Redundancy, 2nd time in less than 2 years

stefano

My employer, a 5 star hotel, has started consultation period, with talk on restructuring the management structure within the business. I had just been made redundant by a bigger 5 red star London Hotel, when this hotel offered me the opportunity. They were only a 4 star hotel when I joined them, and they saw invaluable expertise and experience in me, to help them in achieving their goal.
As it happened, the hotel gained the sought accolade, but the new management wants to now streamline, and my position is under jeopardy. It's more than likely that my position will go.
My first redundancy came about because, having suffered serious leg injuries following a motorbike accident, I had developed an evident limp, an impairment to my walking gait.
This job, now under threat, may also go, due to my inability to perform to a higher level, and will, almost surely, find myself unemployable within my field of expertise.
I have been in hospitality since I was 14yo, and done it for the last 30 years.
Can anyone suggest a profession I could transfer my skills onto?
Kind regards

marlot

Really sorry to hear your news.

One option might be looking to teach in Further Education? They are often looking for good people to teach hospitality

I don't know if hotels hire in consultants from outside when they need to make big change programmes - if so, that might be an alternative?

stefano

I was made redundant, actually my position was made redundant on 12th November, eventually. I have since appealed, and will have my appeal meeting on thursday 29th. My appeal will be on the grounds that my position is not being redundant, purely on the fact that they are just distributing my tasks around to other people, thus adding to their workload and eliminating my need.
Is there any advice on this site that I can draw upon?

zzzLazyDaisy

stefano wrote: »

My appeal will be on the grounds that my position is not being redundant, purely on the fact that they are just distributing my tasks around to other people, thus adding to their workload and eliminating my need.
Is there any advice on this site that I can draw upon?

Unfortunately that scenario that you describe falls within the legal definition of a genuine redundancy situation, which includes the situation where your role ceases to exist, and where the employers need for employees to to work of a particular kind has ceased or diminished. Either of these two situations can come about by an employer taking a business decision to re-allocate work among existing employees.

But more importantly, how long have you worked for this employer?

stefano

I have worked for 12 and half months with this employer. I know I am not entitled to any redundancy payments, but find this course of action highly unfair.
I was hired by this company, a 4 AA star Country House Hotel, with the remit of helping them achieve the coveted 5 AA star status. That was achieved within 9 months, and in the financial year I was involved, my division, Food and Beverage, had beaten budgeted revenue by £80k, whereas the other divisions had struggled. Once the 5 AA star status was achieved, the GM moved on, and a new GM had arrived. The GM moved from a sister property, and I started feeling marginalized.

zzzLazyDaisy

Okay, it seems to me that what you are saying is that you were appointed to a particular role. The employer has now taken a decision to dispense with your role and to share the work among existing employees. The result is that your job has ceased to exist.

If that is a reasonable summary of the situation, then you are right - it sucks - but unfortunately within the provisions of the employment protection legislation this falls squarely within the definition of a 'fair dismissal'

Note: it is enough for the JOB to cease to exist - there is no requirement for the work itself to cease to exist, provided that they can absorb the work into the roles of existing employees without taking on anyone new to do the job.

getmore4less

HYou would be far better to appeal on the grounds that they have made a mistake and that you are key to achieving various goals and the bisiness will perform better and more than justify your costs if they keep you.

This should have been the case you argued during consultation.
.

stefano

getmore4less wrote: »

HYou would be far better to appeal on the grounds that they have made a mistake and that you are key to achieving various goals and the bisiness will perform better and more than justify your costs if they keep you.

This should have been the case you argued during consultation.
.

I did, during the consultation. And I will have my appeal with the owner/directors on Thursday. Strange thing is, my appeal was on the grounds that my solicitor advised, that my position was still needed as the tasks still had to be fulfilled.I guess I will find out on Thursday. I will crunch some numbers to the directors and hopefully win the appeal. I don't suppose it could get any worse than it already is.