Redundancy shock on maternity

[Annie105]

Hi all
Had a phone call yesterday morning which I presumed was going to be my return to work plan but it turned out to be a redundancy call. In shock. I've been with the firm 10 years and just didn't see it coming. Apparently the economic climate has resulted in losing 2 huge clients since Xmas. That's the party line.

I've been in regular touch throughout my mat leave and it's always been v positive. They told me they are making a dozen redundancies but are offering voluntary to me and 2 other colleagues by way of repaying back our long service and loyalty, seniority etc. they are offering 4 months pay as a severance package which is 30 per cent better than the statutory.

As I'm on Mat leave they are obviously covering themselves legally by telling me I have a choice of coming back to my role but that I may then have to go through a redundancy process , obviously insinuating take the package we are offering you now.

I'm just so devastated. I loved my job, my team, the business my colleagues. I've sorted out my childcare so I'm leaving her in the lurch and if I go to the market for a new job I'm never going to find the same salary and I'll definitely not find a role which will let me work how my employer were going to let me to suit my family commitments.

Anyone any advice? How do I handle this? My confidence is shot. I can't stop crying

No advice but sorry you're going through this.

I'm trying to return to work after maternity leave and my boss is making it extremely difficult so I know how upsetting it is.

What stage if maternity leave are you at and what is the full maternity package? Will they honour that plus the enhanced redundancy?

If you reject voluntary and they then put you through the selection process, how many people are in the target group from which they select 12? Remember it has to be a redundant role not person so selecting you by longevity of service is not necessarily reasonable. They may well think they're doing you a favour by giving you a chink of tax free cash to spend more time with your baby and that's another way to look at it.

You need Hermione granger here for the technical advice but look at all the circumstances around the offer - you might end up finding it attractive and there is still room to negotiate at voluntary stage.

(Rereading, could it be that they have cold feet about the arrangements they agreed for your return and want someone more full time? Would you consider reneging that arrangement if it meant security from redundancy?)

I got that call 10 days after the birth of my first DC. Only they were shutting the office there wasn't a choice. It was terrible. But I found a job that fit in with my family better and that type of business folded across the county so it was going happen at some point but at least I ended my maternity with extra money. Some times I do wonder what if but all in all it worked out for the best.
Try not to panic.

Can you explain/do you actually know about the compulsory redundancies? Are they all going to be people doing the same role as you, and 12 out of how many people is it?

I would also suggest you ask why all staff affected aren't being offered the option of voluntary redundancy, on the basis that if 12 people volunteer, no one will need to be made compulsorily redundant. Why are just you and one other colleague being made this 'generous' offer?

Hi all thanks for the comments and I'm sorry to hear some of you and to deal with this too. It's such a bloody emotional time anyway without being made to feel you are on the professional scrap heap!!!

Katy I'm 6 months in and on SMP was planning to go back to work at just before 9 months I hadn't formally submitted my flexible working request but they said it didn't matter as my role is redundant as thee is no work.
Flowery I don't have full details they said they will make compulsory redundancies but actually how do I really know what if I accept this and then they don't?! I will ask that question regarding everyone.

I'm actually minded to turn the voluntary request down. I have a feeling they will make me redundant on my return but I only need to work a further 8 weeks to earn the same amount of redundancy they are offering on an enhanced package.

I wonder will they negotiate with me?

Do not make any decisions until they have put everything into writing

Amount of money

Cut off date to apply for voluntary redundancy

What happens if you dont apply for voluntary redundancy, will they still make you redundant

Is there an appeal process and what are the timescales

You will go through a range of emotions

It may lead you onto getting a better job in the future

It's never great news, sorry.

Setting aside the maternity leave for a side, I've gone through a few rounds of redundancies, and it seems to be standard they offer voluntary at an enhanced rate, then if not enough take up that offer they start statutory. It's a risk of course, but the benefit in theory is the enhanced package. How much of a benefit that is, and how much of a risk you're prepared to take ..... well that's a personal choice.

Hi thanks for the further pointers much appreciated. I have a meeting on Thursday to go through but I've been told in advance of this meeting that me "trying to negotiate a better severance package is pointless that it is the only figure they will offer -even if I think it's poor in comparison- and if I decide to return to work then I'll go through the compulsory procedure almost immediately and get only statutory. I know all this because an employee who did work there who left of their own accord overheard a conversation! They were playing out the scenarios in a meeting and this person was working late on second to last day and they were not aware! So it sounds like to me there is no point battling this just take the moment and hope to god I find a job soon.

Im so worried no one will want to employ a woman on maternity who has just been made redundant. I won't get the same money as I've really spend the last week looking online at jobs similar and they pay less and my workplace do not really have any direct competitors . Plus I also have a clause in my contract I cannot work for any perceived competitors for 6 months post the notice period so that is 8 months from
Now. I need to ask to get that clause omitted.

I got made redundant on the day I gave birth. Shows how happy they were for me to go part time. I half heartedly interviewed for their replacement position but it was futile because they kept telling me throughout that 'this is a full time role'. They gave me £640 after my mat leave finished.
I am now a SAHM.

You will find something even better OP, it's just the shock at the moment. And congratulations on your baby.

On the day you gave birth!!!!!!! How awful. It's bad enough someone else said 10 days. Shocking. Thanks for the kind words. I'm just sad for my poor baby mummy is so stressed now xx

I went through this 2 years ago and it's the best thing that ever happened to me! 7 years in the company gave me a nice little lump sum and bought me a few months more off with my babies, and time to find another job, one in much happier at

Are there honestly no alternative roles? If there's a suitable vacancy elsewhere in th company you should be offered it and have precedence over others.

Happened to me too 4 months into may leave. I found another job better salary and closer to home though it was a lesser role but it's worked well for me as I have no work to take home or meeting at night like I used to. I only got statutory redundancy after working there for 8 years. I'd take the enchanted package and find something else part time for now.

I would ring ACAS promptly. As a new mother you have additional rights.

Is it even legal to make someone redundant on the day they give birth?! Or 10 days after? Don't you have to give a new mother at least 2 weeks of NC?

"Is it even legal to make someone redundant on the day they give birth?! Or 10 days after? Don't you have to give a new mother at least 2 weeks of NC?"

NC?

If an employer can genuinely choose the date it would seem a bit kinder to avoid that period, but that's not always possible, depending on the reason for the redundancy. If an employer had to start the process/confirm redundancies to everyone else on a date which happened to be very soon after someone on maternity leave who had recently given birth and didn't communicate with her at the same time, that would be wrong too.

But with consultation involved, someone wouldn't literally be made redundant completely out of the blue on the day they gave birth anyway. it would either be notifying them of possible redundancy, or confirming redundancy they'd already been told might be happening.

All that sounds unsympathetic, and it's not at all, and I think where it's avoidable obviously that kind of thing should be avoided, and timing considered carefully. But of course if the redundancy is genuine there can't possibly be a law specifying dates when an employer is or isn't allowed to do it based on women who are on maternity leave.

imagine if there were large-scale redundancies involving multiple people and they had to try and organise it around more than one woman on maternity leave with different dates? Or if the business was being closed completely for reasons completely outside the managers' control?