Early Retirement

DMacs1

Hi, the Company that I work (Multi National)for allows early retirement at 63 with full works pension.
I am 62 and have told them that in May 2013 when I am 63 I intend to retire and claim my Company pension.
I am currently in remission from bladder cancer and my boss to her credit has asked HR in our Head Office if I can leave even earlier through either voluntary or compulsory redundancy.
HR have replied and said that I am eligible now to claim my pension and if I intend to wait til I am 63 then thats fine but they wont make me redundant as its money they dont need to spend.
BUT, now this is whats puzzling me ..... HR says that if I want to retire early (next year) then I have to RESIGN in order to get my pension and not just retire. Surely there has to be something wrong here

Can anyone advise please

getmore4less

This will most likely be to create a break in employment so they avoid a future redundancy situation with long service.

Jarndyce

What do they (or you) think is the difference between resignation and retirement?

getmore4less

Not investigated but,

Termination by reason of retirement may fall foul of the newer legislation even if the employee wants it.

resignation get round any possible issues

nightingalesgarden

getmore4less wrote: »

Not investigated but,

Termination by reason of retirement may fall foul of the newer legislation even if the employee wants it.

resignation get round any possible issues

Agree - ERA s 98 is pretty tough on the employer re: retirement dismissals and little of it is tested in the UK courts.

Suspect it's just local HR practice so that they can demonstrate the employee is ceasing the agreement not the employer.

But nothing sinister lurking here that I can see unless the OP loses benefits they were expecting to keep e.g. saving schemes that lose their tax free status if you resign rather than retire.