My company is making redundancies. They have decided to offer voluntary redundancy first and they are selecting people for voluntary redundancy based on their need to retain relevant skills knowledge and experience. I have expressed an interest in voluntary redundancy.
The company are also consulting on making voluntary redundancies and are in the collective consultation stage. It looks like the workforce will be cut by 50% in this exercise. They are proposing to select for compulsory redundancy based also on skills knowledge and experience.
I'm concerned I may be refused voluntary redundancy and then made compulsory redundant. The decision on VR is imminent but the decision on VR is going to be made in about 6 weeks time. I would obviously like to avoid compulsory redundancy.... Voluntary redundancy package means I get a better pay off and do not have to work my notice. Compulsory redundancy, they have confirmed, will mean working notice. I am delivering a critical project at the moment which ends coincidentally with my notice period, although my contract is permanent.
Can the company legally refuse me VR and then make me compulsory redundant? Anyone got any experience or insight?