to think telling staff JUST before Xmas that their jobs are at risk is a bit shit!

[undercovasanta]

This has happened at DH's work today. I mean, would it have killed them to wait until January?

me too, was told 2 weeks ago that my job is at risk. I will find out the decision in Feb.

Its shit, utter utter crappola.

YADDNBU

Maybe they thought "now's the time to bury bad news", what with people being away from work, unable to discuss things amongst themselves, will be mellowed after Xmas with family etc.

I hope you manage to have a good time together and make plans for the year ahead knowing what it might bring.

A friend of his just lost his job a week ago. company gone under.

My friend's dh lost his job last Thursday :( I think it's best to tell them sooner, so they can tighten their belts over Christmas, before having to join the JSA queue in January...or trying to find the receipts to return their gifts...

This close to Christmas is horrible. A month or so before would've been better (if they knew then) as people would have a chance to scale down to save on the finances. But other than that, it's shit. Shit time to hear that full stop though, isn't it?

Two years ago my husband and 40 others got fired on the 23rd of December.Twas the most miserable Christmas imaginable

I know 2 people who have had this done to them in the last few weeks. I can only assume that it's to avoid the inevitable complaints of "Bloody hell, I wish they'd have told me BEFORE I'd bought DH an X-Box/DC a Wii/spent hundreds on posh Christmas food/loads on booze/spent money on a real Xmas tree." etc etc...

But then again, OP, to do this today is rubbish because presumably most of that stuff is already bought - what do they want people to do - take it all back and get a refund? Or not be able to enjoy it on Christmas Day?

It's shit....... for you.

Lost mine on Saturday viA a letter :(

really hope you manage to keep yours x

Sorryyour dh's sorry!

That's awful. I notice where I work they always keep bad news until Christmas or long weekends . Someone said it's to give aggrieved people time to calm down before they see management again. Whatever the reason, it's a shit thing to do.

yes thats really horrid,your dh must be gutted

Yep, I was made redundant on the last working day before the Christmas break about nine years ago.

When I got back in Jan I was already 10 days into the notice period. It really mucks up looking for a new job as well.

We're in the same situation. Dh is definitely being made redundant in March and they told him at the end of last week. Too late to do much about the money spent (all bought, wrapped, can't be taken back), so Christmas effectively ruined. He can't do much about finding a new job so in the meantime it's all crap, I'm not sleeping with worry about losing the house, kids wondering why mummy and daddy are so worried and sad.

The company dh works for has done this for the last three years. They also keep their annual round of redundancies for December. Their whole mindset sickens me as it seems entirely staffed by (male) managers with a "well I'm alright Jack" attitude.
I really can't understand why it all has to happen in December??

I hope you do have a nice Christmas and things work out.

My old company made people redundant on 22 Dec a few years ago. They had to do it then so that we were all off the payroll in January and they knew kno-one would be in between Christmas and New Year.

Hope it turns out OK for you.

really that is so sad and stressful.awful ti have that anxiety hanging over you

Sympathies for all of you - must be beyond horrible. And yes, at this stage they could have waited until next week - you can't unspend what you've spent.

Piccallili - between now and March is a lot of time to start looking - if he takes the piss a bit with current employers, what can they do exactly?

Is the very sucky timing something to do with a set "consultation" period or something?

Whatever it is, its pretty crap.

I have just avoided being made redundant by having my job merged with another full time job and having to go through a very crappy competitive interview process to get it. So now I am doing the work of two people for no more money and am strangely grateful (?!) and very worried about my colleague who is now obviously leaving. There's nothing easy about current climes thats for sure. So sorry for all others who are suffering with it.

Well, last year my best friend was made redundant three days before Christmas. She was literally slack-jawed with shock. Her colleague who was made redundant with her was off on paternity leave, and was coming back in the New Year...he was sent an email telling him not to bother. Goodwill to men and all that crap eh?

My brother was was made redundant via text - classy, eh?

Op sorry about your job. Try and have a nice Christmas despite your worries.

How awful.It seems peoples feelings don't come into it.

Happened to me 3 years ago in November time, allowed me to spend my Christmas holidays applying for new jobs. Got a new job starting after the Christmas break. The more notice the better IMO

This happened to dh last year, I was 38 weeks pregnant with dc3 and we had just exchanged contracts on our new house.

Luckily he found a new job pretty quickly and we still moved.

Isn't this the nicest thread on AIBU? Difficult to think how one could disagree with the poster.

Thanks everyone, and sorry for those of you who have similar situations, or worse.

We are hoping that DH won't be affected - he works for a very big organisation, and although his dept is one of those targetted, there are quite a few staff to choose from IYSWIM. We have decided to ban all talk of it over xmas, as there's nothing we can do now anyway.

My worry is the possibility of DH finding another job in the current market. I just thank god that I have a job too (although p/t).