Redundancy Questions

[BlueberryMuffin817]

I've just been informed that myself and several other colleagues are at risk of redundancy. The organisation is going through a restructure and our roles do not exist in the new structure. Some new roles have been created in other teams that match our skill set and we have been encouraged to apply for them. However these roles will be advertised externally and we will have to go through a competitive interview process so there is no guarantee that we will be successful in obtaining these roles.

I had a feeling this would happen so for the last few months I've been looking for opportunities elsewhere. There is a strong chance that I will receive a job offer (better pay, location, title) from another company in the next few weeks. However, I'm worried that this could affect any redundancy pay. Does anyone know if requiring us to interview for jobs against external candidates counts as the company providing "suitable alternative employment options"? If I choose not to apply for any of the new roles would it count as me unreasonably turning down a suitable alternative? The management in my department is very conflict avoidant and have been reluctant to answer any questions about what redundancy pay would look like, timelines, etc.

I doubt anyone on here can give you the answer you need. Speak to your HR team.

Speak to HR but generally redundancy terms in your employment contract. Either government statutory or there might be an enhanced package.

If I was in your position I would be applying elsewhere discreetly as well as internally. You do not need to take what is offered to you by your current employer but turning down an offer would likely be taken as resignation (I would check this). Whether you want to do this depends on the package on offer.

Look at the bigger picture, if you get offered another role elsewhere will it a better option long term than the alternative option where you are?

Give acas a call they are really good. I’m not sure on the whole making someone redundant and external recruitment at the same time and they will help.

what is your consultation period? I’d imagine if you left during consultation you’d forfeit redundancy. I went through redeployment earlier in the year and was given notice of risk of redundancy Altho I was given one of 3 job options. I was pregnant so just took one of them.

How long have you worked for current employer? Are you eligible for redundancy pay. Perhaps ask your hr dept if you can take voluntary redundancy.

Unless the redundancy package is likely to be very good is it not better to go with the new job if offered and know you have a good alternative in the bag rather than hang out for whatever redundancy may or may not be on offer and the uncertainty of then finding another job.

Most of your questions can't really be answered - we don't have the details here about what the circumstances are. One thing though is very clear. Until you are are actually served redundancy notice, unless your contract says otherwise, if you are offered another job you aren't entitled to redundancy pay as well as taking the job. You are only possibly at risk, and that counts at "situation normal" - you have a job offer and you take it or not.

Unless the redundancy is worth a lot and you have no worries about getting another job with good pay / terms then I'd always suggest thinking very carefully about missing out on a job for a possible redundancy payment. It's never as much as it sounded, when it starts to run out. And given costs now, it'll run out fast.

The company really should not be recruiting externally whilst simultaneously making similar positions redundancy, although this is guidance rather than actual law. It is also a pretty stupid thing to do financially.

They should be trying to find suitable alternative roles for people and if they have any these should be offered, people shouldn’t have to apply for them. So a suggestion that you apply for these roles is not them offering you a stumble alternative.

But all that said, you are only on risk at the moment whereas you expect to get a job offer within the next few weeks. So your timings might not line up for redundancy pay anyway.

*suitable

I think you have to go through the consultation period to get the redundancy pay - though for my company the scale of the redundancy was huge, so they had fast-tracks so people could get the pay and get out sooner (still took a good number of weeks though at least 6-8 but 10 for most people). I found talking to a union rep helpful (they gave some advice even if I had not joined up before the redundancy scheme).