No redundancy after nearly 40 years at job

[Blueorredpill]

My ex’s department is being moved to somewhere over 20 miles away and because he can apply for a job there, they say he will not be entitled to redundancy. He doesn’t want the extra travel time added on to his day as won’t see his children as much and they don’t pay him enough to cover the extra costs. Understandably he’s in a right state and has been signed off work. I believe he’s had legal advice and seen CAB. Any ideas? TIA

Ask the employer for terms and conditions of the office relocation, which includes are they offering redundancy ? Are they offering any travel expenses ? If you don't want to move what happens ? I've been through several office moves. 20 miles is not a large move !

Why does it look like his role is redundant?

Because the OP referenced it in the opening title and the OP. She also later added he had to 'apply' for a job in the new location.

But she also claims there should be no issue with him choosing to stay exactly where he is, so...

But she also claims there should be no issue with him choosing to stay exactly where he is, so

But that's just her opinion. It's clearly not the companies as they have emphatically said they will not support a remote/isolated worker, he has to move with his department or resign. They have been clear they are not offering redundancy nor are they offering travel expenses for the extra twenty miles.

The only exception of course is if he moved to the fact he's not mentally capable, too unwell to cope with the commute, but this could either backfire and lead to capability termination or not be enabled long term.

Well of course it is. I’m just making the point that op clearly doesn’t actually think the role itself is redundant.

Ah ok, I understand and good point.

I’m just making the point that op clearly doesn’t actually think the role itself is redundant.

I assume she did think that the role was redundant or she would not have mentioned it.

I think what you both need to consider is the long term outcome if he refuses to travel and there is no redundancy pay.

How likely is he to get another job, given his age, and then within a short walking distance?

Does he actually need to work? If you are mortgage free and he has a company pension then he may be able to access this now and still live relatively comfortably. (DH and I both retired in our late 50's on this basis but did have a healthy amount of investments/savings too.)

Believe me OP, it doesn't matter how good you are in your job, once you are over 50 acquiring another position can prove extremely difficult.
Do ensure you are not both "Cutting off your nose to spite your face" so to speak.

On what grounds was he signed off work, op?

Are you sure that there is no displacement allowance? I have experienced several office moves, with different organisations, and every time there had been some kind of allowance for people whose journeys increased by more than a mile /3 miles. Either a mileage rate for 2 or 3 years, or a lump sum.

He can't be made redundant as his role is still required, just at a slightly further away location. Tbh 40 mins commute is nothing, if he's not happy to do that he will have to look for a new job, sounds like he is being difficult

Our company relocated some staff 20 miles. It was actually closer to one guys home but he had to drive on a motorway to do it which he was very anxious of after sitting in the same seat for 35+ years. He lasted 1 week and went off sick, eventually after 6 months of sick pay he retired early due to ill health.

Some people just cant cope with such a big change and have my sympathy, but that doesn't trigger redundancy - his best bet is early redundancy.

I wonder what he told the doctor? Who signs a person off as too ill to work as they don't want to travel a little further?

If he's been working fourth years then he must be a minimum of 58 so very unlikely to have small children and it's not really going to eat into time with them is it?

He can either find something else or drive like everyone else.

I wonder what he told the doctor? Who signs a person off as too ill to work as they don't want to travel a little further?

Bizarre isn’t it? Good luck to him finding a new job at his agr

I think he is signed off with stress or similar . It seems from the ops post he's unable to cope with the thought of it, she says he's got himself into a "right state"

And kids could be younger If she is, assuming she's the parent.

What I don't really get is she thinks it's "understandable" he's been signed off sick and is in a right state. Clearly for most of us it's not understandable at all.

But as a pp said, some people are unable to cope with change and this could be an extreme case of that, 40 yearsin there, hasn't progressed and wants to keep everything exactly as it is. It happens.😔

I wish my commute was 40 minutes

OP, he has not been offered redundancy because the role is not being made redundant. It is being moved to another location, well within a reasonable travelling distance (hence no increase in salary either)

You have absolutely no idea whether the company can 'keep that department there' or not. You cannot assume this because of what your husband says.

I understand that change is hard for some people to take but NO role nowadays is secure or a job for life in the same cubicle until you leave. He also needs to be aware that 40 years service means diddly squat to a large company - you're just a number, whatever you may think.

It sounds to me like he should be considering early retirement if his mental health isn't in a good place for the upheaval.

OP you mentioned your ex's employer is a large company. If they are a multi-site operation which involves site-to-site transfers, it's highly likely the company will operate a relocation policy. If so, the policy will have eligibility criteria, eg the employer based in Site A must live (for example) 50 miles or 90mins driving distance from Site B to be eligible for relocation expenses. The policy often includes a map with the marked out circumference beyond which eligibility applies.

If he gets the policy from HR, he will find his answer in there. The likelihood of a 20 mile distance being eligible is almost certainly zero, it's too close to compensate for the additional journey time.

As for your ex's claim that he won't get to see his DC so much, really? Do you actually buy that? He will lose credibility with his employer if he comes out with that line! It sounds like he is resistant to the change from a walk-to job to a commute and is making all the excuses under the sun as to why he shouldn't. He needs to face reality, life changes.

Good luck to him finding a new job at his agr

What an antiquated view! If the OPs ex is say mid-to late 50s they still have many years of working life and shouldn't close down their options.

But unfortunately he appears to have spent 40 years in the same company and not progressed very far, if he will find the cost of travelling 20 miles prohibitive.
Of course, not knowing what he does, we can’t tell if he has many transferable skills.
Let’s hope he has.

Of course, not knowing what he does, we can’t tell if he has many transferable skills. Let’s hope he has.

However if he so mentally unwell that he cannot take on a short commute, I am unsure if he would be well enough to job hunt and then adapt to a new company.

I didn't think mobility clauses were necessarily enforceable. Have you taken legal advice?

There is a huge difference between a 10 minute walk and a 40 minute drive (which presumably is about the shortest it would ever be and it could easily end up being 1 hour 40 when traffic is bad - 20 miles isn't close especially in winter).

Is some home working an option?

I also think travel expenses should be paid, at least for an interim period.

OP I think you’re getting a bit of a hard time here. I can totally understand that some people who have worked in one place with a short walk to work will be completely thrown by having to consider a 20 mile commute. While the latter is normal to many of us, if it’s something you’ve chosen not to do up until now and is then forced upon you, I can understand how for some people this could be an enormous stress. And, I say this with kindness, if you have been at the same place for 40 years, that does suggest you are not a fan of change.

Having said that, it’s unfortunately a normal part of working life now so he needs to decide what he wants out of it. Doing nothing wont make it go away and will most likely increase the stress he feels under.

Based on previous experience, I’d certainly be expecting them to provide some kind of travel subsidy for a fixed period of time up to 3 years. I’d also be looking for a season ticket loan scheme if he would be using public transport. Could he change hours to suit the commute - I’d do 7-3 if I could for example, to miss the busiest time. Is early retirement an option? If it was me, I’d be making a list of what I wanted and then would start negotiating. It sounds like it is going to happen regardless, so he has nothing to lose at this point.

If he’s within shouting distance of normal retirement, I would probably suggest just getting his head down and getting on with it for now. Definitely don’t resign though. Not until he sees how it pans out over the next few months.

As an aside, what are other people in the office feeling about it? Are they ok with it or are they unhappy too?

If job has been relocated to another office site and you decide (for whatever reason) not to take it. If you apply for job seekers allowance or universal credit will the money be paid straight away or will there be a wait, because of the decision of not going to the same job, but in different locations. ?