Waiting For My Sham Redundancy

[Cheganveese]

I have had ongoing issues with line management since she came into post 5 years ago.

Background - It started with her asking me to do something unethical - I refused.
Since then there has been a campaign of bullying, attempts to reduce my benefits and working conditions, she’s isolated me from my team in terms of meeting invites and involvement. I have zero % of training budget, and she stopped signing off my petrol expenses so I no longer submit them. She’s ignored my flexible working request too. She regularly attempts to set me completely unachievable goals for things largely out of my control.

Larger picture - Because of my post, I am involved in meetings where I see their general treatment of other staff members. If they want someone out they get them out by a sham redundancy. They move roles around so someone’s post no longer ‘exists’ in the full knowledge that they have 6 months before they can be replaced, or replaced but with a different title. It has nothing to do with business need, the work still needs doing. HR support them in this.

I am fully expecting this to happen to me. Is there anything I can do to protect myself beforehand?

it doesn’t sound like a place I’d want to be working anyway, I’d be looking for another job, st least if you are made redundant you get a pay off based on years you’ve been three rather than just leaving

Claim your expenses, read the redundancy policy, and keep doing your job whilst looking for a new one.

Redundancy was one of the best things to happen to me a few years back. Stressful at the time, but if you get a good payout it can make a huge difference to your life.

I’m surprised you’ve put up with this for 5 years. Follow up your flex working request, submit your expenses and look for another job.

I am a carer for my mum who has dementia and this was a wfh job from the outset. She has done everything to get me onsite full time, even though she knows I did this job fine for years before she started.
I don’t want my mum to go in a home, it’s the only reason I’m trying to keep hold of this job.

Read all policies
Put in a grievance
Start looking for another job

I had a grievance upheld recently. She’s ramped up her efforts since that.

There’s no point putting expenses in, I still haven’t been paid for pre-Covid expenses as she won’t sign them off.

keep putting them in anyway,even if you don’t get paid them you are no worse off than not putting in, it may then be something you can use in any future grievance

Submit all of your outstanding expenses.

Send one more follow up email about the expenses that haven't been signed off - chase up with her boss, finance and HR. Make sure you keep a copy of all the evidence.

Follow up on the flexible working request- keep a copy of this.

What was the outcome of your grievance?

Are you in a union?

Unfortunately your line manager isn't going to change OP. I would be looking at my options. Do you have reason to believe that the redundancy process has started?

I'm sorry you've been going through this, it sounds absolutely awful

Then email them all to HR (as another grievance) with any supporting evidence ie emails of you sending them to her.

Put another one in.

Creates a paper trail.

The reason I see it on the horizon is that they have filled a post in another department doing what I do (it’s been vacant for a while), and that person is coming up to 2 years in post. I can definitely see them combining the posts on paper (too much work in reality). I’ve seen them do this before with other people they wanted out.

I am in a union, they have supported me up to now, but are saying wait and see. Union don’t know how ruthless they are.

What does her line manager say? What does HR say?
Deffo keep filing your expenses and copy to them to HR or her line manager.
I appreciate that you have a bigger issue on your mind but at least maintain everything fully from your side. That way, there's less of a reason to bring any action against you. Also, if redundancy starts, you'll be in a better position to resist. Keep your union involved and document to them what is happening day-to-day.

Ultimately, there isn't anything you can do. It sounds like this company knows exactly how to keep just inside the law.

In your position, I would keep a diary logging everything. Stop doing anything that requires expenses on the basis that they don't get signed off, and start looking for another job.

If you are lucky, you may get a payout just as you were going to resign.