Real life MMD: Should I take the redundancy money?

SimonFin

Take the money - not only do you benefit, but you save someone else from being forced to take redundancy.

John_Pierpoint

I worked for a firm that had decided to relocate.
The news leaked out about a year early.
Then the terms for "voluntary" redundancy were published.
You would be amazed at how many of the female staff "volunteered" in the knowledge that they were expecting a happy event.

It was possible, though expensive and inconvenient to commute to the new location.
The firm agreed to offer "voluntary" redundancy for 6 months before the move until 2 years after it. So most "volunteers" were able to line up a new job before "volunteering".

frogz

Take the money, take the risk, and get applying for other jobs asap. I have just agreed to take VR from my teaching post to avoid CR, as although I have a 15-year old to feed and a mortgage to pay, I was growing increasingly weary of the profession. I've saved someone else's job in the process and they are very grateful. Tomorrow I've got an interview for another teaching job which I'd already applied for; if offered it I'm uncertain whether I'd take it, such is my disaffection with the profession. I'm scared, but I've taken the risk because I'd rather be captain of my own destiny, and with hard work, perseverance and a little luck there are always jobs to be found out there, sometimes better than the last. Good luck!

dogfonos

Whilst £2k sounds nice, it's not going to change your life, is it? I'd base your decision on the question: Am I happy in my current job? (I mean the word "happy" to encompass all elements of the job that are important to you).

If you're not happy, then change jobs but an expected offer isn't the same as a real one so take care. Sure, try to time the job change (and fulfil any other conditions, if applicable) so you can pick up the redundancy payment - there is no dilemma in accepting a redundancy payment whilst walking straight into a new job. To suggest otherwise is naive or maybe your 'friend' has ulterior motives...

menshevik

A couple of tips:
(a) Never jack one job in until the next one's 'in the bag'
(b) An employer can cancel an employee's redundancy anytime during the term of notice
I've seen the misery of (a) when it happened to a colleague, and (b) happened to me.

Good Luck

Seakay

redundancy means that the job will no longer exist so this isn't really a moral decision; the employer is losing x number of jobs whatever you do so there is no particular kudos to staying or leaving, unless by staying you will force someone to leave who does not want to. If you want to leave then do so, if you are lucky enough to get another job quickly then great, if not then I hope that the 2K covers you until you do.