I've just been made redundant

[alicatsg]

and am the sole breadwinner. Is apparently nothing to do with me but just the state of the business.

This is after a 6 week review of our business by an independent consultant who has now just been appointed as MD of the team I used to run as director.

I'm so gutted. No purpose to the post really just wanted to tell someone what a shoddy day I'm having.

Alicatsg - sympathy - I know how sh*te it can be (I walked out of a job back in Feb - all sorts of reasons - and I'm the breadwinner too...) Any hope of something new (and better?)
'the state of the business' - had to sit through a few of those in my time too....

its not looking great I have to say. DH is pushing me to fight cos the lawyer says I could have a sex discrimination case but I dunno. I didn't feel discriminated against

Is the independant consultant male? If he is and he has 'your' job its possible there might be a case (I'm not a lawyer BTW, but had a long chat re my situation in Feb with an employement lawyer and she said the first things she looks for are discrimination on the basis of gender or disability..)

Get in touch with the Equal Opportunities Commission. Even if you don't feel discriminated against, it sounds fishy to me.

yes the consultant is male - oh and the best friend of one of the other (male) directors in the company. It does sound fishy doesn't it?

maybe I'll feel more angry tomorrow - right now I just feel too shattered.

um you cannot make someone redundant and then replace them with someone else .. that isn't a redundancy

speak to a specialist lawyer as quickly as you can

sorry you're going through this

the thing is they're using a different (more senior) title for this blokey so I think will get away with it. Basically the way they've positioned it is that they have had to bring in a senior person and as a result one of the two existing directors had to go..

My lawyer has just told me that I MUST go into the office each day until the "consultation period" is over (officially I am just at risk of being redundant, just that its clear theres no come back). SO that'll be a barrel of laughs.

I'd still get in contact with an employment lawyer and see what they say.....

alicatsg. You have my deepest sympathy. I was in a slightly similar situation about 4 years ago.
I would recommend David Green at Charles Russell. tel no 020 7203 5000 or 7203 5224 (direct line). I dealt with him and his assistant at the time was Sophie Brown.

Can you consult your lawyer while looking hard for something else? Sorry this is happening, sounds horrible.

so latest - my lawyer is going for a sex discrimination suit as the company a) pays me 40% less than male in same role and b)has only employed men in senior roles in the past year

meanwhile I am in the office and being disconcertingly chipper to everyone. I think its freaking them out.

good luck! all women in the workplace benefit from the actions of those who are brave enough to make a stand - good for you.

my "boss" has just complimented me on how well I'm taking it. Would it be unprofessional to spit in his tea?

WOW! Brilliant, allicatsg - and how outrageous, that your male countrpart is paid 40% more! Are they making him redundant, too?

I mean brilliant that you are taking this on - not at all brilliant that this is happening to you - it must be frightening and demoralising - and very worrying in terms of your financial responsibility. i do hope something very positive gets sorted one way or another.

Patronising git - just look surprised and say 'when have you ever expected me to act anything otehr than 100% professionally?'

Then spit in his tea.

Or dangle a used tampon in it.

No they are keeping him on. Which is irritating as he's a useless tosser (apologies but I am finding bad language essential today)

Hmm, well I wonder why they are keeping him and losing you? Thay have to say, don't they?

Good for you. Go for it. Using a new title does not mean that it's OK. If he's doing your job it's still your job whatever they call it. Can you tell I've been through something similar?
Get lots of money then run!

Do you and the 'useless tosser' do the same thing - ie are you at the same level? If so, how can they justify not putting him on notice too? If one post has to go - how have they automatically assumed it should be yours?

Apparently they have been through a criteria selection process and reviewed us against it. They';re justifying it by saying his client is a larger piece of business than the 10 clients I run combined (true) and that because my clients are stable and happy its less damaging for me to go.

Actually it could be a good thing in the long run for me, but am damned if I'm not gonna get every penny from them.

Hello - because your clients are stable and happy its less damanging for YOU to go - since when has that been a justification for redundancy!!
Find out what the criteria are!

Ok had mtg with evil HR director. Apptly they wanted the other bloke to go BUT because he works on a big global account that is up for repitch they couldn't take him out so as the axe had to fall its fallen on me instead.

We're moving to a compromise agreement, and negotiating extra recompense. F-ing HR bunny claimed not to know that he is paid so much more than me.... er? sorry, thought that was the kind of thing HR WAS meant to know...

Tragically the other bloke is blatantly interviewing and will probably go anyway and I'll have lost my job for nothing.