I want to be made redundant

grad98

I am currently on maternity leave from a large london based corporate organisation.

I used to work in a team of 5 which consisted of two managers and three team members of which I was one. Whilst I was still at work before my maternity leave started, my two team members were made redundant. I wasn't. I have always felt that they just 'let me be' because I was pregnant and also because I was more useful as I worked full time (my colleagues had flexible working arrangments - whilst this should not impact redundancy, it was an unspoken fact that the managers hated flexible working arrangements).

Now I am due back to work in 2 months time, and I really want to be made redundant. In an ideal world I would just love to bring up my baby but I can't afford to be out of work. But I just dont want to go back. Before I left, team morale was so low, I was being give an excessive work load as my colleagues were unavailable due to flexible working etc. It was unbelievably stressful.

The problem I face is that my company does not officially offer voluntary redundancies. Their opnion is those who want to go will go anyway - why pay them.
Does anyone have any advice how I can approach them to ask for redundancy? Its worth mentioning that there was no maternity cover for my role while I have been away. (will be one year) by the time I return.

Any advice will be gratefully received.
Grad98

ali-t

how about asking for a flexible work pattern and requesting the most awkward hours/patterns to work

grad98

LOL - I was thinking about that!

I was thinking of asking formally for voluntary redundnancy in the first instance, as my first option, then a flexible work pattern second option.

However is there anything i can say to support my request for VR. Does the fact that there was no maternity cover for my role mean essentially I can argue that I consider the role redundant. I just need as many things as possible to support my request.

getmore4less

Allthough there has been no specific cover the work must have been getting done by others

Maybe a more inquisitive approach in preperation for your return, asking how the work was done how well it has gone what were the issues and what are the plans are for taking you back and transitioning some of the work back to you, it has been working very well then you can raise the desire to work on flexable arrangments or perhaps the company just does not need you as things have been running smothly.

can you have a day or two back in the office to prepare for the return, that way you can test the waters for what options they might be looking at, they may want to make you redundant but are conserned about a claim due to the maternity situation

I think you need to be carefull about mentioning that flexable working by others caused you to have too much workload that will give them a good reason to refuse flexable working.

bendix

ali-t wrote: »

how about asking for a flexible work pattern and requesting the most awkward hours/patterns to work

Why would that help make her redundant? An employer is under no obligation to accept any request for flexible working arrangements. The OP is hired under whatever terms and conditions (including hours) that she signed off for - the decision to change those to flexible working arrangements has to be agreed by both parties, not simply demanded by the employee.

If she asks for flexible hours and the company refuses, they won't make her redundant. They will simply expect her to work as normal. If she refuses, then they have grounds for dismissal, with no redundancy provision.

ali-t

grad98 wrote: »

Whilst I was still at work before my maternity leave started, my two team members were made redundant. I wasn't. I have always felt that they just 'let me be' because I was pregnant and also because I was more useful as I worked full time (my colleagues had flexible working arrangments - whilst this should not impact redundancy, it was an unspoken fact that the managers hated flexible working arrangements).

The problem I face is that my company does not officially offer voluntary redundancies.

errr Bendix did you read the OP's first post - see above.

the OP made the link that the management don't like flexible working arrangements and although there is no official voluntary redundancies the 2 people who have been made redundant both had flexible working arrangements.

Of course there is no guarantee, hence my winking smiley.

bendix

ali-t wrote: »

errr Bendix did you read the OP's first post - see above.

the OP made the link that the management don't like flexible working arrangements and although there is no official voluntary redundancies the 2 people who have been made redundant both had flexible working arrangements.

Of course there is no guarantee, hence my winking smiley.

Yes, but those others obviously had those negotiated already and as such, hey can't be changed without both sides agreeing.

The OP is in an entirely different situation. They will simply say no.

TotallyBroke

I would ask for the flexible working hours firstly. They have to consider this and then come back with a justified business reason if the answer is no. The fact that they already had two people on flexi will make it harder to say no.
Then once you are back you can take your tasks back and see how the land lies. You may find that they make you redundant anyway, maybe they didn't want to make you redundant on maternity leave as maybe you would've used the maternity against them stating that was the reason and gone for unfair dismissal.

Go back and see how the job goes.

grad98

Thanks for the advice. I will definately ask for flexible hours.
However do you think I should not also ask for redundancy (first option) then flexible hours (2nd option) - or will that just weaken my position?

I appreciate your input - you've all been very helpful.

macman

If you ask for redundancy first then you've blown your cover, as if they decline then they'll know that any subsequent flexi hours requests by you are simply masking your real intention of getting redundancy.
If you do go on reduced hours, surely that will reduce your eventual redundancy payout, should that happen?
When I worked for a large company in the 90's, of which 80% of the staff were women, making people redundant while on maternity leave was an absolute no-no, because of the risk of a claim for unfair dismissal.

Jokaty82

Are you hoping for some kind of pay out? I don't see why they would give you redundacny just by asking for it. The reason they havent made your position redundant is they obviously need someone in that job. I understand how you feel, I just dont think you will get redundancy.