An employer can make you redundant if your role or place of work cease to exist or there is a need to reduce the workforce.
However, there is a process that must be followed whether one person is being made redundant or a group of people.
Briefly, the process must include consultation meetings with the affected employees, once they are advised that they may be made redundant. During the consultation and selection process, you may be selected for redundancy which must be on fair and reasonable grounds. This means that you cannot be selected for redundancy on a discriminatory basis such as your age or gender or even just because of a “last in, first out” situation.
If you are selected for redundancy, you must also be duly considered by your employer for any suitable alternative roles within the company. This means that whilst you will not be able to continue with your job, perhaps you will be able to at least continue with your employment with the company, thus protecting your employment rights. If you are made redundant whilst on maternity leave, you have priority over other employees who are also at risk of redundancy when it comes to suitable alternative roles.
Whilst you and your employer are considering alternative roles for you, you also have the right to reasonable time off for job interviews, whether internal or outside of the company.
If a suitable role is not found for you internally and you are made redundant, you will be entitled to notice pay and statutory redundancy pay at least. Those are calculated based on your length of service and in the case of your redundancy pay, also your age.
Sometimes, redundancy is not carried out fairly and you may have a claim against your employer on that basis. We are here to help you consider that or to advise you on the process if you are not comfortable with the information given to you.
Contact Josh Fresle on:
Call: 01245 228141 or
email: freslej@gepp.co.uk
If you want to find out more about the services we can offer you, please feel free to get in touch.