AIBU to be really annoyed by Carillion's feet dragging?!

[User3billion]

DH is a Carillion employee. He'd been led to believe that he'd be made redundant today. He hasn't. Instead they've had another email saying it's "business as usual" as far as employees are concerned and they'd be informed of timings "in due course".

It's like waiting to be hung & I don't understand why they can't just get on with it. I'm aware that it's not actually Carillion but PWC, the liquidators. It would seem the people responsible for this utter shitstorm are fine though.

DH is proactively looking for work alongside the other 20k UK employees I imagine but it's really tough with this hanging over our heads. I think they've completely forgotten that there are real people with real families bearing the brunt of this.

Nothing practical to add but I agree, it's shit.
They need to remember that there are real people involved at ground level, not just the fat cats at the top.
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I think they've completely forgotten that there are real people with real families bearing the brunt of this.

That is an outrageous thing to say. Of course they haven't forgotten there are families involved.

It's just they don't care.

I know, DH 'works' for them too, the email they received this morning was ridiculous! Carry on coming to work - why? There is no work! DH worked on tenders and nobody's going to touch them with a barge pole.
In some ways DH is lucky in that he's had a couple of job offers but he can't accept anything until he's been made redundant as he has a 3 month notice period.

In some ways DH is lucky in that he's had a couple of job offers but he can't accept anything until he's been made redundant as he has a 3 month notice period.

I'd jump, and tell Carillion "see you in court".

Administrations and liquidations are huge - PWC will have teams going through more computers and paperwork than you can imagine to try and work out what can be salvaged and sold and what needs to be written off; they'll be juggling utilities and employees and property issues and tax and health and safety and ongoing projects and conduct.... It takes ages because there is so much to do. Years, possibly, on something this size. And they may or may not be getting any help from the outgoing management.

Unfortunately for the people at the coal face though, it just makes a fucking shit situation even worse

Hope your DP finds something else soon 🤞🏻

In some ways DH is lucky in that he's had a couple of job offers but he can't accept anything until he's been made redundant as he has a 3 month notice period.

Im afraid I'd take the job before the market gets flooded

I get that it takes time to sort these things out but surely they can let those who have job offers leave without completing the notice period.

I'd be telling my dh to take the job offer and sod the notice period.

I don't want to sound thick but are they guaranteed to receive their salaries if they come in?

but surely they can let those who have job offers leave without completing the notice period.

Well they can hardly lock them up for 3 months ...

Failing to complete the notice period is a civil claim on the employers part. As I said, see them in court.

I'd be more worried that a new employer thought badly of me for failing to complete my notice (after all, if you stiff one employer, you can stiff the next). But in this case, I can't see it being an issue. In fact I'd note it as a good example of pragmatism, which is a desirable quality ...

When Gallahers (Tobacco company in NI) closed they let their employees skip the three month notice if anything else came up, as well as granting them all the time off they needed for interviews

.... you'd assume Carillion would have the sense to do the same.

It's not in carillons hands anymore though is it? I didn't think they could make any decisions like that once it was in the hands of the auditors?

It's very shit though and I sympathise

Have to say I'd be cutting my losses for redundancy packages unless it was a huge amount and jumping ship if I was able to.

I'd be jumping if I had a job to go to. They can pursue through the courts but they'd have to prove losses resulting from the employee not serving their notice. I'd be happy to let them try...

@DGRossetti as shit as it is your comment made me laugh. You're right, they absolutely do not give one tiny little fuck.

The Carillion bigwigs are fine, they made sure of that prior to the insolvency. PWC management couldn't care less because they're getting paid their pay cheques too.

Staff were led to believe that they would be given redundancy today but instead they have a patronising email thanking them for their continued commitment.

I don't know about notice periods but time off for interviews is being taken given.

Have to say I'd be cutting my losses for redundancy packages unless it was a huge amount

If Carillion are bust, then no one is getting any redundancy.

I sincerely hope they've been paying their employees tax and NI contributions, otherwise HMRC will be going after them for that too.

The employees are entitled to statutory redundancy from the government.

DH got that email too. Absolute joke! He works on the facilities management side of things and they're fortunately being taken on by another company as of tomorrow.

Everyone employed by Carillion is entitled to a redundancy payment according to the employee helpline, even if they're being taken on by another company effective from tomorrow, but no-one can give a straight answer as to when they'll actually be made redudant or give us an insolvency case number to use when applying for a payment on the gov.uk website.

It's the absolute lack of communication and clarity that's so infuriating. As @Beetlebum says they're going in to do non-existent jobs.

DH says the atmosphere is dire & swings from funeral parlour to holiday camp depending on where people are at in their job search, what utterly shite emails/rumours/news items are saying etc.

Oh & everyone on Facebook who's suddenly an expert in the goings on at Carillion. People saying what's happening. Well I'm glad they know because it's more than staff do.

DH hasn't been going in! He was on the phone to contacts the day after they went into liquidation so his potential new employers know the situation. He's keeping them updated and to be fair we're waiting on their HR for the formal offer.

As for him not going into to the office his immediate director told him he could work from home which is good as the car park next to his office now has to be paid as the passes have stopped working.

Whilst the redundancy won't be much it'll definitely be handy as there'll likely be a crossover period where we're without his income for a month or so - I only work part time and am currently 34 weeks pregnant so don't bring much in!

@Beetlebum as of tomorrow DH will also be working from home, he's collected all his personal belongings from the office now. He's had 3 interviews since Monday so waiting on feedback from them. I don't work as our youngest has additional needs. It's all such a bloody mess!!