Re-structure - Updated

tesuhoha

The place where I work is 're-structuring' and my job is at risk of redundancy. Basically, we all have to re-apply for our jobs. They are more or less the same with a few differences so that they can say they are different jobs.

Well, I have applied for my job as I cannot afford to lose it but if we are not successful we have to take voluntary redundancy. The job that I have applied for is longer hours with less pay. At the moment my hourly rate is £9.90 approx per hour on 32 hours a week term time only. I am at the top of the scale as I have worked there for a long time. However, the new job I have applied for they have made a grade lower and the top hourly rate for the scale is £8.50 per hour.

The thing that worries me is that this scale starts off with a really low hourly rate. So even though I am at the top of the scale now is it likely if I am successful that they will offer me a much lower rate of pay at the bottom of the scale? If this is the case can I appeal?

I am really annoyed about this because we had to make the choice whether to take voluntary redundancy or not before we were issued job descriptions and before we were told what the salary scale would be. In a way I am now wishing I had taken it. It would have been about £6500 but I need a job more.

jazzyman01

Are there the same number of jobs available? Are there significant changes? What would be the criteria that they would use to place you on the lowest rate? From what you have posted you have done the job for some years and therefore to put you on the lowest rate of the reduced grade would not seem fair or reasonable.

If you are not successful in obtaining one of the jobs you cannot be forced to apply for voluntary redundancy. If there is not a job for you to do then it is compulsory redundancy.

Kellyjelly27

Hi, I would agree with the above poster, if you are not successful in your application for the 'new' role, this would be compulsory redundancy, not voluntary.

If you were successful in your application, I would argue with your skills and experience not to be on the lower rate and ask where their justification for this was.

tesuhoha

Thank you. As some people have already left there are now more jobs than people in my area. I am pretty confident I will get a job but nervous about the rate offered. However, I will appeal if it is the low rate I am offered. I was told its about skills, not performance but I have the skills anyway.

mlp

Depending where you are (term time only sounds like education so possibly LEA / other government associated department), there might be pay protection lasting a couple of years. I would also think that if you are top of grade now, you should move to top of grade in new role, especially if it is a lesser grade.

Are you in the middle of the consultation process? Have you asked these questions of HR/management?

mlp

Also, again depending exactly on your employer, there may be the option to "match and slot" generally if around 70% of the new JD matches your old JD. You need to ask questions!!

tesuhoha

mlp wrote: »

Depending where you are (term time only sounds like education so possibly LEA / other government associated department), there might be pay protection lasting a couple of years. I would also think that if you are top of grade now, you should move to top of grade in new role, especially if it is a lesser grade.

Are you in the middle of the consultation process? Have you asked these questions of HR/management?

We have had our consultation period but were not given JDs and pay scales until after the opportunity for discussion had past. I am going to appeal if I am offered a lower rate.

getmore4less

Any jobs at the higher rates apply for them.

When you get the full T&C of any alternative position if the pay is too low you can still turn the job down as not a suitable alternative.


IF there are now more jobs than people It's time get everyone to push back for more pay and better hours.

Another alternative if they are going to have trouble finding people is to take the redundancy, make sure there are no clawback terms and then reaply for a different position in a few weeks

sunshine_1988

Hi OP. I am goin through a similar situation - we have been told our 'review' will start shortly, I am expecting the new structure to have less posts than people. I dont know what will happen and its worrying.
We have some older people in our office (58 and 59) I am wondering if they may take redundancy voluntarilly - then there may be more posts for us. Although that sounds selfish I dont mean it to. But apparently, if they go before April they can get 70wks redundancy pay, after April that will be changing.
Its not nice working in the LA at the mo - I wish you lots of luck for your interviews. xx

tesuhoha

Well I am really upset. Just before lunchtime this afternoon I got a letter to say that I had been unsuccessful in my application and am now in a position of redundancy. What makes it worse is that everyone else in the Admin Dept seems to have held onto their job apart from me. I don't know this for sure, there are a couple of people I don't know about but as far as I can see there are more posts than jobs, so either a non at risk person has applied for my job (which I am already doing) or they are going to advertise it externally (as they don't think I have the skills, but I am already doing the job) and I will have to train the more suitable person they take on.

Now I can't help but wonder here and maybe I'm not posting in the right area, but I wonder if I have a case for age discrimination. I am 60 and have been at the school for 16 years. There were quite a few of us around that age working at the school but everyone of that age has either left or applied for voluntary redundancy (and got it) apart from 3 of us. The other two who have applied for their jobs, teaching assistants, aged 63 and 58 respectively have also been made redundant. They have also been at the school in excess of 15 years. Once we go there will be no one working in admin or as a TA over the age of 55.

Everyone on the staff is gobsmacked that I have been made redundant because I do so much work and cover for so many people, volunteering for tiresome and complicated jobs that no one else wants to be bothered with and have an extensive knowledge of the school systems that they find it hard to believe. They are all saying that they thought if anyone was safe it was me. I have emailed HR and asked for some feed back as to why I was unsuccessful. One of the jobs I applied for had shorthand as desirable and I am one of the 2 people in the school who has shorthand and the other person is not at risk. The decision was made by a supposed unbiased selection panel and our names were deleted from the skills forms. I covered every skill required and typed an extra page with reasons why I met the skills. The only place I was lacking was in academic qualifications but I have worked there for sixteen years including in the role of TA and it has never been a problem before. The deadline for letting us know the decision was yesterday and according to HR the letters were sent to the school yesterday but we were told they were 'wrong' and did not receive them till today. I am therefore suspicious about this delay. I am wondering how they were 'wrong'. We have a certain person who I think actually made the decisions about who she wanted to keep beforehand.

Does anyone think I have a case? If they advertise externally does that make my case stronger? How can I go about making a case. I can't afford to pay for any action but do not want to let them get away with it because I feel in myheart of hearts that this is what they have done, they want a younger, more dynamic workforce when they should be thinking they want the best people for the job.

Sloganjerry

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. I am going through a similar thing. It seems to me that the current ecomonic climate is giving certain employers the excuse and opportunity to get rid of people who may be on expensive pension schemes, who are older and more highly paid, or who may not cowtow like younger more inexperienced (and often lower paid) staff or even people they simply do not like for whatever reason. I do agree with you that it can be the case that when these things happen the employer usually knows who they want to keep and who they want to get rid of. It is definitely the case where I am.

Are you in the union? Or have you contacted ACAS? Helpline - 08457 47 47 47. I would definitely get some urgent advice now as you will probably start the 3 step process for dismissal by redundancy now and you will be allowed to take a representative (work colleague or trade union rep)into any meetings. You will want to be prepared if you intend to appeal against this.

I wish you all the best! and Keep strong!