Employer not offering me ‘alternative employment’ during redundancy even though there’s a role available.

[QueenArseClangers]

I’m being made redundant and finishing next month. My employer (very big) had the exact same role advertised locally and I interviewed last week.
I’ve just been told that the role was given to an external candidate. Surely, according to guidelines, this should’ve been offered to me or any other ‘at risk’ worker?

I feel so let down and frustrated. I’m waiting for my union to get back in touch but from what I’ve read my employer is in the wrong?

Anyone else been through this/any advice?

I originally posted this on AIBU last night so have a bit more to add:

it’s the exact same role in the next town. It’s under a different management area but I made them aware that I was at risk.

Just had a call back from my union. They said this shouldn’t be happening and recommended I raise a grievance for unfair dismissal.
Basically say that ‘employer x has a legal obligation to minimise redundancies so therefore why am I being made redundant whilst this role (which I am trained for) is being given to an external person?’

The role is quite specific and anyone new would have to complete many months of training (which is expensive in both time/hours lost and takes away from the service we provide to vulnerable families).

It seems like such a bad business decision as well a shit thing to do

I was always under the impression that anyone ‘at risk’ in an organisation had to be offered any job that was suitable for them. I would speak to a solicitor who specialises in employment law.

What reason were you given for not getting the role? Have you asked whoever your contact in HR is? It may be that the manager of the new role had no idea he/she should be doing anything other than a straight interview, rather than it being a case of actively trying to avoid a redundancy.

I had a very similar experience. Role being made redundant but applied for another role...I didn’t get it. Pushed it to understand why and it was because I didn’t have 2 years experience as stated in the role requirements - I only had a year!

It was frustrating but it meant I had no grounds for appeal :(

@flowery I’m hoping that it is a matter of miscommunication rather than anything else sinister.
I had an email from the area manager last night saying that she’s investigating.
The hiring manager/interviewer was told that I was at risk, she said she’d ask resourcing to ‘keep my details’ as I was a close second and some other roles, too far a commute to be viable, would be coming up soon.
She seemed a bit flustered when I said I was surprised that this role was being given to an external candidate when I was under the impression that deployment would be the way forward.

I imagined that if I failed the interview the job would’ve gone to another at risk colleague.

Have you been given the right to appeal your dismissal?