Can I ask for redundancy if not being offered?!

[Abkbjbjb]

Hi
I was just looking for a bit of advice!
I have worked for the same company for 19 years. I worked full time for 14 years until I had my first child and went back part time after my maternity. I have stayed part time since then.

My eldest child has autism and at the moment I'm really struggling juggling a Job and looking after the 2 kids. Due to my sons autism we have lots of appointments/ therapies to attend. He is only 5 at the moment and pretty unsettled so feel like I can't give my all to my work and home life.
The company I work for is a private small family business. Since I returned from my first maternity leave my job hasn't really been the same....they decided to keep on the employee who covered my maternity full time before I even requested to go part time , so I don't feel overall that I have been treated very fairly over the last 5 years, my role has changed a couple of times and at this precise moment in time I don't feel that they need me anymore.
Would I be completely out of my mind to request redundancy?! And with a package?! I would really need say a years wage to keep us going until I get my children more settled in school. Then look for something else a year down the line.
As the company is small and private -redundancy has never been an option to any employee before so I need to know are they likely to laugh at me for requesting it?.... on and expect perhaps a years wage!!!
As they don't really need me I think there may be the option.....
Your thoughts would be much appreciated

I don't think you can just ask for redundancy.

Sounds like they are pushing you to leave :(

I thought legally firms couldn't change your job spec when you go off on maternity leave

Even if they did agree they would probably offer a basic package only which would be around 30 weeks wages. They will probably argue the role isn't redundant so there is no need for redundancy.

Thanks for your advice!!
Better give labour relations a ring before I do anything.... if I do anything

I very much doubt a small company would pay a year's wages. I work for a large corporation and they would only stretch to about 6 weeks when I was involved in a grievance hearing recently.

I don't see why they would give you a year's wages when they don't have to.

I don't see why you think you're entitled to that either.

Even if your role was redundant unless you have a very generous redundancy scheme you would probably only get the statutory payment which would be 19 x a week's pay for years served under 40 and half a week for years served over 40, capped at £489/week.

If the problem is that you don't have enough to do, can you ask for more work?

If they agree that you don't have enough to do and there's no possibility of giving you any more, I suppose they may come round to the idea of making you redundant but they'd need to see that was the best option, as obviously it will cost them to pay you. If they know you're unhappy it may be cheaper for them to wait for you to leave of your own accord.

Ask if they do voluntary severance - check on the net but our company gives up to four months full pay plus notice period and holidays

I mean 6 weeks above statutory

UK statutory redundancy wouldn't give you anything close to a year of salary. You'd get around 20 weeks (there are online calculators that tell you exactly ) but some would be tax free. Its based on your current part time salary too.
I think your first conversation with your employer needs to be addressing your concerns about your role. Without more specifics it's impossible to say whether you are just unhappy in this job or if your employer is unreasonable.

I know friends who have managed to have ' grown up conversations ' where jobs are coming to a natural end and both sides want to walk away. These tend to be negotiating a month or two of pay not a year.

For what it's worth maternity discrimination tribunal payouts tend to be around 4-6 months of net pay. My point is if you are looking for a year of pay I think you are very unlikely to be successful. Your employer is likely to reject that (and wait for you to resign if they think you are just trying it on). There's not much incentive for a small business to make such a big payout. What would they get in return?
Good luck with whatever you end up doing.

As your role hasn't been made redundant, they will not offer you redundancy. They jist won't, sorry.

Abd if they did make you redundant, never in a million years would you receive a years pay! What on earth has given you the idea that they would?!

I would really need say a years wage to keep us going until I get my children more settled in school. Then look for something else a year down the line.

I would imagine they would 100% laugh at that request! What makes you think they should have to pay you that much?! Just because you decide that you don't need to work for a year doesn't mean they should have to bankroll you.

Thanks for advice everyone

Do they have a type of system where someone who is at threat of redundancy but doesn't want to leave can job match with someone who wants to go?