Help been made redundant - tactical move

annaabc

Can anyone help. My husband has worked at company just under 2 years and since he has started he has been moved from one branch to another, always at the last minute with no notice and given no options as to if he would, could or liked to be moved, it was the company attitude if you don’t like it then leave, you are lucky to have a job etc etc. So he put up and shut up and got on with his work and always fitted in well and was respected wherever he went.

The company has several branches and everyone got wind that the business was in trouble and last year some branches closed and many were made redundant. Business didn’t improve and everyone just head down and got on with it.

My husband was moved to a branch 6 months ago which meant that he was travelling by car 6 hours in total (3 hours each way) everyday and the journey was so stressful and exhausting for him (he is 58). However, in view of his age and the job situation he knew he had no choice but to get on with it. We haven’t the financial means for him to retire, that is a non starter.

Beginning of this week he was told to move to another branch the following day nearer to his home which he was delighted with and he would be exchanging positions with another that lived nearer to where my husband worked, so my husband and this other guy were both happy as they were both nearer to where they lived.

Today, 3 days after being at this new branch he was given notice/redundancy to leave along with all the other staff at this branch as it was being shut down. The branch he just left would be remaining open.

My husband is obviously in shock as if he was still at the other branch he would still have a job.

So question is, can this be right as the decision to close the branches were obviously not just decided in 48 hours and when they moved him they would have known about the branch closure. All the branches he has been at will remain open but the one he was sent to this week along with a couple of others will close.

He was never given a contract of employment and although he has continually asked for one, it was never received BUT out of the blue this week he received a contract, funny that -- he has not signed yet, although he did sign a form that he was a member of staff at this new branch.

We understand that financially he is snookered as he would have been there less than 2 years but would he also have no rights as to the tactical way in which has been moved ?

Any comments appreciated, thanks

getmore4less

I don't think you will have much of a chance unless they want to keep him whichis not looking good.

The only thing you could try is that all staff at all branches(within the mobility range) should be pooled for redundancy selection, there is clear evidence that mobility is required.

It would be easy for the employer to get round this by making distance from branch a selection criteria if in most cases it would result in the staff at our branch still being selected.

annaabc

Thanks for reply. I see your point about mobility.

24 hours after the intial shock has sunk in my husband still can't get his head around the fact that they moved him within 48 hours of this branch being told they would be closing, if he had refused to move like some of the other staff have done he would be still be at a branch that was still up and running, but he obviously jumped at the chance of the move because of the distance he was travelling and now it has completely backfired in such a terrible way, it seems so very unfair and cruel.

We are both so upset, this is one of the worst things to happen before xmas.

BrighterMondays

Hey Annaabec, I would agree with the other comments in regards to the mobility issue. Just to give you some pro-active feedback I would also speak to the citizens advice bureau. They might not come back with anything different BUT it's always good to check. I would agree that the company must have known for at least a week if not more that they were closing down the branch.

Also make sure you keep pro-active. I know you're probably doing this anyway but the longer you leave the situation that harder it will be to get back in to employment. Irrespective of it being so close to xmas employers out there are looking to get teams established before 2012 kicks in so good luck and keep perservering.

danielley

Hi there,

I haven't got any constructive advice, but I just wanted to send you my best wishes, what an awful thing to happen before Christmas.

Good luck with everything, stay strong for each other and keep us updated on MSE.

X

hcb42

Oh My that is awful.

I understand what you are feeling as my husband was also made redundant yesterday, and am still shell shocked.

I hope something comes up soon for him.