aibu to apply for redundancy straight after mat leave?

[vrsahm]

Name changed as may be identifiable.

I have just returned from mat leave. The first email I opened said they were launching a voluntary redundancy scheme at my grade. Is it unreasonable to apply for it straight after a year off on ML?!

I have done the maths and I would get around £30k tax free, which would cover the amount I would have netted after travel to work and childcare for the next couple of years.

Spoke to DM who regretted the years out when I was young never confessed that to me before! but I don't necessarily have to give up work entirely, asI have lots of qualifications and might be able to find the holy grail of school hour/ local work if I am really lucky, while having the cushion of cash and no more commute....

Apart from boredom/ lack of stimulation/ career stalling, what else should I be considering?

Another word of caution.

I was in the same situation except I hadn't yet come back from ML, I was nearing the end though. I couldn't apply for voluntary redundancy even though I wanted it and they needed volunteers because they said that I had 'enhanced rights' and would be exempt from any redundancies due to being on ML. This meant somebody else would have been made compulsory redundant. I watched and waited and kept asking if I could go instead but I couldn't be made redundant due to the in-house policy of enhanced rights during pregnancy/new mum. I left without a pay out in the end, in part (small part) to stop somebody else being made redundant but mostly because I wanted to stay home with my baby.

I've been with the same company for 9 years and 'would' get around £20k if I was offered refuncancy.

DH is the main earner and we could survive on his wages (tight but doable).

I'd jump at the offer of redundancy...£20k landing in your lap is pretty much a one off opportunity. We'd use it as a deposit on a second small rental property for our retirement and I'd take any job I could temporarily whilst I searched for another 'proper' job in my field.

Can you tell I've thought about this?

I think it depends n what you do. If you currently work in the civil service fro example you will probably never get a job with such generous working conditions, pay, pensions again.

I did that, don't regret it for a minute. It bought me two years at home with DS that I could never have afforded otherwise.

Simba, yes i do work in the civil service, the pension is one of the things ive been pondering. And yes the conditions are good, currently, but constantly being eroded and if I ever got promoted I would get moved onto their new far worse conditions and lose a load of holiday. i am also a qualified accountant so the pay isn't anywhere near as generous as it could be in the private sector. Not sure where you get the idea that civil service pay is generous, do you read the daily fail?!

fakename i am back on the payroll now so I shouldn't have any issues like that.

I recently did it and it was the best decision I have made. We made the decision to keep the cash in an easy access account to be used where necessary until I got a job and then it was tucked away.

I did however go straight back out to work as I didn't want to be a sahm. It also made interviews a lot easier when explaining why i had left my last role.

Keep in mind that if you are actively seeking work you should sign on to get your dole money.

I thought the pension comnent related to you having to come out of your current scheme. Some of the civil service schemes are really generous compared to others (and my husband is civil service so I am well aware that not everyone is in a brilliant scheme). On the other hand, I wouldn't make it the main factor in your decision, because pension schemes are likely to change a lot over the next few decades.

I did it when on maternity leave. If they didn't want people to go they wouldn't offer the enhanced package of redundancy. Go for it.

ooaoml, i am on one of the less beneficial civil service schemes, and that has been being eroded too in recent years. So I would not want to make any bets about what I would actually get in 30 or 40 years time if I stayed.

Superram, they do need a number of people to go, especially at my grade. And I don't know that I would actually want to be one of the "survivors" as they will likely be left behind to take on the extra work.

What have you got to loose by applying, if your very lucky you might be chosen.

I did this, and it worked out well for me for the first couple of years. My kids thrived on it, but I did find that I was starting to lose work confidence after this time. I'd definitely say go for it (it sounds a generous payout so well worth it), but would suggest not leaving it as long as I did (4 years) before you start looking again. I've got a job now but it was very daunting applying with a big gap on my CV!

Just an update,

after a hellish day yesterday where the trains were cancelled and i didn't get home till 7 despite leaving early at 430, i decided something had to give and have put my application in. We will see what they say, but full time plus commuting plus nursery pick ups and drop offs doesn't seem sustainable