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Original poster

Sacked after relocating

49 replies

Benjt · 08/11/2019 10:46

Hi, my partner started a new job in the Isle of Wight just over 18 months ago and it was agreed that we would relocate from the midlands before this September. We were initially hoping to drag this out a bit longer but every time my partner spoke to his boss he asked how our plans to move were going and any problems he would say 'just get yourself over here'. So we sold our house, bought a new one on the Island and moved over during the summer holidays this year so that our 3 kids could start their new schools in September, it has been really hard for them moving and really struggled with leaving their friends behind but are now starting to make new friends. A couple of weeks ago my partners boss called him in for review. It sounds like he was basically looking for the negatives but couldn't really find anything other than he hasn't made enough sales so said he wants to keep him but cut his wages by £20k! Considering we have bought a house based on his current salary this will leave us in a position where we won't be able to keep on top of our bills. He has now offered him a few different options but basically they all involve a massive pay cut that we can't afford and has told him he wants a decision next week. My partner is not really prepared to accept that and we are assuming when he tells him that next week he will be sacked. So I'm just wondering do we have any rights at all? As the job prospects are very limited here we feel our only option is to move back to the midlands, stay with relatives and either rent out or sell our house. Can we even claim anything for moving away?

Help!!!!!!!

OP posts:
MrsMaiselsMuff · 08/11/2019 10:52

As he has less than two years employment they can dismiss him for any reason (unless discriminatory). They're not liable for your moving costs unless stated in his contract.

If you mean can you claim benefits, it will depend on your household situation. If he has paid sufficient NI Contributions he could claim Jobseekers Allowance. If not, or if you do a joint claim, you'd need to make a claim for Universal Credit. If you have equity in a house that you're not living in then unfortunately that would count against you. There are ways to have the property disregarded, for instance if you can show that you're trying to sell it.

Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 10:57

I suspected that was the case. I just feel so desperate. I feel like they have duped us in to moving and I really don't understand why. Surely they could have said something before we actually moved. They are paying our relocation costs for coming here so it will have cost them more as well as us!

OP posts:
MrsMaiselsMuff · 08/11/2019 11:07

I think they just don't care. My partner moved jobs earlier this year (thankfully without moving) and then they let him go after three weeks. Brexit meant contracts hadn't come in, but they'd told him they'd already been secured. Perhaps that's the case here, they've been over optimistic and now realised they've got to cut costs? That doesn't help you though, it's not your fault they haven't planned properly.

MrsMaiselsMuff · 08/11/2019 11:09

If you do want to start applying for jobs back in the Midlands, use a local address. When a friend was relocating she got no responses with her current address, but lots when she appeared to be local.

Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 11:15

The really frustrating thing is they head hunted him and initially offered a lower salary but we decided it wasn't worth it so turned it down but they kept coming back to him and eventually, well over a year later they agreed to pay him what he wanted so it's not like they didn't have time to think about the cost. For some reason I thought when you're uprooting your whole family and their lives they might be a bit more considerate. His boss even has kids similar ages to ours, but you're right he obviously just doesn't care.

OP posts:
Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 11:18

Thanks for the tip about addresses. He's already started looking/applying. My next problem will be trying to get the kids their old school places back!

OP posts:
Ellmau · 08/11/2019 11:19

That sounds to me like they always planned to cut the salary and just gave him more to start with to get him on board.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 08/11/2019 11:21

The really frustrating thing is they head hunted him and initially offered a lower salary but we decided it wasn't worth it so turned it down but they kept coming back to him and eventually, well over a year later they agreed to pay him what he wanted so it's not like they didn't have time to think about the cost

That sound slike bait, trap and switch to me.

Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 11:23

Ellmau that's exactly what I think! Maybe we should have realised that but I don't know how we could have predicted it, it just seems such a sneaky thing to do. If we'd have bought a cheaper house we could have managed but they pushed us so much to reach the deadline there weren't many suitable houses around.

OP posts:
Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 11:26

@YetAnotherSpartacus Is that a thing? I take it there's no laws against doing it?!?

OP posts:
Lovemenorca · 08/11/2019 11:28

Relocating for a new job is very very risky. So much unknown.

Relocating as part of a promotion for a company you already know and trust - different matter entirely

You and your partner took a monumental risk. Sold your property, uprooted three children. And it hasn’t worked out and there’s not much you can do about it sadly

YetAnotherSpartacus · 08/11/2019 11:30

I don't know about laws OP. As far as I can tell, the law benefits employers who can treat those needing a wage like the proverbial shit. I've seen this in action a few times. Most people walked away ... What I have never seen was the added extra of them forcing you into an impossible situation by demanding that you relocate. Actually I have, but in both cases the employee said 'thanks, but no thanks'. I'm really sorry about your situation OP. It stinks.

Lovemenorca · 08/11/2019 11:32

Oh I’m sorry - I see he’s been working for them for 18 months

Oct18mummy · 08/11/2019 11:32

I would speak to an employment lawyer to get some advice.

He may be able to negotiate a settlement if he was to ask and leave and try and recoup some of the costs and stresses you have incurred from having to move.

What a difficult situation

Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 11:34

We knew it was a risk which is why we said at the beginning we wouldn't move immediately. We thought it would give us enough time to know if it was all going to go wrong before we moved.

OP posts:
Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 11:35

@Oct18mummy how much do employment lawyers cost though? We feel like we can't fork out for any extras at the moment when we could be left without any income very soon

OP posts:
hidinginthenightgarden · 08/11/2019 11:39

Sounds like constructive dismissal to me.

Loopytiles · 08/11/2019 11:43

No employment rights for two years. Really crappy of the employer but as a PP said the risk v sadly hasn’t worked out and you’d better focus your energies applying for jobs and schools back in the Midlands.

Oct18mummy · 08/11/2019 11:44

I guess it depends on who you use. Try having a look for someone who may do a free consultation or contact ACAS

Lovemenorca · 08/11/2019 11:44

Check your home Insurance. Often it’s an add on

Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 11:51

Thanks everyone. I will look into lawyers and home insurance. It feels better just to have got it off my chest as there's nobody to talk to at the moment and we don't want to worry family just yet as they have health issues.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 08/11/2019 11:54

If they've given him a higher salary there will be performance targets and he will have known those, I'm sorry. If he not hitting the targets then there is a performance issue, hence them looking to either terminate or reduce their costs. It may well be a genuine industry down turn, but unless very niche with an industry monopoly then is there something he can do about upping his sales?

Is there any way for him to up his game? Why's he not hitting the targets? This won't have been their first discussion on it.

Loopytiles · 08/11/2019 11:54

Lawyers seem unlikely to help - if he’s worked there under two years v few employment rights apply - only things like discrimination on grounds of race or disability.

Original poster
Benjt · 08/11/2019 12:08

@Bluntness100 you're right it's not the first discussion on it. The first was 2 days before our house was due to exchange at which point we felt it was too late to back out and if we did he basically would have lost his job there and then. I just feel like they've well and truly screwed us over. It's a specialist product which takes a long time of testing with each company before sales start to come in. With hindsight maybe it was too big a gamble but we're here now and can't change that, we just have to work out what our best move is now.

OP posts:
YouokHun · 08/11/2019 12:27

Can you stick it out for 6 months until your DH has been there over two years? Even if he accepts a new contract at a lower salary the contract can still be challenged later I believe (as unfair dismissal). It might take six months to find a job anyway. I’d accept a new lower offer and press on with finding something else. I suppose it depends how easy it is to find a job in his field.

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