The Great 'What to do in the event of redundancy' Hunt

yenom_2

Hi, I have been put 'at risk' (2 months ago) and the company have prectically said that we are being made redundant. I now see this as a great opportunity, however, they have now turned round and said we are being redeployed (to office not too far away). DOes anyone know if there is a way round this? as would prefer redundancy- hate my job!!
good luck to anyone made redundant who actually likes their job x

sarflondongal

I was made redundant last month, after working 8 years for a local authority.

I did receive a redundancy payment and I will be ok financially for at least another month while I look for something else.

I'd like to let off steam (and warn others) though about the nightmare that is applying for income support as a recently divorced mother of one child.

I rang on the day I was made redundant to find out what, if any, benefits I would be entitled to. This turned out to be income support (because I don't want a full-time job because of my child-care commitments, in my previous post I worked 20 hours a week and I want a similar job if I can find one) and Council Tax benefit. Had I been seeking full-time work apparently I would have been suitable for job seekers allowance (although mysteriously the payments are the same amount).

Claimants are no longer sent a form to fill out themselves, someone from a call centre rings you and goes through the form with you. You need full details of all bank accounts, mortgages, rent, savings, child benefit, tax credits etc etc. This takes about 30 mins. Then they send you the form they have just filled out, for you to check.

Once you have checked the form and gathered all the documentary evidence they ask for (passport, bank statements, tax credit paperwork, child benefit paperwork, letter from last employer etc) you attend an interview at the local job centre.

This lasted about an hour and half and involved going through that very same form another TWO times!!!! Quite where anybody is saved time and effort by the call centre I'm not sure.

Photocopies are taken of all the documentation and you are asked to fax/send in copies of anything else that they want.

However, my biggest concern here is the issue of the CSA. I had told everyone (from that very first call to the call centre) that my ex-husband and I have an amicable voluntary maintenance agreement (written into a consent order and agreed by the county court as part of our divorce). My ex-husband pays monthly child maintenance at a higher rate than that advised by the CSA.

I had to speak to the manager at the job centre to explain why I did not want to involve the CSA and she reluctantly agreed to amend the details accordingly. I also had to ask my ex-husband to fax a letter to the job centre confirming that his payments are voluntary (even though I had shown them proof of the payments on bank statements). Fortunately we are on amicable terms so he agreed to this.

Imagine my surprise when a week later I received a CSA application form and, on ringing the CSA people in Wigan, was told it was compulsory to complete the form if I wished to apply for income support and that all the information provided at the job centre interview was "not connected" to their part of the process!!

I have written to both the CSA people and the local job centre. I have sent copies of the consent order agreed by the court and the letter written by my ex-husband. I have refused to apply through the CSA. I am still waiting to hear whether I will receive any income support nearly 5 weeks after first applying.

So be warned! If you are a single parent with a satisfactory voluntary child-maintenance agreement be very careful if applying for income support after redundancy. They will try to force you to involve the CSA which may make your situation more difficult than before, not least by antagonising your former spouse unnecessarily. I would receive considerably less maintenance for our child each month if the CSA become involved. I cannot be the only single parent in this position, although the job centre certainly behaved as though I was an unprecedented case.


Other tips:

Look on the websites of local councils, they all advertise their current vacancies. Local authorities are very good for flexible working hours if you are a parent who needs to work around childcare commitments. Many authorities will consider applications for job-share even where the post is advertised as full-time.

Check the websites of national newspapers for job vacancies (e.g. The Guardian) - this can point you to the websites for specialist recruitment agencies in your field, if not actual vacancies you're interested in.

I would also recommend getting along to your local leisure centre and taking advantage of their daytime/off-peak offers. Ours does a "women's morning" programme where you can do a class, have a swim and a sauna all for about £5. Cheaper than a takeaway and makes you feel very virtuous.

As someone else said earlier - use your local library! Not just for job hunting, but if you're not a regular user you may be surprised by the range of books and dvds (cheaper than Blockbuster etc) available. They also have daily newspapers and magazines and often noticeboards with information on local courses, activities etc.

Good luck!

Forester

For one reason and another I took the precaution of joining a union. This turned out to be the best money saving idea I ever had.

This cost fourteen pounds a month, cheaper than a mobile phone.

Subsequent redundancy payout, with the union's help, increased from two month’s salary to five.

Some companies are fine and will compensate generously as a matter of course.

Others, well …

Call your union, and do exactly as they say.

Ask for a photocopy of your employment file (your union rep may find this useful).

The company may refuse this; prepare a folder for your union representative, for example copies of past appraisals, contract of employment, terms and conditions, sick leave terms and conditions.

Include a diagram of reporting structures in the organisation, your place within that organisation including names of managers.

Include all communications you have from the company, copies of emails, any grievances you've raised, anything that makes the company look inconsiderate, for example highlight missed appraisals, out of date or non-existent job descriptions.

Clear out your desk in advance, take your personal belongings home.

The company will most likely set a date for a meeting at which you may have representation, or will be able to, as advised by your union.

Within reason, to allow your representative to be present you can delay the date of the meeting, the company may try and push a date on you, don't let yourself be pushed around.

Arrange a pre meeting with your representative off site prior to the meeting or the day before. If you're representative is not there, do not go into the meeting.

Keep your car well maintained and saleable, so it doesn’t become a stressful liability.

It’s tough, so take time out to do things you like, look after yourself. Go for walks join the gym, a little time out will keep your spirits up.

Experian_company_representative

If you are made redundant and are worried about your credit commitments, Experian has a free guide - Credit Crossroads Redundancy or reduction of income - which is available for free from https://www.experian.co.uk/learningzone.

James

saabstar

My husband is due to leave his company due to redundancy mid Nov as a result of the unit closing down. They will be keeping another part of the operation but will close the manufacturing section. Approx 7 or 8 people are affected with my husband having been there the longest. A couple of the others who have worked 2 - 4 years asked to go immediately with all due monies in lieu of notice etc but my husband was refused this. He has to work until the end of the period specified. Is this fair/legal and what can he do? Everyone was offered a 'retainer' style of payment equivalent to £100 per year of service if they stayed until the bitter end and helped to complete orders/close the unit. However if a suitable offer occurs elsewhere my husband who has 8 weeks notice period will be unable to take it presumably. We live in area of high house prices and low pay (Devon) and opportunities are scarce. I can't find any info on employees being treated differently in a small company, only for unfair selection. This is not the case as ALL of them will have to go so no selection as such has taken place. Advice/info greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

cats_whiskers

Hi

I have been made redundant twice so understand what some of you are going through. The first time it was handled badly but i was too naive to know what to do, fortunately I used this as an opportunity to relocate and I was offered another job the day after I moved. The second time around the company made every effort to assist us, we were offered a good package and they also brought in a company to help with CV's and interview technique. Also as all staff were being made redundant then we were all supportive of one another.

On both occassions I found peoples attitudes to redundancy do vary, some people think you must have been no good at your job if the company made you redundant. However, one of the best pieces of advice I recall is to let people know that it is not you (as an individual) that has become redundant but the company that has become redundant and closed.

Also don't be too disheartened if your colleagues all seem to be getting new jobs and you are still searching. A colleague of mine boasted continually of how he had landed a better job, better money, better company, etc and was allowed to leave before the 3 month notice period was up to take up his new wonderful position. I heard he left the new company within 6 weeks of joining.

Along with most others who have posted I would also advise to borrow books from the library on CV writing and interview technique. Getting your CV up to date and looking professional is top priority. Networking is another good tip, let everyone know that you are looking for work, contact ex colleagues as they may know of job vacancies or companies that are recruiting. Also having the name of someone to send your CV to is useful rather than sending it to a company on spec. Would also advise investing in some decent quality stationery if you are writing or sending your CV to companies. I know a lot of applications can now be done online (always use spellcheck) but some still do ask for them to be sent by post. Better for it to arrive in an envelope that is not falling apart and for the letter paper not to have been torn out of a jotterpad. I know some will say that it shouldn't matter but you don't want to ruin your chances because of poor stationery.

Whilst you may have been very organised at work it is easy to become a bit less so at home especially of you don't have a desk or filing cabinet. Invest in a couple of folders or use an A4 ring binder with divisions to keep copies of your applications in, depending on what types of job you are applying for you may have more than one version of your CV and it is useful to remember what you said in your application especially if you have been called for interview. Keep your good stationery in the folder as well as it stops others using it for drawing or shopping lists.

Also always have an interview outfit clean and ready to wear, you may be called for an interview at short notice and you want to look the best you can. Practice your interview technique, role play is good for this, initally you may feel like an idiot but it does help.

Above all keep smiling.:rotfl:

Cheers
Cats.

blingal1

Hi all

I was made redundant on May 2nd this year, the company had to reduce overhead costs, and i thought my job would be secure as it had government funding until 2008 and I was the youngest with a buisness degree, and the only female how wrong I was! Tribunal here we come! Although I wish this was not necessary I just would companies would admit that they are wrong, without having to cause me all this added stress.

It was the first time I had been made redudant I had worked for the organisation for over 2 years as a business advisor. I was paid £1500 redudancy which was low. I went to the job centre and was told to sign on, although I would not be entitled to any benefits for a month due to my very low pay out. i had my outgoings insured to a degree, but they would not pay out in the first month some taking 60 days in which to pay out.

I was offered a job in 8 weeks when the new contract arrived they put pro rata in the contract which was not in the original offer letter. I turned it down for obvious monetary reasons

I think one thing I have found is that the insurance on my car which is £50.00 per month which I have paid for nearly 2 years, now I made redudant this is not covered in the insurance cover, so I have to pay the £50 every month while I am redudant so people beware when taking out insurance if you have six policies this is £300 a month that you might not be covered for. I have to go and sign on every 2 weeks in order to get my insurance paid out.

I have since decided to start up my own business as a business advisor I thought it would be a good time to take the plunge, so I am opening a Beauty and Business Academy, offering nvq's, city and guilds etc etc The Royal Bank of Scotland looked at my business plan and gave me the funds to start up. I was disappointed that the job centre had no schme to offer me. Now i will be on a smaller salary they told me I would be eligable for working tax credit, which is all new to me! And given the bad press recently on handing back tax credit gives me no faith in the system. I have been lucky as my insurance covers my mortgage and car and loan, I think in future I will try and have a bank account with about £5000 set aside in case I loose my job although been self-employed now I am my own boss. But I think I have needed this money just to survive, every bill came at once! I had taken a loan out just before I was made redudant for living expenses, but it could not be insured as I knew I was going to be made redundant

I think the moral of the story is that no matter how secure you think your job might be it is just not the case. The reason for my redundancy given was because I was looking for alternative employment. So all you peeps that look at the job pages on a weekly basis be warned!

angela

HazelEyes_3

I too have been made redundant twice (seems to be very common!). First time was just before my 50th birthday; I'd worked for the company for a long time and to put it mildly I was devastated. I had been a senior executive at a large plc, responsible for millions of pounds and thousands of people but I cried for most of the weekend after I was told (on a Friday afternoon of course). 2nd time wasn't as bad because by then I really believed that it isn't personal - it's the job not the person that is redundant and the old adage "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" really does apply in this situation.

There has already been lots of good advice on here which I won't repeat but I don't think this point has been made.

There is a common assumption that the first £30K of a redundancy package is tax free. As with most tax affairs it isn't quite that simple. I am NOT a tax expert so all I am flagging up is that while statutory redundancy pay is tax free, other elements of a final package such as salary in lieu of notice and bonuses are probably taxable.

Also in my experience, if you are a 40% tax payer, the tax deducted on your final payment may be underestimated. When you complete your self assessment form at the end of the tax year you will be expected to make up this shortfall.

I was warned about this by one of the advisers my first company provided so I reserved some money for the tax bill - I put some into premium bonds (and won some small prizes though not the jackpot I was hoping for) and some into a cash ISA. It was still a wrench when I had to pay it over but at least it wasn't a shock.

There are details on the hmrc website as there is a special form with its own calculations that you have to complete. So if you think this may apply to you check it out. https://www.hmrc.gov.uk

Asking to keep laptops, mobiles, cars etc is good advice but again please be aware that these can be converted to a cash value and count towards the £30K tax free sum. Not likely to apply to a mobile phone with a "book value" of £30 for the company but a new or expensive computer or vehicle is a different matter. The company will have to account for the disposal of the capital item so even if they don't specifically inform HMRC it could come to light.

Good luck to anyone going through or facing this situation. You have my heartfelt sympathy and best wishes that you will get through this as quickly as possible.

jonellbee

I want to support the book 'What colour is your parachute'. It really is extremely useful and practical. Its most practical suggestion is that, when you are unemployed due to redudndancy or anything else, work at finding a job for the same number of hours a day that you worked when you were in paid employment. That is to spend, say, 8hrs a day writing letters, networking, reading job ads, having interviews etc. The book gives an amazing number of ways to progress the search and increase your success chances

vikkic

I think the most important thing about redundancy is to know your rights! Do loads of research on the internet.

When I was made redundant after 12 years, the HR person didn't know anything about redundancy and tried to take tax out of my redundancy payment. He was adamant that I should be paying tax on it and he "didn't want the Inland Revenue chasing him for the money"!!!

I had to threaten to get a solicitor involved before he backed down.

Hate to sound boring, but it was the best thing that happened to me and am now running my own business.