Redundancy Settlement

rubyswish · 2025-11-04T20:45:54+00:00

Hi all, really in need of some good advice! I have been made redundant by way of Settlement & the Settlement offer is 2 months pay (the rest stat and notice period). This feels light to me after 9 years working there. I had my legal chat today and the solicitor as good as said, you can ask for more but you will need to do it yourself but be mindful they can withdraw the offer. I dont wish to go down the Tribunal route but am mindful that the job market is tough currently and will get tougher towards Christmas so any extra would be helpful with kids to buy for Has anyone had a similar dilemma? What was the result? Is the employer likely to withdraw? We parted ways on good terms, despite the sudden nature of the redundancy (sent home immediately, no goodbyes etc). Worth adding that mine wasnt the only redundancy that week & i’ve an unblemished HR file, sickness etc Thank you!!!!

LaurieFairyCake · 04/11/2025 20:49

Is that 2 months on top of the week per year statutory? So you’ll get 4 months to find another job ?

it’s shit but I’m not sure you’d get more

Original poster

rubyswish · 04/11/2025 21:00

LaurieFairyCake · 04/11/2025 20:49

Is that 2 months on top of the week per year statutory? So you’ll get 4 months to find another job ?

it’s shit but I’m not sure you’d get more

Yeah exactly that. The 2 months is the “go away quietly” extra to save I suspect, time or business reputation. Additional to that is Stat & notice pay, outstanding holidays. Usual amount if i was made redundant the “normal” way

OP posts:

LIZS · 04/11/2025 21:11

Why do you think you would have a tribunal case? If others are being made redundant there is often less enhancement above statutory as they have to be “fair” so your package seems decent. There are lots of industries where you are sent away immediately, to limit reactions and risk.

Original poster

rubyswish · 04/11/2025 21:25

LIZS · 04/11/2025 21:11

Why do you think you would have a tribunal case? If others are being made redundant there is often less enhancement above statutory as they have to be “fair” so your package seems decent. There are lots of industries where you are sent away immediately, to limit reactions and risk.

No, I don’t believe I do. Absolutely no intention of pressing legal but what I am more asking is, if I ask for more before I sign, what are the chances of them withdrawing? Wondered if anyone had a similar issue

OP posts:

PilchardsonToast · 04/11/2025 21:33

they would be very unlikely to withdraw the offer just because you asked for a bit more, they may consider withdrawing if you delay signing for longer than seem reasonable to them in my experience (HR Director at a plc) as long as people are engaging positively in settlement discussions they carry on - when people dig their heels in they force their employers hand and offers are withdrawn and other processes start….id ask for more, say you’ll sign immediately if that’s agreed and agree will do a great handover doc…good luck!

Whyherewego · 04/11/2025 21:36

If it's a redundancy as part of a mass restructuring then it will be a standard package and they won't want to flex as they won't want to offer others. You can ask they won't withdraw the offer they'll just say that's the package.

If it's just your role, then perhaps you have some ability to negotiate. I think just asking for more money is unlikely to yield much though. Why not ask for something that has value to you? Retraining package? CV writer ? Pay for the full year private healthcare ?

Original poster

rubyswish · 04/11/2025 21:37

PilchardsonToast · 04/11/2025 21:33

they would be very unlikely to withdraw the offer just because you asked for a bit more, they may consider withdrawing if you delay signing for longer than seem reasonable to them in my experience (HR Director at a plc) as long as people are engaging positively in settlement discussions they carry on - when people dig their heels in they force their employers hand and offers are withdrawn and other processes start….id ask for more, say you’ll sign immediately if that’s agreed and agree will do a great handover doc…good luck!

Edited

Great advice, thank you. I’m torn between feeling like I am going cap in hand & not allowing pride to get in the way! Fully intend on being positive, professional etc in my response so don’t wish to create a reason to withdraw & don’t intend to be greedy in how much

OP posts:

Original poster

rubyswish · 04/11/2025 21:39

Whyherewego · 04/11/2025 21:36

If it's a redundancy as part of a mass restructuring then it will be a standard package and they won't want to flex as they won't want to offer others. You can ask they won't withdraw the offer they'll just say that's the package.

If it's just your role, then perhaps you have some ability to negotiate. I think just asking for more money is unlikely to yield much though. Why not ask for something that has value to you? Retraining package? CV writer ? Pay for the full year private healthcare ?

That’s also worth considering, thank you!

OP posts:

SettleAndMoveOn · 04/11/2025 21:51

Name changed for this for obvious reasons.

Are you being made redundant as part of a restructure? Or have you had a quiet falling out and both sides agreed to go your separate ways?

the latter was me before the summer. I was made an offer but I went back and asked for 50% more. I wasn’t outrageous with my request but I did ask for more. Verbally to test the waters and then I followed up in writing when HR indicated it would be considered.

I had been there 3 years.

i didn’t say I would take a case against them. I would not have done. However I had made a list of things that happened which they would not have liked to be aired publicly.

I never put any of it in writing to them and didn’t actually discuss any of these things in detail. I made inferences about being a woman, a working mum, perimenopause, mental health, general discrimination and other examples of similar women disappearing from the business.

I had a friendly senior HR contact to do the call with. She took it back to the team leader and got it sorted pretty quickly.

they wanted me gone and I didn’t want to stay. So they agreed without bothering to negotiate further because it would have been far more expensive to negotiate and even more expensive to go to tribunal. My eventual settlement came out at less than what I might have got at tribunal but without having to go through that fight and wait 2 years.

as an employer they also used to do this a lot.

Would you know if this is something your employer does as a past time? Have other people disappeared in the past? If so your employer has experience of doing this so will be well versed in making decisions on this.

try them. The worst that can happen is you only get what they have already offered.

best of luck.

SettleAndMoveOn · 04/11/2025 21:53

Also worth asking them to keep you on gardening leave for 2-3 months plus the settlement. This gives you time to find a new role whilst having access to medical benefit or other benefits of value to you.

plus acces to learning or HR support for CV and job hunting. (Would need them to agree to this level of support of course)

for example do they use LinkedIn learning courses? Would give you access to whatever platform they use which might be helpful.

Original poster

rubyswish · 04/11/2025 22:01

SettleAndMoveOn · 04/11/2025 21:51

Name changed for this for obvious reasons.

Are you being made redundant as part of a restructure? Or have you had a quiet falling out and both sides agreed to go your separate ways?

the latter was me before the summer. I was made an offer but I went back and asked for 50% more. I wasn’t outrageous with my request but I did ask for more. Verbally to test the waters and then I followed up in writing when HR indicated it would be considered.

I had been there 3 years.

i didn’t say I would take a case against them. I would not have done. However I had made a list of things that happened which they would not have liked to be aired publicly.

I never put any of it in writing to them and didn’t actually discuss any of these things in detail. I made inferences about being a woman, a working mum, perimenopause, mental health, general discrimination and other examples of similar women disappearing from the business.

I had a friendly senior HR contact to do the call with. She took it back to the team leader and got it sorted pretty quickly.

they wanted me gone and I didn’t want to stay. So they agreed without bothering to negotiate further because it would have been far more expensive to negotiate and even more expensive to go to tribunal. My eventual settlement came out at less than what I might have got at tribunal but without having to go through that fight and wait 2 years.

as an employer they also used to do this a lot.

Would you know if this is something your employer does as a past time? Have other people disappeared in the past? If so your employer has experience of doing this so will be well versed in making decisions on this.

try them. The worst that can happen is you only get what they have already offered.

best of luck.

Thank you for this

I was redundant as part of a restructure & a good relationship for the time I was there. For this reason, I am hoping they will almost want this resolved quickly & especially if the decision wasnt taken lightly (my performance was always strong)

My employer has done a number of these agreements but I dont know the outcome of any challenges or if anyone has. They do of course have a strong legal team behind them

OP posts:

Original poster

rubyswish · 04/11/2025 22:03

SettleAndMoveOn · 04/11/2025 21:53

Also worth asking them to keep you on gardening leave for 2-3 months plus the settlement. This gives you time to find a new role whilst having access to medical benefit or other benefits of value to you.

plus acces to learning or HR support for CV and job hunting. (Would need them to agree to this level of support of course)

for example do they use LinkedIn learning courses? Would give you access to whatever platform they use which might be helpful.

To be honest, their benefits are pretty poor so more beneficial to take my paid notice for sure. They have offered CV support & references as part of the deal however CV support is less important as my husband is an expert in this field

OP posts:

SettleAndMoveOn · 05/11/2025 01:51

rubyswish · 04/11/2025 22:01

Thank you for this

I was redundant as part of a restructure & a good relationship for the time I was there. For this reason, I am hoping they will almost want this resolved quickly & especially if the decision wasnt taken lightly (my performance was always strong)

My employer has done a number of these agreements but I dont know the outcome of any challenges or if anyone has. They do of course have a strong legal team behind them

Show quote history

You are in a good position then.

always remember. The first offer is only their first offer!!! Try for more and see where it takes you.

when I asked for more tbey accepted it so quickly that I wondered if I had gone too low!!! Anyway. My friend who knows these things pointed out it was too expensive for them to haggle any further

hopefully you can find a sweet spot to land on with your employer.

so sorry this is happening to you.

even if they settle fairly with you it is still upsetting to be uprooted unexpectedly and out of your control.

Best of luck with your negotiations.

Original poster

rubyswish · 05/11/2025 12:47

SettleAndMoveOn · 05/11/2025 01:51

You are in a good position then.

always remember. The first offer is only their first offer!!! Try for more and see where it takes you.

when I asked for more tbey accepted it so quickly that I wondered if I had gone too low!!! Anyway. My friend who knows these things pointed out it was too expensive for them to haggle any further

hopefully you can find a sweet spot to land on with your employer.

so sorry this is happening to you.

even if they settle fairly with you it is still upsetting to be uprooted unexpectedly and out of your control.

Best of luck with your negotiations.

Show quote history

Thank you! I have given it a go, remained polite, thanked then for their support & explained my reasons….all the usual jargon to not annoy them basically

If they say no, I will sign & move on, if they say yes, it improves that financial cushion for us

OP posts:

Original poster

rubyswish · 05/11/2025 13:24

SettleAndMoveOn · 05/11/2025 01:51

You are in a good position then.

always remember. The first offer is only their first offer!!! Try for more and see where it takes you.

when I asked for more tbey accepted it so quickly that I wondered if I had gone too low!!! Anyway. My friend who knows these things pointed out it was too expensive for them to haggle any further

hopefully you can find a sweet spot to land on with your employer.

so sorry this is happening to you.

even if they settle fairly with you it is still upsetting to be uprooted unexpectedly and out of your control.

Best of luck with your negotiations.

Show quote history

Got it! Thanks for your help with this!

Same as you, probably could have pushed for more!

OP posts:

SettleAndMoveOn · 07/11/2025 23:18

rubyswish · 05/11/2025 13:24

Got it! Thanks for your help with this!

Same as you, probably could have pushed for more!

Show quote history

Yay!! Congratulations!!!
glad you got that. It’s rather pleasing. Isn’t it?! When is your last day?

now don’t do what I did and put your feet up for too long.
ifs a battle out there on the job front. Get out there right now tell everyone and anyone that you want a job and milk your network and your sports team network etc.
best of luck.
I hope to start a new role before Christmas but there were not many roles to choose from. I feel lucky to have had a few interviews. I’m hoping this latest one signs on the dotted line soon.

Good 🍀 luck to you