Redundancy

CathG78

Hi All,

When facing redundancy and applying for other jobs, should my current employer offer me reasonable time off to attend external interviews?

Thanks

loadsacash

They should do - have you been given notice?

hueygeorge

Yes you should get time off for interviews etc, in my job I get 5 days paid 'special leave' not sure if you get the same, or if in a redundancy situation you get extra 'days' if you have already used your allowance for children being ill, funerals etc. It should all be in your redundancy pack that you got from your employer. I've just been told that I'm redundant from Aug, I need to check my special leave entitlement! Good luck!

CathG78

loadsacash wrote: »

They should do - have you been given notice?

It's a bit more complicated than I've originally explained. I am with the county council and they are reforming. I was transferred from the NHS back in 2013 when the PCT's were abolished, but the council want everyone on council terms, not the TUPE terms we currently have, so are transforming. We basically have three 'chances' to apply for jobs in the new transformation. We are only allowed three applications, so we have to chose carefully what we decide to apply for. If we apply and aren't successful, that's one chance gone. If we apply then withdraw, that's one chance gone. If we apply and don't get it, that's one chance gone. If we apply and don't even get an interview, that's one chance gone. If we run out of our three chances, we are considered to be giving notice and leaving of our own accord (so no redundancy pay etc).

The problem is, no one knows what the jobs are as there are no job descriptions, only job titles and the pay grades are known. So we don't necessarily know what we're applying for or what's involved. I've just applied for one, but they refuse to allow part time working so I didn't get it, so I've lost a chance.

I've applied back with the NHS, and keep getting interviews, but the interview dates are non-negotiable and often only with 5-6 days notice. If it happens to fall on a day when I'm at work, I can't go. The only option if you can't make the date and time given is to withdraw - so I'm missing jobs because I can't get out of work. The council's position is that I'm part time, so should go in my own time - but it doesn't work like that.

loadsacash

Oh - don't like the sound of that - I think that the best thing to do would be o speak to Citizens Advice -

getmore4less

the reasonable time off only applies once on notice of redundancy

KayJay

If you're with a council then there will be a union - and it's probably Unison. get in touch with the Branch Secretary. Those 'three chances' sound unreasonable to me and I can't believe the union would have agreed to them.

sparkermarketing

CathG78 wrote: »

It's a bit more complicated than I've originally explained. I am with the county council and they are reforming. I was transferred from the NHS back in 2013 when the PCT's were abolished, but the council want everyone on council terms, not the TUPE terms we currently have, so are transforming. We basically have three 'chances' to apply for jobs in the new transformation. We are only allowed three applications, so we have to chose carefully what we decide to apply for. If we apply and aren't successful, that's one chance gone. If we apply then withdraw, that's one chance gone. If we apply and don't get it, that's one chance gone. If we apply and don't even get an interview, that's one chance gone. If we run out of our three chances, we are considered to be giving notice and leaving of our own accord (so no redundancy pay etc).

The problem is, no one knows what the jobs are as there are no job descriptions, only job titles and the pay grades are known. So we don't necessarily know what we're applying for or what's involved. I've just applied for one, but they refuse to allow part time working so I didn't get it, so I've lost a chance.

I've applied back with the NHS, and keep getting interviews, but the interview dates are non-negotiable and often only with 5-6 days notice. If it happens to fall on a day when I'm at work, I can't go. The only option if you can't make the date and time given is to withdraw - so I'm missing jobs because I can't get out of work. The council's position is that I'm part time, so should go in my own time - but it doesn't work like that.

It depends, how important is getting a new job? If it is more important than keeping your current employer happy then do what you need to do to get to the interviews (e.g. phone in sick when you have an interview).

Kynthia

It seems very wrong that if you are unsuccessful at applying for three roles then you are forced to leave with no redundancy payment. Double check with your Union as that doesn't sound right. I work in the public sector and we have been through a few restructures recently. If you are unsuccessful at applying for a role in the new structure you go into a workforce pool. You are in this pool for 6 months and are expected to apply for internal vacancies. if you haven't found a suitable post before time runs out you are made redundant. However if you turn down or refuse to apply for three posts they consider suitable for you (role type, grade and skills) then that is gross misconduct and you are terminated without any redundancy money, as they don't want to pay a lump sum and have to recruit externally if there are suitable displaced candidates internally.

Also I believe you only have to be granted time for job hunting and interviews when you have a redundancy offer and an exit date, not just when you are at risk of redundancy.