Redundancy

[princesssparklepants]

Not sure if anyone will know the answer to this....

If someone works in a team of 6 people, all on same level, same job role etc and the company decides they need to make 2 of the 6 roles redundant.... they decide who those 2 people are and put them under notice.
Do they have any obligation to tell those 2 people why they were chosen?

Have you all got the same job title?

This happened to me before.

ultimately, and I know it’s hard to get your head round - it was the same for me - they don’t want you back. Not to say that you’re not good at your job, but when the chips are down, they’ve decided it’s you who’ll be going. Again it was the same for me.

your options are to take it and walk away with the cash and your head held high, they’ll presumably ask you to sign a settlement agreement.

or say no, ask to see the selection criteria and scoring, and argue if you think you’ve been unfairly selected. The outcome will probably end up being the same, but you may get less money, the upset of going through the process.

I went for the first option when it was me.

None of us knew our jobs were at risk.... so as of 8am this morning none of us had had any formal notice of this potential review.... then at 10.30 I get called by my manager and someone from HR to be told they are putting me under consultation.

You had more notice than me! Yes they can do this and they can make up any explanation they feel like. And it does make you feel totally worthless and small when it happens, but looking back it was a tough time but I am now in a much better place.

I did an Open University course to upskill and once enrolled you have access to their (really good) careers department where they give guidance on CV's and can even help you put one together. They also do interview practice etc

Yep all the same job title.

I don't know the ins and outs, but from memory if they're making fewer than 20 people redundant (providing no discrimination) I don't recall there being any laws around this? There's best practice which ideally they would follow, but I don't even think they need a consultation for so few staff?

It is a worry that if I ask to many questions they will take some of the cash away.....
So difficult 😞

No point asking questions, they won't give you answers, trust me. You do not get a say in this (I have been there). The cash is your closure, take it and give them the finger as you leave.

p.s. make sure they will give you a reference though. They should do.

Sometimes they do it on last in first out. Even if they do interview its often pre-decided.

When there are fewer than 20, there is no need to do a “collective consultation”. The collective consultation would involve having specific employee reps and adhering to certain timelines.

But there is always a need for consultation, it is just that for under twenty it is called an individual consultation and it does not have given timelines. But from what OP has said, they do seem to have missed a step of the individual consultation as they first thing she heard was the outcome.

Thanks, I knew there was something different about small redundancies, but couldn't remember exactly what!

I may have misread but OPs second post says the meeting was to tell her she's under consultation for redundancy. So potentially they haven't missed a step?

I am under consultation but I am the only one...

I changed some details in my OP as not to be outing.... 🙄 numpty!

I'm a bit unclear reading your posts. Are they offering you an enhanced package eg a compromise agreement or just the standard redundancy terms in your contract. Trying to work out if they are attempting to buy you out?

An enhanced package figure has def been mentioned on the documents they sent me.

I was in this same position. They do have to tell you how the selected you - in my case they used a 'points' system to mark everyone against each other. They are allowed to show you your marks, but they can't tell you how they marked others.

They have to prove the redundancy was fair and not due to a discriminatory reason.

If there is a pool then everyone in the pool should be informed that they are at risk as a first step. What I am not clear on is if there was a pool as OP as she has talked about seniors and non seniors and it isn’t clear. Unfortunately she has not answered my question about this. I honestly don’t know why people post asking for free advice and then don’t answer questions.

@Figmentof I thought I had answered.

6 people all seniors.

They need to reduce the 6 seniors down to 5.. the review of the 6 seniors was done without our knowledge.

The first I knew was when I was told I was the one picked to go.
The first the other 5 knew was in a team meeting when they were told I had been picked and was now in a consultation period.

There are 2 other non seniors in the team. They were not inc in the review.

As long as they have one meeting with you, it's enough... In my experience it's either performance, or to get rid of people that may not see eye to eye with seniors/ fit the team. Get the package and move on!

I picked up on this comment you made earlier because I'm nit picky like that

"Arhh so frustrating..... I didn't love my job, but I did it and I did well.. it paid so well and I could work around school runs. Going to be so difficult to find another role like it!"

Are you the only one in your team who is in this position? Just wondering if the flexibility you are afforded has had any part in the decision. Just being hyper suspicious on your behalf really.

No we all had flexibility.... all could pop out to do school run, all WFH a large portion of the time.
Manager was the worst for pushing the boundaries of what was considered being flexible and what was taking the piss...

Ok. Just thought I'd check. Good luck!

This is how it happened for me

All people were told verbally & in writing that they were at risk of redundancy

The team manager is supposed to follow a "matrix" to decide who to make redundant. This matrix should include things like;
Skills
Qualifications
Sickness in last year
Performance over the last year
Extra duties that are performed on top of your normal job like first aider, fire warden, employee representative

At the end of the day, the manager has to decide who to make redundant

Get the redundancy date in writing
Get the redundancy T&Cs in writing
Get the contacts for references
Ask if you can volunteer for redundancy & if so are the terms enhanced in any way

Start updating your CV

I was made redundant & I was told others scored higher on the matrix, that was all

If you are made redundant, you can apply for contributions based job seekers allowance the next day apply via www.gov.uk & look under universal credit

Good luck

This (even though often you'll know who will get it anyway), unless the two new roles are different and somehow only match those two peoples skills

You should have all been put on notice. Not just told of the outcome.

Hi, as many people have said the process should have been that the proposal to reduce the team including the justification should have been shared with everyone who would then be consulted with. Part of that process would involve a selection process where the individuals would be provisionally selected for redundancy. You should have opportunity to comment on the selection process as well as the proposal.

If the selection process was unfair then the dismissal could also be unfair

you mentioned a generous enhanced redundancy payment. Many organisations use this to remove the obligation to follow a fair process - you either accept the enhanced officer as a voluntary redundancy or with a settlement agreement or you don't and the company go through a more formal process and the redundancy payment is in line with statutory entitlements only.

It's not illegal if you voluntarily accept the enhanced terms but it would depend on how it's positioned