Mutually Agreed Resignation in NHS. WWYD?

[gowest]

Has anyone else been offered this? I'm seriously considering it. I'd get 3 months full pay for buggering off as a Band 7 OT so they could give my job to someone cheaper. Sorry to sound flippant but that's the Gist of it.

Anyone else thinking about it?

How long have you been with them and what's the alternative? If it was me (I have 12 years service) I wouldn't do it - no guarantee of another job, and redundancy would be a much better option

I'd be entitled to 3 months basic pay. I almost feel the need to take a risk and just go for it. I've been unhappy at work since we have a new manager in place (that's a whole other thread). My position is actually likely to be at risk sooner or later anyway. I don't like the changes that are happening and have been looking seriously at relocating anyway, so this could just burn some bridges and give the chance of change.

I think if I was happy at work it would be different. The systems that have been put in place are not going to change anyway so it's not going to improve for me whilst I'm there.

Maybe I just need a career change anyway...

What's the alternative?

I dont know anything about this but there was another thread in the last week or so about this. The main worry was that it would affect your right to benefits as it was not a redundancy.

It is here.

The alternatives are to:

1. get on with it and stop moaning
2. get on with it whilst looking for somthing else 3)get on with it and keep moaning :)

Thank-you for your replies BTW

That link was useful, thanks. I thought there's be another thread on it but it didn't jump out and bite me so I started my own.

Voluntary Redundancy wount be offered in our trust.

I think if i was you and you were considering continuing in the NHS as an OT i would have a good look on NHS jobs to see what was out there at the moment.

My spelling and grammar is appauling. I am sorry.

We don't have a mortgage so Payment Protection isn't an issue.

I could be a SAHM for a bit. It would be damn tight but do-able. I wouldn't be looking for benefits or anything.

Hogshead - I already am looking for other jobs. I have been invited for some interviews. Ideally I'd just get a new job in the location we'd like to relocate to and that would be nice and straightforward.

If I don't find anything before the cut off date in October then I could buy myself 3 months of not working and take a break for a bit.

It might be worth just checking the current guidelines on career breaks within the NHS is you are in the pension scheme - I think you used to be able to take 6 months career break but please dont take that as gospel.

Depends whether you want to leave. 12 weeks salary sounds a poor deal for giving up your career. Don't know what a Grade 7 OT earns plus your benefits (pension etc.) but I think you may be surprised by the competition for work at the moment. If you want to give up work and be a SAHM then of course, that would make it different.

Thank-you. Will keep thinking... and moaning :)

why are you not getting te option of VR?

It's not an option in out trust. The way I understand it is that if they make/I take redundancy that post is redundant. However, if I resign then they can redeploy/employ someone cheaper in that post.

oh i see :(

Stealth i seem to remember you're employed by a PCT (I have namechanged recently) what's happening with yours?

yes, youi have a good memory :)
New structures out today, VR applications by next Monday. Difficult to know really!

I'm also an unhappy OT about to go back after maternity leave. I was really hoping to not have to go back to my current job but nothing else has come up. My team is going tits up, to put it mildly, and I would love to resign. But, in the current climate, with posts being frozen, potential changes to benefits for new staff members (ie after a period out of the NHS), I feel that I need to keep hold of what I have unless it becomes really unbearable (a distinct responsibility!).
If you can afford to be a SAHM for a good while, and you know exactly what the situation is with regards to your benefits (pension etc) and you're happy with that, then go for it. Otherwise, three months salary is not a particularly good cushion.
It's not a good time to be a locum either.

Good luck!

gowest, I looked into it on the other thread.

In a nutshell, you would be
a) giving up your post
b) possibly barred from applying for another post in the same Trust (not just hospital) for a period of time that would be determined by the trust.
c) Unable in most cases to get unemployment benefits.

As you say, the whole idea of MARS is that they can redeploy from within the Trust to save money.

Be aware, that if you express a desire to resign, an intention to resign or hand in your notice prior to being offered MARS, then you cannot take MARS, and it will be refused - so be careful how you explore the possibility. Don't be too open because they can and MUST refuse you MARS if you would otherwise leave the Trust without taking the 3 months pay.

Have they asked you to resign or offered you a compromise agreement?

A compromise agreement can be mutually negotiated, BUT the employer severs your contract and the employee receives compensation. The tax breaks are the same as for redundancy, but the employer is free to recruit for the post again as it is not redundant. In a compromise agreement the employee normally waives their rights to take any future legal action against their previous employer should circumstances change..

If they have simply asked you to resign and pay you PILON (pay in lieu of notice) then that doesn't sound like such a good deal. You'd be taxed on this too.

PILON is taxable but any additional severance money payable up to about £30k from a compromise agreement or redundancy is tax free.

I would strongly advise speaking to an employment solicitor about your options before you agree anything with your employer.

ACAS is a good place to start with respect to your rights. They have a free and confidential helpline.

MARS uses compromise agreements, and the payment is tax free.

I work as a PCT manager and they are offering it where I work. I have a new job at an acute, so haven't looked at it.

I have yet to meet anyone for whom it works. The terms seem less generous than redundancy, but for that you would need to hang on until the bitter end. There are also implications (that I don't begin to understand) about pensions and reckonable service.

Gowest, do you work for Provider Services or an acute? I understand that it doesn't really apply to acutes and when the dust all settles down from the white paper (which is two years realistically), we'll still need community OTs and other clincial staff.

I would only consider it if it really fits in with your other plans. I personally wouldn't go for it just because I was fed up with my current job. Also if you go for another OT job, they would probably know you've gone through MARS.

The reason as far as I can see that some employers are offering it is that it gets the headcount down now. The pressure from the SHAs is immense and they don't really care if the right or wrong people leave.

Another point is that redundancy money, up to 30K, is tax-free, whereas PILON is taxable.

Thank-you everyone.

I have booked an appointment with an employment solicitor next week.

Queenofwhatever - I work for a provider arm of PCT.

I just think things are bad and getting worse - in lots of ways.

I'll give ACAS a call in the meantime.

My gut feeling is that it isn't a great deal but I'm fed-up with my job and questioning OT as a career anyway so perhaps it could be a good way out.

Almost like a feel the fear and do it anyway scenario.

Although I'm obvioulsy not that gung-ho about it as I'm posting on here!

I really do appreciate all this input. Thank-you.