At risk redundancy letter

[Anonomg]

Long term regular here but don't want to out myself.

Letter given to me today. Meeting next week. Only me to be made redundant in my dept and not aware of any other redundancies elsewhere in the company. Apparently I scored less on the selection criteria than my only other eligible colleague (fwiw I think boss started with the scores and then fitted them into the selection criteria).

Letter said that if redundancy is confirmed I'd get notice period plus 6 weeks net pay. That is very little and as a single parent I am absolutely screwed.

Can any HR bod advise me the time frame? Is it 30 days from meeting next week for consultation and then they will give me a letter telling me there is no other job or could it be sooner?

Also with regard to the meeting. I assume I argue why I shouldn't be made redundant but am I also expected to discuss proposed redundancy package at that meeting?

Background boss is a bully and keen to get me out. Very aggressive (has been warned by HR) and fond of a long boozy lunch. Head of dept and boss were disciplined last year for a work matter and I reckon they hold me responsible for it (I wasn't disciplined as unlike them I followed procedure - which if I hadn't probably wouldn't have resulted in them being disciplined).

I can't see the point in fighting to keep my job as I can't imagine how I'd be able to work there (small dept) but I am keen to maximise any settlement.

Any tips on what I should do would be much appreciated. I've already had to tell ds that he will most likely have to move schools and we will have to move houses as financially I have no clue how we will manage. and

Thanks.

really sorry to hear this.

Directgov has some useful info.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/Redundancy/DG_10029835

it seems there is no minimum consultation period as there is only one post selected.

Your employer could probably justify their selection, if challenged, as they have clearly demonstrated that there is a criteria and a skills set being taken into consideration.

Are there any vacancies elsewhere inthe company?

Have you checked that they are meeting the statutory minimum in redundancy pay? If so not sure there is anything you can do to get any enhanced settlement.

I am pregnant and in a similar position, so sympathise! Check you have legal advise through your house insurance- and if not, you can usually upgrade there and then. The legal advisers have been brilliant at maximising my financial outcome!!

Good luck!!

Good idea Ginger. Does your employer k ow you are pregnant?

I will give them a call household insurers a call. Am feeling a bit numb about it all tbh. Had to give notice to ds's school yesterday to advise that we may be moving schools in September. Fingers crossed I get another job before that is necessary but am a single parent so bills have to come before school fees. Makes me feel incredibly sad.

With only one redundancy a short consultation period is fine, it's about whether you get a chance to have your say about the criteria etc rather than it taking a set period of time.

Boozy boss with disciplinary history doesn't sound relevant unless there's more to it.

You say you are keen to maximise your settlement, but the only reason for your employer to increase your payment is to avoid legal action so it depends entirely on whether you think you are being unfairly dismissed. Do you? Do you have concerns with the fairness of the selection criteria used, or disagree with the scores you have been given?

Yes I do have a big issue with the scores I've been given. I'm going to ask HR to send me the scores of my colleague (which I assume they won't).

I think there is a big issue with why I have been selected and not my colleague. I am more senior, more experienced and more qualified than him. The two people who scored me nearly lost their jobs because of me last year and were very lucky to only be disciplined (I did my job properly but they didn't and because I did my job properly their failures were disclosed to senior management).

Not sure if I can use that or not but I strongly suspect I have been targeted. Am I allowed to ask how many others in the company are at risk of redundancy? I think it is just me. They have also recruited more junior people recently (within the last three weeks) in an associated Dept whose job I could do.

Should add that boss said to me in a meeting two months ago that I looked as if he had punched me. He also called me a failure. He later said he was trying to be supportive when he made those comments. Previously he has said a number of things including personal comments like I must have a miserable life because I am a single parent.

If you have been in a selection process and scored against them using criteria then you were all 'at risk', it's just you have been selected for redundancy as having the lowest scores.

There is a confidentiality issue with other scores, however you could ask them to supply details without names, and can also appeal your own scores.

They should offer you suitable alternative work if there are any vacancies however strictly speaking a vacancy that was filled a few weeks before this happens isn't something you can challenge as such.

I'm playing devil's advocate a bit but the fact that people scoring you have had a ruck with you previously doesn't automatically give you grounds to challenge their scores, you need to provide evidence that the scoring isn't fair objectively, if that makes sense. You could use the history as explanation of why you were unfairly marked low, but you need to demonstrate that you were unfairly marked low first.

You say you are more experienced and qualified than a colleague who was scored against you, which helps. What criteria were used and are you confident you should have scored highly across the board? Performance ratings? Disciplinary record? Attendance record?

Need hard facts if you haven't already got them. Yes you can ask how many redundancies. They should have documented plan. They are thin ice if also recruiting to posts with similar skills requirements.

If you are more senior, more experienced & more qualified..are you more expensive?

Take a friend to the meeting with you (not a lawyer though, this ought not to be a problem.

I will ask those questions. Will also ask for copies of previous years' appraisals as they have a scoring system and I know there is a significant difference between those and this latest. No attendance issue although marked down on timekeeping (I am never late but I do work different shorter hours so arrive later and leave earlier than core - I have a flexible working agreement that covers this).

I have a spent disciplinary issue. Was disciplined as a result of a complaint the two who have instigated this. HR head was new and wasn't aware of history. I tried to explain but had these other two lying and HR believed them. A few months later HR head said that had she known what the real picture was I'd have never been disciplined. HR head has also said they think I have a very difficult time in my Dept.

I am marginally more expensive than my colleague in terms of salary. He is very vocal in complaining about what he is paid. Considering I am more qualified and more experienced I assumed there would be a significant difference, say 15 or 20%. He told me what he earned - which is only 5% less than me in salary but I think he gets more in bonus so overall annual cost would be more.

I have no doubt these two want me out but feel a fool but didn't figure on redundancy. I have an equal number of cases (work in insurance claims) but more complex than my colleague.