Redundancy package and secondments, can anyone advise me?

[Hoolit]

Bit complicated and easy identifiable so I'm hoping my brief points will be enough for you to advise on.

Work in public sector, been lots of cuts and knew job would eventually come to an end

Have just been told job should probably be finished by mid 2015

Voluntary redundancy is available now for next week or so at slight enhanced rate but they want everyone gone by feb.

There is a chance that this role as ending mid 2015 they may allow to stay til end and still get the vr

A secondment has come up for 6 months that is very interesting and there is no mention of it extending but there is always the possibility it could lead to something.

If I was successful at getting the secondment and both jobs did finish when they said they would so I'd have no job would I get even basic redundancy or nothing?

I have written it as I but it's not me. HR was not great and did not even know about some of the agreements being made so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

The terms of the secondment agreement should spell out whether employment is continuous and what happens at the end of it. It's not clear from your post whether you would be seconded within the same organization.

At the end of a secondment, if there is no suitable role available, you would be redundant, and assuming your continuous service was preserved, you would be entitled to redundancy pay on that basis. You should ensure that your secondment agreement is clear about whether any enhanced redundancy pay will apply.

Thank you yes the secondment is for the same organisation just different dept but current role most likely will be gone by the time it ends.

Just really want the secondment opportunity but don't want to end up with nothing so even basic redundancy is better than nothing.

Sorry missed a bit normally at the end of a secondment if its not extended etc you go back to your substantive role which in this case probably won't be there

At the end of a secondment you would return to your "substantive role" if that role no longer existed they need to give you notice of redundancy, though they have no need to enhance the statutory minimum. It sounds like they want people to go by enhancing the remuneration package and offering additional payment if you go voluntarily before feb. You need to work out, what payment would you get if taking vr at enhanced rate, what you would get at the end of the secondment at statutory rate and also what chances there are of you getting a perm role at end of secondment. One week to make this huge decision is not much

Thanks Gnomie it is a big decision but I think if normal redundancy is avail at end of sec we'll go for it, it's a crap situation but hoping it works out for the best!