Reasonable duration of redundancy consultation

[slowpoke]

The department I was brought on to help build has pretty much ended in dismal failure. I am the only member of the department yet to resign. So, the company initiated a redundancy consultationa souple of months ago. We have worked through all the points -- both theirs and mine. I now want to be made redundant because I am fed up with the uncertainty. But, they are just sitting on it (keep postponing the next consutaltion, etc.). I suspect they are attempting to wait me out and see if I reign forst so they don't have to pay me redundancy. Can they do this? Or is there a reesonable limit to length of a consultation?

Thank you!

Sorry about all the typos!

While there is still a job for you to do they don't have to make you redundant. Are you actually doing a job at the moment?

I would suggest writing to HR requesting details of by what date they expect to make a decision about your future, as if they are making you redundant, the sooner you know that the sooner you can begin searching for alternative employment.

That will indicate to them that you have no intention of resigning/looking for another job while you still have one.

They already know I have been looking for a job. And, in fact, they have been very good about letting me do it in my normal working hours.

I have almost nothing to do. I am bored silly, and they know it. Can they just wait me out even though I have (virtually) nothing to do?

I just think it's rubbish that they have started the redundancy process, and now are just sitting there so as to force me to resign so they won't have to pay me anything.

Would your redundancy payment be so much that it would be worth them doing that?

It won't be a huge amount. A few month's salary, really. But they are difficult to read, very generous with employees in some ways and very tight in others. So, they may or may not be holding out to avoid paying me. I'm just trying to work out IF they are doing this if they have a right to. I suspect they do have a right to wait and see for as long as they like, which is of course not the answer I want.

It seems odd then that if they wanted to do things to save money that they wouldnt just make you redundant and then pay you the minimum possible.

Yes. That's true. It's possible they are just being really slow. I just want them to get on with it. Going to work and having nothing to do is pretty painful. I need to have a purpose in my day. This life of idleness is not for me!