Tales from a country cottage

ani*fan

Thanks whizzing. And welcome to my thread! You're so right that employers don't think about your future. It's such a cold, clinical decision to make people redundant. They really don't care, so I'd better.

I've checked out all possible eventualities. There are a handful of posts being created at my work, all of them inappropriate for me and for less money than I make now. Roughly 53 jobs going, and 10 being created to try and replace all that work. If I don't apply for at least one new job, evidently I will be seen as becoming 'voluntarily redundant'. Great. Which means definitely no redundancy pay and no benefits for a while.

Some of my work may be able to continue on a sessional basis. This will bring in roughly £50 per week. So unless I find something else very soon, we're looking at applying for benefits. There is one job going about 150 miles away. It's just not doable. Around here, there are about 50-60 applicants even for the casual bar-type work that used to be so easy to pick up. Not that I'd want to go there but if needs must. I'm really prepared to do anything to keep the cash coming in.

Fortunately, it looks as if we just may be able to survive on benefits if it comes to that, including debt minimum repayments (if MiL can wait a bit for her cash back). We haven't told MiL yet about my redundancy. She worries so much and we want to have a solid plan in place to alleviate that for her when we do tell her.

I got my essays handed in, goodness knows how in the middle of all this. My mum has been a godsend and offered to help us financially. I actually feel quite well supported in all this. But it doesn't stop my mind racing all night long and pinging awake in a sweat at crazy early hours.

A few people at work have spoken to me about their fears of being lonely when they finish work. It's really odd how we spend most of our time having our heads done in by co-workers, but actually they provide companionship and humour on a daily basis and it's nice to be around people who share my values in life. All that will soon be gone.

Can't stop worrying, wish I could and am almost willing the process to happen more quickly so I at least know what's what. This limbo is unbearable.

Hope everyone's ok and debt-busting like mad today!

x

Igamogam

Ani I am guessing you will apply for one of the 10 jobs (53 to 10 :eek:) But I am sure voluntary redundancy does not mean that you will get no redundancy pay and not be able to claim benefits.............. as I understand it if you volunteer for redundancy then they should still be paying you a redundancy package - you are after all doing them a favour and leaving without a challenge. I am no expert but check it out. I know when we had to lose staff some years back 2 staff volunteered and they certainly got their redundancy package. Is it different in Scotland?? Also if you have been told that you have to apply for a job otherwise get nothing then that to me sounds like constructive dismissal. Again I am no expert all I know it that there is a process to go through............. find a union that you can join. They can help you through all this. Have to say considering your line of work I am surprised you havent signed up already!

I understand totally what you say about missing colleagues - even though they can get to you Thinking about my own position its the people I work with I will miss even thought some of them are rarely on my wavelength and dont really understand/appreciate what I do.....I have a feeling that the head may just regret the day they didn't make a stand and fight my corner

ani*fan

As usual, I don't know what I would do without the help of everyone on here. :A.

What is apparent is that I'm getting incorrect info from the managers at work and everyone else too. Rumours are flying, the managers are as stressed out as everyone else and the whole place is unreliable at the moment.

And if the rumours are to be believed, there will be more changes in September when many more jobs will go.

I keep changing my mind about what to do and just can't decide. I need money and I need to work. But the kind of work I do requires stability and support from the organisation.

My heart is telling me to accept the redundancy and leave. I could go back to doing sessional work which would probably need to be topped up with benefits. But I least I would have my integrity and my career would continue to progress in the way I want to. My head is saying 'apply for the other job, you need cash'.

I don't know if I've mentioned it on here before but my plan is to begin a PhD in 2013, after I've gained my current qualification. The PhD comes with a training post with a liveable salary and would last for 4 years. So really, I need to focus on getting what I need for the next 16 months so I'm in a good position to start this. My plan does not involve accepting an inappropriate job which would mostly involve travelling all over the country, doing none of the work I need to do to get a place on the PhD course, and having my head done in by ongoing instability at the organisation I work for.

I'm so confused.

ani*fan

By the way, there is no redundancy package. It's statutory redundancy so 1 week's wage for every year of employment if you've worked there for over 2 years. I haven't. I expect I'll get nothing.

Do I need to work my notice? What would they do if I didn't show up? Sack me? :rotfl:I need to save money and even saving the petrol getting to work and back would be a help.

Igamogam

Well I think you are beginning to answer your own questions - certainly you need to work towards that PhD goal and if that means sessional work and benefits then there is no shame in that. Is it guaranteed you are on the PhD course when you get your current qualifications? ( and well done BTW in getting those essays in!) If you are made redundant you can claim benefits straight away but if you resign or walk away from the job then there is a period of time with no benefits.

Dont let it get you down. You are a resilient resourceful person and now its time to dig deep.

Thinking of you

ani*fan

My place on the PhD course is not guaranteed, I'm just feeling quite confident about it!

I can't stop thinking about how totally exhausted I've been the last wee while, running around and trying to do everything, driving miles and miles every week for work, wondering what for and that there must be more to life than this. Maybe this is a chance to make some positive changes?

I think the fog is beginning to clear...love this diary for helping me see straight.

Lemon_Tree

i'm so sorry to hear about you losing your job and not qualifying for redundancy, that really sucks and just not right.
Others are certainly right though, taking voluntary redundancy wouldn't have stopped you from being entitled. is there any way you can negotiate with your employer? if you were there before but on a different contract you could give it a try. There's more and more rights for contracted staff or temps, we're certainly finding that at our place. Maybe it would pay to trundle down to the CAB for a bit of advice.
I'd watch out with joining a union though, i know when i joined Unison a little while ago i couldn't use many of the services for the first 13 weeks.

saterkey

have followed your diary tonight, sorry about your loss of job, mine ends 31/8 too, it sucks. I would advise against not turning up, you may need a reference of sorts from them, and its always good to finish something properly, and not feel guilty. Also those couple of weeks or more is still money in the bank. Have subscribed wishing you the best.

suburbanwifey

I'm sorry about your job loss Ani, I've just spent the last 2 hours reading all your thread through from the beginning. What a journey, I feel sad now I've got to the end (up to current) and its culminated in this .

Sending a hug, keep positive, you sound an amazing woman and I am confident you will pull through this bad news and go on to bigger and better things xx

I've subscribed to your thread .... I'm off to sleep now. Hope your day is OK tomorrow.

ani*fan

Thanks everyone. :A It's such a help to log on here and get all this support. You're all fantastic.

So, I've received a text from a work colleague this morning. It turns out that the job description for the one post at work I could apply for has been changed. And suddenly it's looking quite attractive. So now I'm back to wondering if I should go for the job (which I probably will anyway, just to see and hopefully give me some choices). What I don't want to do is stomp off in a huff about how unappreciated I am at work, which is what a fair few others are doing right now. Oh dear. This redundancy business brings out the worst in everyone.

Suddenly I'm in the middle of 2 pretty good choices. If I get the job, great. If not, great too. My stress levels have now reduced considerably and that can only be good.

I've got an appointment at the dentist today. Dreading it. But at least it's free. Also have a couple of bin bags of old clothes to be cashed in. I've also decided I don't like my new mobile phone. It's still taking me too long to text on an over-sensitive touch screen with little tiny buttons I can never hit right (and that's even with tiny finger tips). I've gone back to using my old phone. New one will bring in £68 on the cash for phones sites. I'm going to mull it over for a few days, try out the new one again but if I don't like it, it's gone. £10 arrived yesterday for my mystery shop last month. :T So it's all looking good.

I need to get a travel expenses claim in at work. It's on my to do list for tomorrow.

Have a wonderful day everyone.