Made redundant last night

Stephen90

Hi, I literally lost my job last night which is the second time this has happened in 4 months. I worked for a small company which has 5 stores around the country with less than 50 employees in the company. The owner literally came into our store last night and said we're closing down tonight. You'll all receive an email. I've received an email saying you'll get a weeks notice pay. However in all our contracts it says to give notice we have to give or they have to give us 4 weeks notice. So am I right in saying we should all be receiving 4 weeks pay and not just a weeks pay?

DCFC79

My take on it is if that's what your contract says then yes but don't forget if there's no money in the business to pay whats in the contract then all you get is 1 weeks pay.

Do you know the reasons why ? Is it because its making a loss.

Stephen90

Well he said he's been trying to reach an agreement with the owners of the building for 14 weeks but couldn't work anything out so is just closing the store. All of the other stores are staying open.

Alter_ego

That's not the correct procedure for redundancy.

lovinituk

As it appears the OP has only worked there for 4 months it wouldn't be redundancy anyway. They are just being given notice. What the contract states should apply.

Stephen90

Yeah I've only worked there for 4 months but it was done really unprofessionally. I basically had to tell the staff what was happening as he didn't want to speak to any of the staff. He was like they'll get an email.

lovinituk

Stephen90 wrote: »

Yeah I've only worked there for 4 months but it was done really unprofessionally. I basically had to tell the staff what was happening as he didn't want to speak to any of the staff. He was like they'll get an email.

It's not redundancy for you then, it might be for anyone who has been there more than 2 years but that's not your problem.

Being "unprofessional", asking you to tell others and using email are irrelevant. First thing for you to do is speak to him about the terms of the contract regarding your notice period.

Stephen90

Yeah I am going to email him with a picture of the contract.

Stephen90

My manager has spoken to the owner about what all of our contracts say and he has agreed to pay us 4 weeks notice now.

Undervalued

Stephen90 wrote: »

My manager has spoken to the owner about what all of our contracts say and he has agreed to pay us 4 weeks notice now.

Based on what you have posted here you have a right to 4 weeks pay (or they could insist you work those weeks). You also have the right to be paid for any accrued but untaken holiday (roughly 1 day for every two weeks worked).

If they fail to pay either or both you could make a claim either in the small claims court or at an employment tribunal. However, there is only any point in suing if they have the money to pay!

General_Grant

lovinituk wrote: »

It's not redundancy for you then, it might be for anyone who has been there more than 2 years but that's not your problem.

But it is still dismissal on the grounds of redundancy.

The two years service would be needed in order to qualify for statutory redundancy pay.