Confused about options . Redundancy or not ?

[travellingwilbury]

I have worked for the past 8 yrs in home care for social services , a couple of weeks ago I recieved a letter talking about voluntary redundancy . I have got until wednesday to make my mind up and I just can't .

I have been looking at other options but they all come with their own problems .

The job is changing and I would be offered a job with the new team but then no redundancy and if it turned out to be awful I would kick myself . If I took the redundancy at least I would have a bit of breathing space to find something new but at the moment .

Also I only work weekends because of child care and I need the office to put in writing that my hours would stay the same but so far they haven't . Can I insist on this ?

I know I am waffling but my head has turned to mush . I had a meeting last tues and have spoken to various people about my options but I am still non the wiser .

Help ?

could you ask for a trial period with the new job/team before you accept permantently and if it turns out to not be suitable still get redundacy?

Thanks Lindax ,but no they wouldn't even consider that , it is an all or nothing choice . I was thinking about staying and getting some training under my belt but I have been told that this could take a couple of years to even start .

I have been talking to someone about palliative care and that is an option but again I need some more information about it before I make my mind up . I only have until tomorrow .

I think I might just toss a coin , it would be easier .

By Law you have a right to a trial period of 4 weeks and if you choose not to accept it after the trial then you have the right to redundancy, so long as you are not being unreasonable in turning it down.

You can also refuse an offer if it entials significant change (eg to working hours) and still be entitled to redundancy

What you can't do is reject the voluntary redundancy and then at a later point in time reject the suitable alternative without giving it a try (assuming it is similar hours/pay/location/status etc). If you did that then you would forfeit the right to redundancy.

This explains it quite well - maybe you should forward it to whoever is saying that you can't have a trial period.

Are you aware that you wouldn't be entitled to benefite if you take voluntary redundancy?

good point trixymalixy if at all possible (i.e. job has changed enough to be an unacceptable alternative) make sure they make it compulsary redundacy

Thank you for that squiffy , I do get the feeling that they are stumbling through the whole process without realy knowing what they are doing . The trial period would help .

Hopefully the benefits thing wouldn't be a problem , I have already been offered another job , and as I only work weekends it shouldn't be a problem (hopefully I am not going to eat my words later.)

I am going to do some ringing around today and see if I can get anything in writing about my hours not changing , if they won't do that then I think I will have no choice but to take it . I have lost my faith in them as well which is pushing me to take it .

I have just spoken to my immediate boss about the trial period and she has no idea what I am talking about . No great surprise . I am trying to talk to someone else but at the moment getting nowhere fast .

It's not uncommon. Even in the largest of companies this stuff gets done incorrectly - I guess it is because it doesn't happen on a day-to-day basis. Good luck, and if you google the subject you will find many examples showing that trial periods are required..

The trouble is that you are entitled to a trial period of a new job where your existing job is redundant, meaning that if the new job isn't suitable you will be compulsorily redundant.

But if it's just that your job is changing (to quote you) and they are giving you the option of taking redundancy if you prefer, it's not necessarily that clear-cut.

'Redundancy' is when there is no longer a requirement, or is a diminished requirement, for the work you are doing at the location you are doing it. Depending on how your job is changing, it may not be redundancy, it may be a change to your terms and conditions.

You don't give enough information to be able to tell, and it sounds as though they are not giving you enough information either, or indeed following an appropriate procedure regardless of whether it's a change in terms and conditions or compulsory redundancy.

Read here about changes to terms and conditions, and here about if you disagree with the changes.

How much information have you got about how your job is changing?

I just can't believe how badly this has all been managed , nobody from hr has even contacted me or been in on any of the one to one meetings .

All I am asking is for something to beat my hours won't change in the new position . The fact that they still haven't done this speaks volunes .

I guess I will have to go for the redundancy . Pointless money offered as well .