I’m about to be dismissed

[Firedgirl]

I’m in an unusual situation that I know that on Friday next week, I am going to be dismissed. I found out accidentally and they don’t know that I know. Everyone is behaving pretty normally and seems happy. and I’m expected to go in tomorrow and behave normally and get on with my work and hold meetings etc. I’m likely to be dismissed with immediate effect (pay in lieu of notice). I will be removed from the building immediately once they tell me due to security/information etc.

I’ve been at my company for over a year but less than 2 so it’s not really redundancy I guess. Nothing wrong with my work or performance it’s just like redundancy but since I’ve not been there two years I don’t really have those rights. I actually just got a payrise too!

anyone else been in this position? How on earth am I going to behave normally?! Any tips for what I need to ask when they “break the news” to me?

Go in and tell them you know.
Take whatever comes on the chin.
Be honourable.

How did you find out? If you get sick pay I’d call in sick tomorrow and start job hunting.

I would definitely tell that you know, take control of this situation. Then up to you if you ring in sick with the stress of it all.

I'm always pretty disgusted at the number of people who comment on these threads suggesting someone take sick leave in response to a situation that they don't like. Sick leave isn't a perk that you can use to give yourself a treat, don't abuse the system. The OP is not sick!

OP, I'm guessing you have found out this information in a way that you shouldn't have, so I wouldn't bring it up to your manager or any colleagues. Since you know it's not a reflection on your performance there is no need to take it personally, though I understand it's upsetting, I've been made redundant twice.

Make good use of this week to get things in order. Make a note of contact details that might be useful for you in future. Take anything home that you need to. Spend time updating your CV and sending it out. Get your current work into good shape so it's easy to handover - this will mean you leave a good impression when you go, and you don't realise now how important that it, particularly if you work in a close industry.

When the time comes at the end of the week you can leave with your head held high.

Go sick tomorrow ( lots of colds, sickness bugs around) Call ACAS and check with them what you’re entitled to.
Spend the rest of the day updating your CV and job hunting. Then decide if you go in Wednesday - Friday, declaring 48 hour bug. Good luck with job hunting.

@Adultchildofelderlyparents yes I think you’re right ! Tell them you know and I would leave with your head held high !

I would love to know what sector and role the people who go would go off sick / invent a protected characteristic are in...

Tell them you know. It might be that you will be paid extra or at least the week before you were supposed to be told. If it is an organisation that has security responsibilities, the fact that people cannot maintain confidentialities is not a good thing.

Refer to it as redundancy from now on, especially when applying for other jobs.

They have to pay you any notice in your contract. I'd spend all day just looking for another job tbh, get ahead of everyone else.

Very confused by everyone advising you to go sick OP! You won't gain anything (as you confirmed you'll get PILON anyway) and you'll actually just prolong the inevitable and make it more stressful.

You're getting laid off. It sucks. You've managed to get advanced notice so you can get your affairs in order and you've also got a head start for contacting recruitment agencies, refreshing your CV and LinkedIn tomorrow morning.

Best of luck.

You are suggesting that your industry is making redundancies due to a down turn in business. I know you are not entitled to redundancy pay with less than two years service, but shouldn’t the firm still have gone through the correct procedure?
Eg discussion with unions, criteria for different areas (last in first out etc).

I am asking because exactly the same thing has just happened to a family member. What makes it worse is that the director has recruited her friends over the last year but it’s family member being got rid off despite more service/excellent feedback.

I would be really annoyed that they are making me go in and getting their moneys worth when they could have given me the decency of giving me a heads up so I could look for other employment.

Will you have to work a notice period with them after they tell you?

If you are 100% certain that you finish on Friday then I’d probably phone in sick and use the time to look for other work.

Or I’d go in and work my arse off and tell them about a great idea I’ve had to turn the company around and make them millions which you will discuss next week - oh wait you can’t! 😁

I guess lay offs have to happen but I’d hate the thought of them knowing and not telling me because the only reason they’re doing that is for their own selfish benefit.

Call ACAS for advice immediately.

I had this happen too. I shared a printer with the boss'es PA, and found the letters to let me go the next day. The most upsetting part was that initally they offered a generous leaving package, but the boss being an arsehole (the one of the reasons I was glad to go), it got reduced to bare minimum. And yes I saw both letters with this change on. All this happened 2 weeks before Christmas.

I did go in the next day to be let go, I needed to be sure they would give me a reference if needed. It was hard, and I spoke to staff I was friendly with to let them know I knew.

Yes its really hard, but at least you know you wont be continuing to work for a company that treats its employees so poorly. And you can use work time to job hunt.

I wouldn't go in

I think the reason people often suggest this is that there's actually a really big mental health impact of having to go in knowing such devastating news and acting normally.

I think it's incredibly stressful. I think if you are very stressed by this you should go and tell your GP what has happened and they can sign you off for the week for stress. Then i'd phone up HR and explain you know and you've found the news distressing (of course) and won't be able to pretend you don't know all week. Then it's up to them what they want to do about that.

News of a job loss will affect different people differently depending on their financial circumstances - for some losing a job might mean losing their home. Yes, OP will have time to find another job but who knows how easy that will be we don't know her sector or her outgoings or her family circumstances.

I don't really think it's fair to expect an employee to have to come into work knowing this if it's going to have an enormous impact on their life.

I also think you probably have more rights than you know OP so do call ACAS and find out.

What employment record? I don’t understand. Where is this employment record held?

I was aware redundancies once when in a senior role and who actually ended up going was different to first discussions. As managers fought for their teams.

So it may not actually happen (to you). I'd still speak to manager on Monday maybe say 4pm so time to get work up to date /save payslips etc sort out desk then if they want you to go early you can. But if they are doing a few people then I assume nothing would be confirmed until Friday when done on masse. Your boss may agree to work from home / not work during this difficult time though.

This, use your time wisely, do what is best for you.
Best of luck

Are you saying the OP is better to work notice than be paid in lieu? I think not!

Just seen that they are giving you pay in lieu of notice.
I would absolutely just phone in sick on Friday, just to make it awkward as fuck for them

Your sick time does not go on a reference unless you specifically authorise it. Otherwise they’d be in breach of data protection laws.

Stop being “afraid” if this 1980s BS.

What do they have now? I’m curious because I got a job offer withdrawn because of the reference (even though I’d never had complaints etc). I’m of the 80s reference era so am ignorant of today’s style.

Please don’t do this. What a fucking stupid suggestion.

agreed…the OP does have the best of both worlds here as in a bonus week to get herself sorted out in all the ways suggested as a result of the advance warning, where otherwise she would not know to network, clear desk etc. Then a paid month where she is not employed and is free to take other work.