AIBU to ask if you were faced with redundancy what did you ask for and what did you get?

[KittyMcTitty]

I’m currently on maternity leave and facing redundancy - bits that’s a whole other post over in the correct redundancy section!

I’m interested to know what people asked and got with redundancy to give me an idea and probably be quite jealous!

you need collective bargaining - are you in a union?

With me the workers' council (not in the UK) negotiated: 1 month salary for every year of service (any year with over 6 months of service rounded up to a whole year, maternity leave included as long as you'd gone back), help with writing CV and getting documentation in order, time off without penalty for interviews.

good luck

I got a month for every year I'd worked (17) plus my holiday pay plus 3 months notice, and I kept my mobile phone. We also got sent in a 6 week course on how to find another job.
I didn't bargain though. That was the standard offering when loads of us left about the same time.

My fella will get 5k as standard and another 3k on top for staying to the bitter end
He’s been there 12 years-will be 13 when he finally leaves
He is now being sent home early on every shift and in a few weeks won’t be doing nights anymore

Thank you for the replies! It’s all very interesting!!

I didn't have the opportunity to bargain (wasn't part of the union), but got 1 months pay for every year of service plus holiday pay and time off for interviews. They also ensured I stayed on for an extra month so I could get to 5 years of service.

The packages mentioned on here are all very generous. Before you go any further familiarise yourself with the company policy.

Statutory redundancy, the minimum they have to offer is significantly less than a month per year of employment.

It only kicks in at 2yrs service, then it's 1 week pay capped at I think £450 a week per whole year of service, plus 1 weeks notice per year of service.

Make yourself aware of any other positions in the company, they have to be careful when restructuring as there are rules, like if another role is a close match to yours (specific percentage of duties/responsibilities in common) then you should be considered for that role rather than made redundant.

If you are offered a 'settlement package' over and above statutory make sure you get legal or union advice before accepting it.

also ours was only paid in full if you stayed to the end - anyone who left before that got 50%

Times like this are when you realise that you should be in a union. Join one now

I know!!! Hindsight is a wonderful thing!!!
I will definitely consider a union in future but no doubt it will all be wrapped up before I could use it!
I have been reading all the legal advise! Bit confusing but I think my employer is in very sticky ground - very interesting about responsibilities lwmommy- I know over and above statutory varies company to company but interesting to see what if negotiating!

People really do need to be in a union. It's useless to try and join one when an issue has already occurred, as they will not assist. Especially in a redundancy case as it is likely that as soon as they have helped the member with their redundancy package, they will cancel their subscription after using £££££ worth of resources.

Being in a union is like having insurance for when something arises. You wouldn't be able to get ar insurance after having an accident and being in a union is the same.

There is power in unions if there are a lot of members in your workplace.

I was about to go on mat leave when only my role became 'at risk' . I went from statutory redundancy to getting something close to the full enhanced mat pay /holiday etc. It took a lot of effort and I had to get a solicitor involved etc.
A lot depends on how good natured or not the situation is.

It's also important not to get distracted by the notice pay and notice pay you're entitled to - they'll be taxed and it's nothing you wouldn't be paid anyway. I've seen HR directors bamboozle people with 'all this money' and there's only about £500 actual redundancy pay in there.

As a company we pay for the legal advice for anyone offered a settlement package. I think that's pretty standard.

Remember to get a payment that equates to all your annual leave included.

I can't remember exactly what the terms were, it was a mass redundancy 300+ jobs lost, and we were needed to close everything down and help manage the move to our European headquarters. As compensation for that we were given our notice period in cash on top of the companies standard package as an additional incentive to stay until our end dates.

Lower paid workers on 1 month notice were not happy that management with 6 months notice (who defined the terms!) were getting a substantially bigger slice of the redundancy budget, the unions agreed and tried to negotiate but nothing changed.

All in I got around 60-70 weeks pay for 24 years service.

twice
tbh the first time was just a given and there was no wriggle room, also it was a very generous offer - about 3.5months pay even though I'd only been there 2 years, plus a promise that I could use all the facilities - computer, printer etc, for at least a month, to help with job hunting.

second time was a call for volunteers but obviously the point of asking for volunteers was to reduce the number of compulsory ones and make them look better.

I got 5 months money, basically worked at home the remaining 2 months I was technically there, refused all work because "oh well I won't be here to see it through" - lol! - kept my laptop and ipad though obviously they had to wipe the data.

so actually I got 5 months money with accrued holiday added on, did no work so hung out at home - except a few times I actually went out with friends or over to mum's and my boss knew I was doing it but hey ho, they weren't going to fire us were they.

all this is obviously tax free because it's done as a redundancy payment.

all this is obviously tax free because it's done as a redundancy payment.

If you have long service and a bigger payout anything over £30k is taxed, potentially at higher rate depending where in the tax year it falls.

I was made redundant in 2013, was told on the Thursday that redundancies were happening and I was one of ones to go, told to go home and come back Monday when everything was finalised (15 people made redundant same day)

Got a months salary for every year id worked after 2 years service so basically 9 years meant 9 months of salary

It was enough to let me have a few months not working regular until I could get something permanent (met dh on 1st day of new job)

Broken never been in that amount so no idea, sorry.

I work in HR. Redundancy is calculated according to length of service and your age, so its not a case of what you ask for...it's what you are legally entitled to.

Having said that, I work in the public sector and I know private sector sometimes give redundancy payments even when an employee isnt legally entitled to it.

Thanks for all the info and tips!
I’m the only one at risk at the moment! I’m on mat leave and essentially my role is being eroded by my maternity cover - so my employer has said they would look at a deal but I’m sure my idea of a deal and there’s is very different!

I asked the company to pay the legal fees for having my redundancy stuff checked and they did.

OP "I’m sure my idea of a deal and there’s is very different!"

you don't know that at all. If you think your sum is wildly high, put it on the table any way because if they negotiate down from there, you still might get more than you think.

Month salary for every full year there nearly 20k

I’ve just been made redundant while on mat leave. What joy!

I was offered 1 weeks pay for every full year worked as per statutory, but it was at my actual salary and not capped. That’s tax free. Plus payment in lieu of 3 months notice (taxed) - but again at my actual salary not SMP, plus all the holiday I’d accrued on mat leave (also taxed). I also received my outstanding SMP (but I only had 6 weeks left).

I am part of a union and tbh I think the rep was a bit disappointed I didn’t challenge them or push for an alternative position of equivalent level but we felt the settlement was v reasonable (I’d been there 6 years) and I just felt so rejected and crap I was ready to cash out!

I’m really sorry you’re going through this - it’s completely rubbish and especially on mat leave when, if you’re anything like me, your professional confidence has taken a tumble.

My situation was part of a wider restructure but yours sounds iffy to me in terms of discrimination- you could try ACAS and I think there’s a maternity action line you can also speak to. And you might have legal cover as part of your home insurance too. Good luck!

Wow I am amazed at how much some of you got.
I got statutory plus 3 months paid gardening leave. Had been there 19 years.

Usually you dont have an option to bargain. Its a straight case of you are being made redundant and this is what you will be getting. Depends on your contract if you get statutory redundancy or whether you work for a company where the payment is based on certain criteria. I workd for a company where it was based on a calculation of age and length of service. They also had a training pot as part of the redundancy package for people to enhance their existing skills or to train in a completely new direction. I wouldnt be in the role I am in now without that redundancy package. Redundancy is daunting at the time but sometimes its a step onto better things.