Redundancy Advice needed

jonhall_2

My partner has been notified she has been selected for redundancy based on a selection criteria assessment process. I have some concerns namely:
1.The assessment scores do not match her appraisals over a number of years.
2. She returned 6 months ago from maternity leave to a new dept and boss. So she had to learn a new job from scratch. Can we ask for the previous appraisals/boss feedback to be given greater weight.
3. Her new boss has publicly made disparaging remarks about families and children.
4. The ppl selected for redundacy in her dept fit a similiar profile to her in terms of age and experience ie youngers ones left older ones going.
5. She applied for a redeployment job and her boss was totally unsupportive on the application she sent. after much discussion he did some follow-up comments but the damage was done.
5. She was never asked to interview for that position - just told not suitable because of salary and experience.

I would appreciate any comments on the best way forward.

crazygal27

Hi.

As part of this process your partner should be given the chance to have a consultation meeting and also be given the right to appeal the redundancy. She has right to be accompanied at the consultation meeting by a union rep, if she is part of a union.

In preparation for the consultation meeting she should request to be provided with the criteria she was assessed against and the scores she received. In addition she should also asked to be notified who carried out the assessment. At the consultation meeting she should raise the concerns regarding scores not reflecting recent appraisals and remarks made by manager regarding families and children (were these witnessed by others?).

She should also ask about her application for the other role and to be given details of why they believed her skills and experience were not suitable.

If you still get no answers then make sure she appeals the redundancy decision based on the questions that you have.

jonhall_2

Hi,

Thanks for the reply,

She has seen the scores she was given but does not have sight of the what the minimum score she should have achieved should be. Can she ask what this is as well as part of the appeal process?
Does criticising her managers attitude at this point in the appeal process help or hinder or case. I think it's better she puts all her cards on the table upfront and maybe get a more senior manager involved?

Yes, I agree she needs a better answer on why she was not considered for that role

cherry2009

is the redundancy across the board or just your department?

crazygal27

No harm in asking for minimum scores or even average scores out of everyone who was scored. Not all companies will give you this but if this goes further the fact that your partner asked but these were not given will go against them and not your partner.

Rather than criticising her managers attitude, if the comments are raised as more of a questions i.e. "Does the fact that x, y and z are all selected for redundancy have anything to do with managers comments of....?" It is then down to them to demonstrate that it isn't down to that.

If she appeals then it should go to a higher manager to hear the appeal.

They need to be able to justify and demonstrate why and how they selected her for redundancy, that it was a fair process and why she was not suitable for the other role.

jonhall_2

Hi Cherry,

Redundancies are across a number of depts

jonhall_2

Hi Crazygal,

Good advice thank you. We are drafting a letter at the moment to appeal the scoring.

One other thing that i wondered about is they are keeping contract staff at the same time as letting permanent ppl of the same level go. I guess its legal but doesnt seem fair?

crazygal27

As far as I am aware it is legal to keep on contract staff. Its not particularly fair or moral though and doesn't really make much sense either. Its worth mentioning that as a way of avoiding redundancies for permanent staff, perhaps contract staff are let go first.

jonhall_2

hi appeals letter sent in, highlighting her issues. Asked for inforamation on scores.
Now we have to wait and see their reply and consider whether its worth getting legal advice.