Urgent Advice needed - Voluntary Redundancy

csdodd80

Hello All,

As explained in a previous post, husband's work place are currently in the second round of redundancies and closures in less than 12 months.

So far they have already closed one factory, at their second factory they are making 15 people redundant and at their 3rd, my husbands factory, they were asking for volunteers.

Deciding to leave a sinking ship, he asked for a voluntary redundancy figure and was given his figure on the 13th June. The day he received his letter he had just gone on annual leave, so on our return he accepted the figure, signing the letter and that was that.

Initially, he was asked to stay on with a small pay rise, which he rejected because the order book is empty from August and he knows that short time is inevitable. He was then asked to stay on to train someone to run his machine which he agreed to, however as yet, he hasn't had an official letter from management etc. at Head Office. Their has just been verbal discussions through supervisors and managers in his factory, although their is an email that states that the discussion of leave dates, his is to be confirmed pending training up of another employee, which I would say is indicative of their acceptance of his application.

He agreed to stay until this Friday, however he has now been told by his Supervisor that he has heard that husband has to stay at least a month, and they may actually reject his application after all.

He has demanded a meeting with management, and spoken to his Union, who told him he needed his leave date in writing :T (Well done Unite for that ingenious advice, we never knew that pfft) however he has been asking for that for two weeks and been given verbal reassurances and dates instead.

Can anyone clarify whether they can agree to his voluntary, or appear to have, then revoke this. I might add, they have accepted everyone else's applications and they have given everyone else leave date's (including one poor lad who didn't sign to accept his offer and doesn't want to leave!!). Husband has applied for jobs and college, so he needs to know where he stands.

Can anyone advise us please?

Thanks,

Colleen

Undervalued

Although it is a popular phrase technically there is no such thing as "voluntary redundancy"! What it amounts to is a mutually agreed separation.

So, for that reason the terms are whatever was agreed. It may well be that somewhere in the "small print" the company reserves the right to withdraw the offer up to a certain point. Your husband needs to check the terms offered very carefully.

Obviously the absence of a written acceptance doesn't help. Few thing in English law actually have to be in writing but it is much easier to prove if they are.

csdodd80

Thanks for the reply,

The offer was literally his amount typed up and signature lines underneath. No conditions, no small print etc.

Hubby then signed it and sent it back, and the email stating his leave it is to be arranged due to training, was sent to his supervisor, who had asked for his leave date. It was then verbally given to his Supervisor as the 18th July.

That's all there is in writing