Number Of Redundancies?

[Tony Angelino]

My partner is in the same situation as many others at the moment and has been placed on notice of redundancy. Within her department of 5 they have been told they need to 'reduce the headcount' from 5 to 3 due to a downturn in business caused by Covid.

Whilst the company have advised how many redundancies there are in her department (2) they have refused to confirm what other redundancies they are planning to make across the other departments. This makes it hard for her to suggest alternatives to redundancy and potentially to suggest 'bumping' to another role in a different department (she has been with the company 20+ years and has experience in other departments that may make her more suitable than others for different roles).

Whilst it is apparent that the company have to make it known if they are making 20 or more redundancies, I can't find any advice out there if they have to disclose how many redundancies they are considering company wide (not just her department). Based on what her friends have told here who also work there, there is several other redundancies being considered across most departments and whilst this is just gossip at the moment, there seems to be an outside chance there are 20 or more across the company.

Are they obliged to provide this information does anybody know please?
thanks

[Ozone]

I am just going through being made redundant and there are more than 20 so it was announced upfront and alternative vacancies are sent to us to explore as an option.

If there are less than 20 then it is classed as individual and checking here says that there will be a consultation where alternatives to unemploynent can be looked at and I guess discussions on the total amount of redundancies will be clarified, otherwise you could perhaps persue unfair dismissal.

I don't think you can force them to give you the details of total amounts beforehand but they should at least be clear at the consultations and you can point out that they are not giving the full facts to make them go away and get the information as that is part of the consultation process..

I wish you the best of luck with it.

[Tony Angelino]

Thanks, she has had the first consultation and been told they won't be disclosing the number of redundancies across the company. They seem to be doing lots of little things against 'guidance' but it's hard to find any specific rules they have to follow.

Each of the little things in isolation they are doing 'wrong' wouldn't mean anything but when you start to look at them as a whole then you get a picture that the process might not be fair. But I suppose everybody thinks the process is unfair against them...

[CzechItOut]

No, not by department. In fact, it is generally considered poor practice to announce redundancies in such a way. I was at a company who issued numbers for all departments.

E.G.
Number of current Oracle Report Writers: 1
Number of proposed Oracle Report Writers: 0

Everyone knew the poor chap who was the sole Oracle Report Writer and the HR director had just announced, in front of the whole company, that his role was being made redundant.

[Tony Angelino]

CzechItOut said:

No, not by department. In fact, it is generally considered poor practice to announce redundancies in such a way. I was at a company who issued numbers for all departments.

E.G.
Number of current Oracle Report Writers: 1
Number of proposed Oracle Report Writers: 0

Everyone knew the poor chap who was the sole Oracle Report Writer and the HR director had just announced, in front of the whole company, that his role was being made redundant.

Thanks, I suppose that makes sense.

[GT03ROB]

Generally most companies already know at the outset who they are releasing, anything else they do is to maintain an impression of fairness/transparency/compliance with the law.

She's either safe or not.

[JxJ Jr.]

Tony Angelino said:

...they have refused to confirm what other redundancies they are planning to make across the other departments. This makes it hard for her to suggest alternatives to redundancy and potentially to suggest 'bumping' to another role...

I don't really see how the information is relevant. As people always point out, it's the role being made redundant not the person, so alternatives like two people going part time to fill one full time job are independent of other department's redundancy numbers. For those whose roles are going, what would they do with the information - go hassle the departments which aren't cutting for any vacant roles? Those affected can apply for suitable vacant roles, but that should be an open and fair process, not an easter egg hunt.

[ToothbrushMan]

GT03ROB said:

Generally most companies already know at the outset who they are releasing, anything else they do is to maintain an impression of fairness/transparency/compliance with the law.

She's either safe or not.

this and often after months of seeing assassins smiles from within.......then........wallop. theyve known for 3, 6 or even 12 months where the business is heading. covids just an excuse IMHO for many businesses that havent suffered just to get rid of some people.