Job disappeared over night!

sarahlou24

My partner works for a Blue Chip company. He was signed off with stress for about 8 weeks and returned to work early December 2012. Prior to his sickness, his job was good and he did work longer than normal hours, mainly to help his new boss (at his request) who had only been with the company a few months and didn't know all the ins and outs like my partner did.

On his return to work, he discovered that the boss had left and the new interim manager was performing a restructure in that arm of the Company. This restructure included my partners role no longer existing!

To cut a long story short, my partner was offered three alternatives:
1 - apply for another similar role within the Company but he was "unlikely to be successful" given that he would be up against other candidates (yes that was put in writing!)
2 - take a demotional role!
3 - seek employment outside the Company (which has recently translated to "resign with a months money! Yes that is in writing too!)

He currently feels like he has done something wrong, vindicated, angry and somewhat bemused as all of this seems to have appeared out of nowhere. September/October = hunky dory. Signed off with stress and returned to work in December to a job that doesn't exist (yes, that is in writing too!)

Any thoughts, advice, tips gratefully received!

ALIBOBSY

Surely they have left out number 4 which is stay and they will have to make him redundant. Sounds like they are trying to force him out. How long has he worked for them?

Ali x

sarahlou24

A decent leaving package was what he is hoping for. He has been with them for just over two years, thankfully. I don't think redundancy would go down well with the City. They are really making his life hell at the mo. I looked on the TUC website (and others) at bullying in the workplace and that appears to be his situation! The interim manager seems to be trying to feather his nest with his own staff....

CrazyRed

Hmm....

Sounds familiar - heard the above options before from my (now ex-) employer, under very, very similar circumstances.

There is also option 4, which isn't quite as described by another poster. In my case (and, I suspect your partner's due to the similarities between his case and mine) this was simply : "Stay, and we'll do everything we can to prove gross misconduct and dismiss you without notice or pay, anyway".

If he's got the option to go, and retain some dignity, then I'd advise him to seriously consider it - the stress levels will only ramp up from here and it won't do his health any good. No job is worth losing your health over.

sarahlou24

As far as misconduct or indeed constructive dismissal is concerned, then it would be him seeking legal advice over them, given the absurd situation.

CKhalvashi

sarahlou24 wrote: »

As far as misconduct or indeed constructive dismissal is concerned, then it would be him seeking legal advice over them, given the absurd situation.

It's unsurprisingly getting more and more common, unfortunately.

We provide a much better package than most companies out size (£36m t/o, £1.8m profit for last year, and about 450 staff across the trading group), but as a sole owner/director, I'm in the position to be able to, as with what I earn, I'm in a good position to give myself a comfortable lifestyle.

Depending on the size of the employer, this may well affect their attitude to this kind of thing.

I agree with the points raised, regarding sticking with the company and not being forced to resign, as they will have to offer some form of redundancy, although the statutory minimum will be below a months pay.

CK

ILW

He took time off with stress, would this not signify that he could not handle the job, or was it due to other factors?

macman

If it's a genuine redundancy (unclear), then all he will be entitled to is the statutory minimum, unless his contract says otherwise-you say nothing about what his terms are according to that. What are they? Of course he can negotiate, but the employer is under no obligation to offer more than his contract specifies.
Why would redundancy not 'go down well'? It's the position that is made redundant, not the employee.
What is slightly bemusing here is that 'everything is OK Sept/Oct, then signed off with stress in ?Nov"?