a weird tale of redundancy
Smudge310
Posts: 13 Forumite
Hello All,
Now I apologise now if this is long winded, but it is a complicated matter. What I would like to know is, is what I describe below ok, do these things normally happen?
The situation is I was asked in to the Regional Directors office and told 'I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to let you go' I was told I will get a letter from HR then asked to come in for an interview to explain why I’m going and what is going to happen. Then I will get 1 months consultation period and then 1 month’s redundancy pay.
I work (or used to work) for a large building contractor as a design manager, for the last 2 1/2 years, so that is working on site and also in the office working on tenders. The reason I was given is that we have no tenders (work) for the foreseeable future so they cant afford to keep me on.
What is suspect is what has happened to the company as a whole. My company, call it company A bought another company B in the second half of last year. In Nov the Big Boss of A visited us and laid off the Regional Director and Commercial Manager of A. A few days later new perople were assingned to these posts from company B. Since then a total of 12 people from Company A have been laid off (including myself) altough some of these would happen as they were site based and the actaul construction came to end end. They seem to do them in groups of 3-4. We have now heard rumours that about 12 people from the old offices of company B will be moving to company A's office. Is this right?
In my office at the momnet I had work on getting documentation ready for a building handover, so I still had about 2-4 weeks work. There is also another design manager, admitedly more senior, in the office from company B who was working on tenders. Now the reason I was given was that there are no more tenders coming in so surely we should have both been consulted about this, or is it a case of having the wrong name company on your jacket?
I hope this makes sense, and would just like a bit of advice, if anybody has any, as to where I satnd and questions I can ask when I meet HR.
Just one final point, its quite a relief really as this cloud has been floating over us since Nov, the nwe bosses dont talk to anybody apart from their own staff (company
and the atmosphere was terrible. Now I dont have to worry every morning "whos next' I just have to worry about getting a job
Now I apologise now if this is long winded, but it is a complicated matter. What I would like to know is, is what I describe below ok, do these things normally happen?
The situation is I was asked in to the Regional Directors office and told 'I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to let you go' I was told I will get a letter from HR then asked to come in for an interview to explain why I’m going and what is going to happen. Then I will get 1 months consultation period and then 1 month’s redundancy pay.
I work (or used to work) for a large building contractor as a design manager, for the last 2 1/2 years, so that is working on site and also in the office working on tenders. The reason I was given is that we have no tenders (work) for the foreseeable future so they cant afford to keep me on.
What is suspect is what has happened to the company as a whole. My company, call it company A bought another company B in the second half of last year. In Nov the Big Boss of A visited us and laid off the Regional Director and Commercial Manager of A. A few days later new perople were assingned to these posts from company B. Since then a total of 12 people from Company A have been laid off (including myself) altough some of these would happen as they were site based and the actaul construction came to end end. They seem to do them in groups of 3-4. We have now heard rumours that about 12 people from the old offices of company B will be moving to company A's office. Is this right?
In my office at the momnet I had work on getting documentation ready for a building handover, so I still had about 2-4 weeks work. There is also another design manager, admitedly more senior, in the office from company B who was working on tenders. Now the reason I was given was that there are no more tenders coming in so surely we should have both been consulted about this, or is it a case of having the wrong name company on your jacket?
I hope this makes sense, and would just like a bit of advice, if anybody has any, as to where I satnd and questions I can ask when I meet HR.
Just one final point, its quite a relief really as this cloud has been floating over us since Nov, the nwe bosses dont talk to anybody apart from their own staff (company
and the atmosphere was terrible. Now I dont have to worry every morning "whos next' I just have to worry about getting a job 0
Comments
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Hello All,
Now I apologise now if this is long winded, but it is a complicated matter. What I would like to know is, is what I describe below ok, do these things normally happen?
The situation is I was asked in to the Regional Directors office and told 'I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to let you go' I was told I will get a letter from HR then asked to come in for an interview to explain why I’m going and what is going to happen. Then I will get 1 months consultation period and then 1 month’s redundancy pay.
I work (or used to work) for a large building contractor as a design manager, for the last 2 1/2 years, so that is working on site and also in the office working on tenders. The reason I was given is that we have no tenders (work) for the foreseeable future so they cant afford to keep me on.
What is suspect is what has happened to the company as a whole. My company, call it company A bought another company B in the second half of last year. In Nov the Big Boss of A visited us and laid off the Regional Director and Commercial Manager of A. A few days later new perople were assingned to these posts from company B. Since then a total of 12 people from Company A have been laid off (including myself) altough some of these would happen as they were site based and the actaul construction came to end end. They seem to do them in groups of 3-4. We have now heard rumours that about 12 people from the old offices of company B will be moving to company A's office. Is this right?
In my office at the momnet I had work on getting documentation ready for a building handover, so I still had about 2-4 weeks work. There is also another design manager, admitedly more senior, in the office from company B who was working on tenders. Now the reason I was given was that there are no more tenders coming in so surely we should have both been consulted about this, or is it a case of having the wrong name company on your jacket?
I hope this makes sense, and would just like a bit of advice, if anybody has any, as to where I satnd and questions I can ask when I meet HR.
Just one final point, its quite a relief really as this cloud has been floating over us since Nov, the nwe bosses dont talk to anybody apart from their own staff (company and the atmosphere was terrible. Now I dont have to worry every morning "whos next' I just have to worry about getting a job
If the company have decided to make your post redundant then they can do this.
It sounds as if the company have decided that they may only need one design manager, in which case you are entitled to know what criteria were used in selecting your post for redundancy.
If you have worked for the company for 2.5 years you are entitled to more than one months redundancy pay
more details on redundancy here
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The one month consultation period and one month notice is standard.
Until the consultation has been completed you have not actually been let go. The purpose of the consultation is for the company to consider how many it needs to let go, who and when. They should not make a decision until after the consultation. If you have doubts that it is right that you are selected the time to raise them is during consultation.
If a redundancy does not follow the correct proceedures you may have a claim for wrongful or unfair dismissal.
I think you should contact your union or ACAS for advice as it seems as though the selection process may not be being operated fairly.0 -
If the company have decided to make your post redundant then they can do this.
It sounds as if the company have decided that they may only need one design manager, in which case you are entitled to know what criteria were used in selecting your post for redundancy.
If you have worked for the company for 2.5 years you are entitled to more than one months redundancy pay
more details on redundancy here
Surely statutory redundancy here would be just 2 weeks - to represent the full two years of service? Or 3 if the OP is over 41!0 -
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Oh dear, I have to say your company sounds remarkable similar to mine. I work in admin for a large building contractor. We had 50 staff in our regional office. Regions were combined and departments moved to other regions. This resulted in 25 staff from our office going and god knows how many site staff.
Our regional manager became a coordinator and all his team were made redundant. Technical is now taken care of by another region.
We have come to a stage where our sites have no new builds planned. ie we will be building only when sold from this month on. I feel my job is on the rocks also. I hope we don't work for the same company as this no doubt means a new round of redundancies...
our company also took over another but this was more than 2 years ago.0 -
Hi
I would suggest asking about the following:-
why is your role being made redundant
point out that you see other people doing a similar role, if there was only going to be one role in future, surely they should have considered all people doing that type of role at that level
what selection criteria did they use to select you for redundancy
once they confirm your redundancy you have the right to appeal (you may want to do this if they're not being open and fair about the way they are managing this and you feel you are being treated unfairly).
I would suggest ringing ACAS for advice and help.
Also, at the end of the day it sounds like you weren't liking it there anyway so you're probably best out of that environment and like you say you concentrate your next opportunity.
DP0 -
Thank you for all the information.
As you can see im a forum virgin so dont know how to use all the gizmos so I cant use quotes.....:embarasse
Anyway to DanishP. It true I didnt like it too much there, but at least it was a paid job. I live in Bristol and there are no current available post in this area so now I am looking at work in London and even overseas. It not ideal, but it something I have got to do.:mad:
I have my interview next Friday and will be phoning ACAS on Monday for information (and hope I get through!) as not only is there a design manager in the office with me doing nothing, there are also two on a live job in Newport. I am senior to both of them and have been with the company longer. So my main question is 'what selection critera was used' becuse the was I see it, it was just luck of the draw that my project is coming to an end and I happen to be in the office.
Just as a quirk of fact I was supposed to go to the Newport job, but was kept on my current project as I was more senior and had to finish of the handover, a collegue I work with then moved to Newport in my place.0
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