Been told I'm "at risk of redundancy" - advice requested
Discussion
So, I had "the chat" just now. Quite a lot of wishy-washy terminology but from the sounds of things, my role no longer exists as of 7th July.
I'd really appreciate some advice on how to approach this situation as I've been in the same company, albeit not the same role for nearly 18 years, thus have no experience about how these things go. It's a big company so an entirely impersonal departure process.
I'd really appreciate some advice on how to approach this situation as I've been in the same company, albeit not the same role for nearly 18 years, thus have no experience about how these things go. It's a big company so an entirely impersonal departure process.
Yeah they will usually put you at risk and say that it doesn't mean redundancy completely, but they are looking at it
Then a month will pass and they will tell you you are redundant
You will get an offer letter, they will need to present it in person with an HR representative in the room
You will need to agree to the offer and get the agreement signed by a legal representative (usually they will point you at one or you are free to find your own) just bear in mind this can be time consuming, and make sure they are covering the costs of the legal support in the offer letter
Depends on the company but you may be able to walk out the building earlier than working your notice. My last redundancy I did this and that gave me a few months to sort stuff out whilst still being paid my notice period.
Then a month will pass and they will tell you you are redundant
You will get an offer letter, they will need to present it in person with an HR representative in the room
You will need to agree to the offer and get the agreement signed by a legal representative (usually they will point you at one or you are free to find your own) just bear in mind this can be time consuming, and make sure they are covering the costs of the legal support in the offer letter
Depends on the company but you may be able to walk out the building earlier than working your notice. My last redundancy I did this and that gave me a few months to sort stuff out whilst still being paid my notice period.
I'm sorry to hear that. It is a s
tty conversation to receive - and it's not a conversation, it's a 1-way chat. "At risk" means they've made their minds up. Sorry, been there before.
However, get your ducks in line, get a CV sorted now, and sent out, because in a few weeks everyone else getting made redundant will also be looking.
If possible, get your notice period signed off as garden leave. And ask for double the redundancy package they are offering - they won't go for it, but it should get them to raise it a good amount.
And then draw cocks on every 10th sheet of paper in the printer nearest the bosses office.
tty conversation to receive - and it's not a conversation, it's a 1-way chat. "At risk" means they've made their minds up. Sorry, been there before. However, get your ducks in line, get a CV sorted now, and sent out, because in a few weeks everyone else getting made redundant will also be looking.
If possible, get your notice period signed off as garden leave. And ask for double the redundancy package they are offering - they won't go for it, but it should get them to raise it a good amount.
And then draw cocks on every 10th sheet of paper in the printer nearest the bosses office.
Firstly, sorry to hear that.... it's a horrible place to be.
As others have said try and take it on the chin. In my experience you have to be put at risk and cannot just be let go, but the reality is you will more than likely be shown the door in a month.
I'd be checking your contract of employment first which should detail any possibly redundancy package, 18 years is a good stint so you should be getting a decent handshake, but they could go with the bare legal offering, again refer to your contract and government guidelines.
As others have said try and take it on the chin. In my experience you have to be put at risk and cannot just be let go, but the reality is you will more than likely be shown the door in a month.
I'd be checking your contract of employment first which should detail any possibly redundancy package, 18 years is a good stint so you should be getting a decent handshake, but they could go with the bare legal offering, again refer to your contract and government guidelines.
If they are a reasonably sized company they will have a process and policy to go with it.
It has to be done properly, as its a legal exercise as much as anything - it has to be done right.
Your working agreements will outline what you will be offered. 18 years is a long stint, you will get a great payout, also make sure they add in unused annual leave etc. they should be paying you out on that too.
If in doubt just ask AI what the typical process is it will outline it.
I think your bigger challenge is going to be what next. A break from work? Or straight to the next thing? When was the last time you wrote up a CV, or applied for a job? As the world has moved on a lot, bots now check CVs so you need to make them compliant to that for instance!
It has to be done properly, as its a legal exercise as much as anything - it has to be done right.
Your working agreements will outline what you will be offered. 18 years is a long stint, you will get a great payout, also make sure they add in unused annual leave etc. they should be paying you out on that too.
If in doubt just ask AI what the typical process is it will outline it.
I think your bigger challenge is going to be what next. A break from work? Or straight to the next thing? When was the last time you wrote up a CV, or applied for a job? As the world has moved on a lot, bots now check CVs so you need to make them compliant to that for instance!
Thanks everyone. Lots of good advice there. I'll take some time to digest everything and have a good read through all the emails they'll send.
Ideally I'd get another role internally, even at a lower level as it's a good place to work, but if the salary drop was significant, with continuous reduction going on, I could cost myself a big lump sum.
I shall hammer AI for both guidance and CV assessment to make sure it'll make it through the net.
Ideally I'd get another role internally, even at a lower level as it's a good place to work, but if the salary drop was significant, with continuous reduction going on, I could cost myself a big lump sum.
I shall hammer AI for both guidance and CV assessment to make sure it'll make it through the net.
Good luck, once the dust has settled a little use 90% of remaining time to speak to agencies/recruiters and work on CV. You're the most important focus now not the co.
Most big co. Provide post redundancy advice via a 3rd party to help, they'll also pay for employment solicitor
See what they're offering and whether you have wriggle room financially etc
I'm wary of asking ai general questions it can confirm what you know in a numpty fashion and I'm not sure how much I'd trust it with my CV going by how it writes car adverts!
Almost everyone comes out the other side in a better place, new opportunities, onwards and upwards
Most big co. Provide post redundancy advice via a 3rd party to help, they'll also pay for employment solicitor
See what they're offering and whether you have wriggle room financially etc
I'm wary of asking ai general questions it can confirm what you know in a numpty fashion and I'm not sure how much I'd trust it with my CV going by how it writes car adverts!
Almost everyone comes out the other side in a better place, new opportunities, onwards and upwards
If they're offering a month per year that's probably OK to take as a baseline.
If they're trying to squeeze it down below that then may be looking at whether you have any protected characteristics, or whether the process is fair. Can always play some hardball in these kind of negotiations as they'll want to keep it out of court. Good luck.
If they're trying to squeeze it down below that then may be looking at whether you have any protected characteristics, or whether the process is fair. Can always play some hardball in these kind of negotiations as they'll want to keep it out of court. Good luck.
Smitters said:
Thanks everyone. Lots of good advice there. I'll take some time to digest everything and have a good read through all the emails they'll send.
Ideally I'd get another role internally, even at a lower level as it's a good place to work, but if the salary drop was significant, with continuous reduction going on, I could cost myself a big lump sum.
I shall hammer AI for both guidance and CV assessment to make sure it'll make it through the net.
I'm 2.5 weeks in since being told at risk and same its first time in career, large company. With me the consultation period is a month so basically been on gardening leave since being told and have a meeting with HR everything week / look at internal jobs but tbh seems just a box ticking exercise. I still have access to my work emails and Teams and can see the panic unfolding over last few weeks now others know I'm going, they are expecting me to hand over my work but if my role truly doesn't exist then in my mind they don't need a handover so not going out of my way. Ideally I'd get another role internally, even at a lower level as it's a good place to work, but if the salary drop was significant, with continuous reduction going on, I could cost myself a big lump sum.
I shall hammer AI for both guidance and CV assessment to make sure it'll make it through the net.
Anyway package I got after 5 years service was 1 .Go on gardening leave 5 weeks full pay, 2. 13 weeks notice paid, 3. Statutory redundancy and finally 4. discretionary redundancy payment they decided to give me which works out about 2 weeks salary per year I was there. They are telling me a week before my end date if I still don't have anything internally (I wont), then get the settlement agreement reviewed by solicitor (they pay). All salary and notice pay is taxed and the statutory and discretionary up to 30k is tax free. We can get job seekers allowance but only after the notice period ends even though in my case I get paid it all in advance, JSA is paid for 6 months and not means tested.
I wanted to negotiate the settlement as my redundancy there is a few issues that could be a problem for them, but after talking to a few solicitors they are advising me that unless I have 100% hard evidence to not bother and just take the offer, they said my employer would probably dig there heals in and the back log at the courts / tribs etc is large so could be waiting years, is this others experience of it ? I'm tempted myself to just state in my next consultation that I am not happy with the settlement offered because of x and y and see if they move on it.
Edited by BumFLuff on Monday 8th June 17:24
I'm currently going through a similar type of thing and my advice is to carefully read absolutely everything they send to you. I'll reiterate the word carefully..
I was told that my position didn't fit within a new org structure following a divestment. However, the divestment would be interested in hiring me. Effectively the 'talk' was you're going to be made redundant if you don't take up the offer from the divested company.
Don't take it personally, keep smiling (even through gritted teeth) and get every question you want answered written down on a piece of paper in front of you. And whatever they agree to or say, make sure you have it in writing.
I was told that my position didn't fit within a new org structure following a divestment. However, the divestment would be interested in hiring me. Effectively the 'talk' was you're going to be made redundant if you don't take up the offer from the divested company.
Don't take it personally, keep smiling (even through gritted teeth) and get every question you want answered written down on a piece of paper in front of you. And whatever they agree to or say, make sure you have it in writing.
ACAS offers great advice on their website: https://www.acas.org.uk/redundancy
Find out what help your company offers - many offer outplacement services to help you get the next job, and there may be other stuff too. Use it all. Once you're under notice of redundancy you're entitled to reasonable time off for training and to attend interviews - but many companies might take a more lenient view and agree to time off for applications and so on. Always worth asking.
As mentioned earlier, read the ACAS Guide end-to-end, it's the procedural bible, and particularly as you're working for a larger company, they will be expected to follow it closely.
Do be discriminating about who to use in terms of recruitment agencies - many exist only to fire out your CV rather than to understand what you're really after.
Best of luck.
As mentioned earlier, read the ACAS Guide end-to-end, it's the procedural bible, and particularly as you're working for a larger company, they will be expected to follow it closely.
Do be discriminating about who to use in terms of recruitment agencies - many exist only to fire out your CV rather than to understand what you're really after.
Best of luck.
Edited by Bonefish Blues on Monday 8th June 18:11
I've only been made redundant once... they were as was gutted as I was (I think)... They had held out for six months though, for personal reasons... which I appreciated.
It was my first job, straight out of school into a small family business.
Six years of loyal work, never missed a day & worked all hours going.
To walk in one Friday morning to be informed that one other & myself were being let go... with two weeks basic pay. (Which wasn't much).
But... they actually did me a favour.
Got a job in large International company. Started as a temp for two years before getting taken on permanently.
Onwards & Upwards from there on.
Four years later, I did pop back in my brand new Calibra.
Nothing much had changed there... just sad looking people, doing the same old thing.
(It was an eye-opener).
It was my first job, straight out of school into a small family business.
Six years of loyal work, never missed a day & worked all hours going.
To walk in one Friday morning to be informed that one other & myself were being let go... with two weeks basic pay. (Which wasn't much).
But... they actually did me a favour.
Got a job in large International company. Started as a temp for two years before getting taken on permanently.
Onwards & Upwards from there on.
Four years later, I did pop back in my brand new Calibra.
Nothing much had changed there... just sad looking people, doing the same old thing.
(It was an eye-opener).
Edited by Milkyway on Monday 8th June 18:15
Smitters said:
So, I had "the chat" just now. Quite a lot of wishy-washy terminology but from the sounds of things, my role no longer exists as of 7th July.
I'd really appreciate some advice on how to approach this situation as I've been in the same company, albeit not the same role for nearly 18 years, thus have no experience about how these things go. It's a big company so an entirely impersonal departure process.
Hmmm if they have predetermined it this is a basis to seek more money. I'd really appreciate some advice on how to approach this situation as I've been in the same company, albeit not the same role for nearly 18 years, thus have no experience about how these things go. It's a big company so an entirely impersonal departure process.
Remember, don't ask don't get. So negotiate.
Peterpetrole said:
Do a Subject Access Request, ie ask for all internal references to you in communications. That tends to scare them a bit into a better offer.
That may be a double-edged sword - immediately the process will become adversarial, and with a larger company with established procedures it'll be unlikely to get you any more money. Reasonable but firm is a good maxim.BumFLuff said:
Bonefish Blues said:
That may be a double-edged sword - immediately the process will become adversarial, and with a larger company with established procedures it'll be unlikely to get you any more money. Reasonable but firm is a good maxim.
This is situation Im at now, I want to negotiate and its a big firm, solicitors have advised legal route could take years so I was going ask directly with rationale, I'm worried though they will just say no and then pull the discretionary amount. Anyone directly asked at a big firm how did they do ?Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff