colleagues or people at other firms that you know. You’ve a lot of skills and experience and this is not to be ignored, you’re in a good position.

Don’t be disheartened…….can you consider a change in direction, even if only on a temporary basis? To your credit you do seen like a grafter who’s committed to giving it your all.

What a horrible position to be in OP and please update us at the end of your day.

Look they are either going to make you redundant today and in which case you will need to find a new job.

Or they will give you an unpleasant "chat" in which case you need to get out of there as fast as possible and get a new job.

Either way you need to get a new job either with a redundancy package or not. The absolute perfect scenario is to have a new job lined up and get the redundancy payout as well!

Either way stay strong, it's them not you so don't let it hit your self confidence and please keep us updated.

Big hugs

Also if it is a disciplinary they have to give 24 hrs notice and tell you that it's a disciplinary hearing so you have time to prepare, did they offer the option to have someone go in with you?x

I’ve just been made redundant too. I know there’s a process but it’s a forgone conclusion as all our jobs are going so not much comfort
had an offer today of a job - 9-6pm, 20 min commute, and they’re offering 24k. No thanks!

Hang in there, it's a tough market and as you've been there less than two years it sounds as though from your comments you will get no redundancy pay. It will be shit for awhile just focus on getting a new job.

Crossing everything for you today