Job offer retracted due to coronavirus 19 March 2020 at 8:15PM in Redundancy & redundancy planning 9 replies 1.1K views

sarah124562

I have one month left on my notice period and today received a call to say my job offer has been withdrawn due to this situation. Basically I will have to agree a notice extension with my current employer or hopefully find other work before then.
My salary is below 25k and I am a single 25 yr old homeowner and I've worked out how many months I could afford to be unemployed for using my savings.
If this were you, what would your next steps be to avoid having to use savings? I also don't know if the withdrawal is legal, they technically said my employment depends on references within the company book, but this was not mentioned in the contract itself. I guess I'm looking for reassurance really that things will be OK, I'm doing this alone and have put myself in this position by moving jobs.

gj373

Unfortunately, with less than 2 years service at your new company they can let you go legally so even if you did have a contract you wouldn't really have a case.
Best thing to do is ask your current employer if you can withdraw your notice and continue working with them.

dexter1027

sarah124562 said:

I have one month left on my notice period and today received a call to say my job offer has been withdrawn due to this situation. Basically I will have to agree a notice extension with my current employer or hopefully find other work before then.
My salary is below 25k and I am a single 25 yr old homeowner and I've worked out how many months I could afford to be unemployed for using my savings.
If this were you, what would your next steps be to avoid having to use savings? I also don't know if the withdrawal is legal, they technically said my employment depends on references within the company book, but this was not mentioned in the contract itself. I guess I'm looking for reassurance really that things will be OK, I'm doing this alone and have put myself in this position by moving jobs.

Unfortunately I am in the same boat. I am currently serving my notice period, and was due to start a new job in 2 weeks having signed an agreement and agreeing a start date. This week they withdrew their offer - by getting the recruiter to call me. They didn't even bother to call me. I'd left a very stable job and my current employer won't withdraw my resignation, and as a result of my leaving I will have to pay £3,000 worth of study clawback which my new employer was going to pay! 
I have yet to seek legal council, but I am sure I have a case on the basis that I signed a employment agreement with them and took actions relying on this agreement. I assume this is the same with you. 

Don't know about you, but my agreement was not known to be subject to any references or checks so your employment technically starts as soon as you agree employment. And even if they were any tests I was subject to I know I would pass them. Per my agreement, I am entitled to written notice and a notice period of 1 week. If they are withdrawing from the agreement they are breaching their own contract, so you could sue them for damages equivalent to notice period or any damages you've incurred as a result of relying on their agreement. They must put you in a place as if the agreement never took place. 
I am not a lawyer, but an accountant so I have a basic understanding of company and employment law. I've spoken to Acas and like me, I am sure you are due at least to be paid your notice period pay. Best to reach out to the company and explain. 

[Deleted User]

Aww, seems funny now when I went to some interviews in January to be told the new job was starting in March or April ...(me now sees method in the madness of dates) 
On the point of references being used as a way out excuse, I know when I took a call from a Care Home earlier this week and retorted back again that I wasn’t confident I could get a reference from my very last employer recorded to them as we would now have have severed any good blood when I had to get a copy of my P45 and plus they are not currently in business - totally shocked to hear that’s ok for the care ind! as they reckoned no one would deny writing the most basic ref (ie. confirming dates of employment) if a care home still sees the green light in employing someone currently with risky medical condition and highly possible  potential lack of references then we’ll all in trouble!

sarah124562

dexter1027 said:

sarah124562 said:

I have one month left on my notice period and today received a call to say my job offer has been withdrawn due to this situation. Basically I will have to agree a notice extension with my current employer or hopefully find other work before then.
My salary is below 25k and I am a single 25 yr old homeowner and I've worked out how many months I could afford to be unemployed for using my savings.
If this were you, what would your next steps be to avoid having to use savings? I also don't know if the withdrawal is legal, they technically said my employment depends on references within the company book, but this was not mentioned in the contract itself. I guess I'm looking for reassurance really that things will be OK, I'm doing this alone and have put myself in this position by moving jobs.

Unfortunately I am in the same boat. I am currently serving my notice period, and was due to start a new job in 2 weeks having signed an agreement and agreeing a start date. This week they withdrew their offer - by getting the recruiter to call me. They didn't even bother to call me. I'd left a very stable job and my current employer won't withdraw my resignation, and as a result of my leaving I will have to pay £3,000 worth of study clawback which my new employer was going to pay! 
I have yet to seek legal council, but I am sure I have a case on the basis that I signed a employment agreement with them and took actions relying on this agreement. I assume this is the same with you. 

Don't know about you, but my agreement was not known to be subject to any references or checks so your employment technically starts as soon as you agree employment. And even if they were any tests I was subject to I know I would pass them. Per my agreement, I am entitled to written notice and a notice period of 1 week. If they are withdrawing from the agreement they are breaching their own contract, so you could sue them for damages equivalent to notice period or any damages you've incurred as a result of relying on their agreement. They must put you in a place as if the agreement never took place. 
I am not a lawyer, but an accountant so I have a basic understanding of company and employment law. I've spoken to Acas and like me, I am sure you are due at least to be paid your notice period pay. Best to reach out to the company and explain. 

Hi! Sorry I have just seen this.

Sorry to hear you are also in this difficult situation - has anything changed since your last message? As Martin Lewis said on his TV show last night, your employer may agree to retract your notice and put you on the 80% furlough.

Unfortunately this is not suitable for me as theyve restructured the business and the company have not been so significantly hit to impact anyone else's employment. My only option it appears now is to apply for Universal Credit once I'm officially unemployed. No jobs are hiring at all in my industry so no idea when I will find relevant work again. 

I am personally going to speak with an employment lawyer (free consultation) to discuss my options as I still believe the new company have breached contract. It's now a case of whether the win of damages (1 month employment) would be worth the closure of the company potentially offering the job to me further down the line.

sarah124562

Deleted User said:

Aww, seems funny now when I went to some interviews in January to be told the new job was starting in March or April ...(me now sees method in the madness of dates) 
On the point of references being used as a way out excuse, I know when I took a call from a Care Home earlier this week and retorted back again that I wasn‚Äôt confident I could get a reference from my very last employer recorded to them as we would now have have severed any good blood when I had to get a copy of my P45 and plus they are not currently in business - totally shocked to hear that‚Äôs ok for the care ind! as they reckoned no one would deny writing the most basic ref (ie. confirming dates of employment) if a care home still sees the green light in employing someone currently with risky medical condition and highly possible  potential lack of references then we‚Äôll all in trouble!

Oh dear! Not sure I'll ever choose to leave a job after this haha. Luckily for me I know I'd receive good references so if they fought back on this point, I'd be able to meet the criteria!

movilogo

Unfortunately this is happening now left and right. Ask the new employer whether they can offer you any goodwill payment due to their job offer retraction. That's the best you can get.

dexter1027

sarah124562 said:

dexter1027 said:

sarah124562 said:

I have one month left on my notice period and today received a call to say my job offer has been withdrawn due to this situation. Basically I will have to agree a notice extension with my current employer or hopefully find other work before then.
My salary is below 25k and I am a single 25 yr old homeowner and I've worked out how many months I could afford to be unemployed for using my savings.
If this were you, what would your next steps be to avoid having to use savings? I also don't know if the withdrawal is legal, they technically said my employment depends on references within the company book, but this was not mentioned in the contract itself. I guess I'm looking for reassurance really that things will be OK, I'm doing this alone and have put myself in this position by moving jobs.

Unfortunately I am in the same boat. I am currently serving my notice period, and was due to start a new job in 2 weeks having signed an agreement and agreeing a start date. This week they withdrew their offer - by getting the recruiter to call me. They didn't even bother to call me. I'd left a very stable job and my current employer won't withdraw my resignation, and as a result of my leaving I will have to pay £3,000 worth of study clawback which my new employer was going to pay! 
I have yet to seek legal council, but I am sure I have a case on the basis that I signed a employment agreement with them and took actions relying on this agreement. I assume this is the same with you. 

Don't know about you, but my agreement was not known to be subject to any references or checks so your employment technically starts as soon as you agree employment. And even if they were any tests I was subject to I know I would pass them. Per my agreement, I am entitled to written notice and a notice period of 1 week. If they are withdrawing from the agreement they are breaching their own contract, so you could sue them for damages equivalent to notice period or any damages you've incurred as a result of relying on their agreement. They must put you in a place as if the agreement never took place. 
I am not a lawyer, but an accountant so I have a basic understanding of company and employment law. I've spoken to Acas and like me, I am sure you are due at least to be paid your notice period pay. Best to reach out to the company and explain. 

Hi! Sorry I have just seen this.

Sorry to hear you are also in this difficult situation - has anything changed since your last message? As Martin Lewis said on his TV show last night, your employer may agree to retract your notice and put you on the 80% furlough.

Unfortunately this is not suitable for me as theyve restructured the business and the company have not been so significantly hit to impact anyone else's employment. My only option it appears now is to apply for Universal Credit once I'm officially unemployed. No jobs are hiring at all in my industry so no idea when I will find relevant work again. 

I am personally going to speak with an employment lawyer (free consultation) to discuss my options as I still believe the new company have breached contract. It's now a case of whether the win of damages (1 month employment) would be worth the closure of the company potentially offering the job to me further down the line.

Been in discussion with my former employer but they aren't willing to furlough me as there is a risk they will not be eligible to claim because I've voluntarily left, although I think it would have been possible and other businesses are doing the same. I think there is an element of spite from initially leaving the job in the first place which is a shame. 

Same for me - no one is hiring and probably wont for a while now. 

I have spoken to an employment lawyer on the basis of breached contract - my course of action is to have the lawyer draft and send a formal legal letter. However the cost of this is roughly £250 + VAT and doesn't cover any further recourse. At the very least like me, you should be entitled to notice period pay. 

I have written to the company that withdrew my offer explaining this, but they have yet to reply to me and probably wont. After a week or so I will call, and if they are still unreasonable I will probably have the lawyer send the letter but may not befinancially worth it. 

lincroft1710

If you think the company may in the future employ you, then clearly don't even dream of taking them to a tribunal. Also should you take them to a tribunal, (hearing in 2021??) , they would probably use the excuse of the current crisis impinging so much on their business so that they were unable to honour their agreement and they might just win.

Undervalued

dexter1027 said:

sarah124562 said:

dexter1027 said:

sarah124562 said:

I have one month left on my notice period and today received a call to say my job offer has been withdrawn due to this situation. Basically I will have to agree a notice extension with my current employer or hopefully find other work before then.
My salary is below 25k and I am a single 25 yr old homeowner and I've worked out how many months I could afford to be unemployed for using my savings.
If this were you, what would your next steps be to avoid having to use savings? I also don't know if the withdrawal is legal, they technically said my employment depends on references within the company book, but this was not mentioned in the contract itself. I guess I'm looking for reassurance really that things will be OK, I'm doing this alone and have put myself in this position by moving jobs.

Unfortunately I am in the same boat. I am currently serving my notice period, and was due to start a new job in 2 weeks having signed an agreement and agreeing a start date. This week they withdrew their offer - by getting the recruiter to call me. They didn't even bother to call me. I'd left a very stable job and my current employer won't withdraw my resignation, and as a result of my leaving I will have to pay £3,000 worth of study clawback which my new employer was going to pay! 
I have yet to seek legal council, but I am sure I have a case on the basis that I signed a employment agreement with them and took actions relying on this agreement. I assume this is the same with you. 

Don't know about you, but my agreement was not known to be subject to any references or checks so your employment technically starts as soon as you agree employment. And even if they were any tests I was subject to I know I would pass them. Per my agreement, I am entitled to written notice and a notice period of 1 week. If they are withdrawing from the agreement they are breaching their own contract, so you could sue them for damages equivalent to notice period or any damages you've incurred as a result of relying on their agreement. They must put you in a place as if the agreement never took place. 
I am not a lawyer, but an accountant so I have a basic understanding of company and employment law. I've spoken to Acas and like me, I am sure you are due at least to be paid your notice period pay. Best to reach out to the company and explain. 

Hi! Sorry I have just seen this.

Sorry to hear you are also in this difficult situation - has anything changed since your last message? As Martin Lewis said on his TV show last night, your employer may agree to retract your notice and put you on the 80% furlough.

Unfortunately this is not suitable for me as theyve restructured the business and the company have not been so significantly hit to impact anyone else's employment. My only option it appears now is to apply for Universal Credit once I'm officially unemployed. No jobs are hiring at all in my industry so no idea when I will find relevant work again. 

I am personally going to speak with an employment lawyer (free consultation) to discuss my options as I still believe the new company have breached contract. It's now a case of whether the win of damages (1 month employment) would be worth the closure of the company potentially offering the job to me further down the line.

Been in discussion with my former employer but they aren't willing to furlough me as there is a risk they will not be eligible to claim because I've voluntarily left, although I think it would have been possible and other businesses are doing the same. I think there is an element of spite from initially leaving the job in the first place which is a shame. 

Same for me - no one is hiring and probably wont for a while now. 

I have spoken to an employment lawyer on the basis of breached contract - my course of action is to have the lawyer draft and send a formal legal letter. However the cost of this is roughly £250 + VAT and doesn't cover any further recourse. At the very least like me, you should be entitled to notice period pay. 

I have written to the company that withdrew my offer explaining this, but they have yet to reply to me and probably wont. After a week or so I will call, and if they are still unreasonable I will probably have the lawyer send the letter but may not befinancially worth it. 

As I'm sure the lawyer explained to you, under all normal circumstances the maximum you might get from your intended new employer would be notice pay as they could (unless you have exceptional contractual terms agree) have terminated your employment on day one.

If there is laid down period of notice they were obliged to give you, then it is worth asking the question as it is hard to see how they can avoid paying that. However, unless a notice period has been agreed the legal default is zero in the first month.