Aware of plan to eliminate my role at end of the year - WWYD

[WinterIsComing2025]

I have become aware that I am imminently going to be made redundant. Can’t reveal too much about how as it’s going to be potentially outing but I have evidence that the company will eliminate my role this year - risk of redundancy has not been communicated to me. I have been working for the company for 4 years.

I’m completely astonished that my employer is careless enough to have let this slip out in this way.

Apart from obviously needing to look for a new role, what would you suggest I do in response to being aware of what’s being planned? Do I respond to the information I have in writing? Or say silent and just wait for the inevitable. What can I start preparing to help myself during the redundancy consultation?

What would you do in my position?

Is it just your role, or are there a number of affected roles? Or roles 'at risk'?

From what I know, and I’m not a lawyer, I think a constructive dismissal case is pretty difficult to win. Not sure I have enough to go there. But I think I might ask for some advice on where I stand.

I don’t even know officially that my role is at risk - nothing has been communicated publicly about other roles.

If you are not a union member, join one now. When you have the sham consultation meeting, you take your union rep and the document which proves the process is unfair. Even if the redundancy itself is genuine, the process needs to be fair. You’ll get an enhanced package that way.
i wouldn’t normally advocate going off sick with stress, but hey - this is a pretty stressful situation isn’t it? Why make things any easier for them?

The question about whether it's just you or whether there are others at risk is relevant as part of whether or not the business is required to consult those involved depends on whether there are multiple people doing the same or very similar jobs. If it's one relatively niche role and one person who fits into that niche, and that role is no longer required, the process can be more straightforward.

That makes a difference for the business obviously but not much of a difference for you, it's still a horrible surprise. Definitely start thinking about your options, what training is available, talk to your pension provider about implications, and when they do discuss it with you be ready to ask about why the role is redundant, whether there are other changes happening that might open up other roles for you, have they considered supporting you to reskill, and if not are they prepared to give you additional paid time to job hunt and attend interviews during your notice period?

How is it a sham though? OP’s role is being made redundant, not OP. Consultation processes don’t generally start with ‘Dear staff, please suggest how we can lose 6 members of staff.’ There’s always some background planning beforehand.

You don’t have to win, you just have to get them to give you a decent payout. And that might focus their minds. DH had to go through the process a few years ago after his situation being made untenable whilst he was off with cancer. Didn’t proceed too far before they made an offer to settle. He had a really good EL specialist (Landau), assume they didn’t want to even attempt to continue the process.

It’s a sham if the decision has been made and the consultation (the purpose of which is supposedly to reduce or mitigate redundancies) is purely window dressing. As above, it can be a genuine reason for the role being redundant and also be carried out unfairly.

Thanks, good point. I really appreciate the advice

It’s a ‘sham’ because it’s supposed be open honest and fair, and if they’ve decided the outcome months in advance and made that knowledge available to others but not the OP, it’s none of those things.

It has been badly handled and you shouldn't have found out in the way that you did. You're right that it isn't constructive dismissal.

The company mapping out which posts will be deleted doesn't mean that the consultation will be a shame. Most redundancy processes are mapped out in that way, because the employer has to have an idea of what they're intending to do before putting posts at risk. That doesn't mean that they don't have to consider any alternatives which are put forward.

It's standard practice in most organisations to have to put together a detailed business case for any redundancies that might be proposed, and for these to need internal sign off. It doesn't mean that the process is a sham.

They are not required to start the process with a completely blank slate.

You need to find a proper employment solicitor to know how to manage this.

I wouldn't want to show them the evidence until they actually said you had to go because it's unlikely they'll go through the proper process. If you show them too soon you play your hand and they get to tick all the boxes and get off scott free.

It is a horrible time to be out of a job and you want to get maximum payout. Don't stay where they don't want you - it'll grind you down more than life itself.

Have you retained a copy of the document?

I think I'd keep silent for now but I'd be very tempted to get advice from maybe ACAS in the first instance to see if it's legal for them to state in writing that you WILL be made redundant with no consultation.

In themeantime, I'd be on my absolute best behaviour (as always) following all due processes to the letter - not updating my CV on company time, however tempting it is right now... and be on hyper alert for any signs of constructive dismissal brewing.

I'm sorry this has happened to you, and everything crossed for a fat payout and a fantastic new role in the future.

https://www.reviewsolicitors.co.uk/guide/employment

I found my employment solicitor here. It changed my life, for the better.

If you are the only person doing a role and they have decided that role is unnecessary then I don't think it is an issue that it has been decided already. That's just the reality of only having 1 person in that role, the decision it is no longer necessary being the trigger for the consultation. The consultation then needs to consider redeployment / restructuring etc.

It would be more of an issue if there were 5 of you doing the same role and they had already decided you personally were the one to go.

Yes I have a copy.

What would you look out for in terms of signs of constructive dismissal? An unfair selection for redundancy?

Here's your golden ticket. Unless you have a set of skills that are only suitable for this particular job, which doesn't seem the case from your posts

Thank you @Bananabreadwithbutter . I’m thinking along the same lines. Of course a business has to prepare, but I just think it’s not a good look going into a meaningful consultation when it’s already documented that my role will be gone by end of year and I will not be employed beyond that point.

Looking at the govt website, for making fewer than 20 people redundant there's really not much "consultation" that has to happen. Just a meeting or email to inform you would fit the bill.

It isn't you that's being made redundant, as such, it's your role. If you think that isn't the case, then it would be time to speak to a union rep or solicitor.

https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights/consultation

I’d actually go and see a solicitor to see if you have grounds to leverage a higher package. Don’t show your hand - quietly get prepared and wait til they let you know formally.

This is good advice

I don't know why people think that the document OP has seen is some kind of smoking gun, or able to be leveraged in any way. Here's what the govt website says:

You’re entitled to a consultation with your employer if you’re being made redundant. This involves speaking to them about:

• why you’re being made redundant
• any alternatives to redundancy

If your employer is making up to 19 redundancies, there are no rules about how they should carry out the consultation.

How do you know youve not been earmarked for another role in the new org? Although im guessing from your posts you wouldnt want that.

Exactly this njoin today if you can.