Redundancy Meeting 28 May 2020 at 7:11PM edited 28 May 2020 at 8:01PM in Redundancy & redundancy planning 9 replies 391 views

LockdownandReady

Today I have been informed my job is at high risk of redundancy and I have ben invited to attend a meeting on Monday to discuss (in total over 125) are at risk.
Anyone know what I should expect at this meeting on Monday? I obviously have the expectation to be told its the end of the line but still nice to know what the usual protocol is in these meetings?


I've also just started with this firm in February and was furloughed early March... So I'm guessing they could just essentially terminate my employment? 

Grumpy_chap

Sadly, yes, if you only started February you have very few rights and they could pretty much just say your time is up.

Given that there are a high number affected, that may work a bit more in your favour as it drags the process out.  There has to be a consultation process and, I think, that has to be a minimum of 45 days for the number of people affected that you mention.  The consultation also has to be fair - they cannot simply say you are redundant just because of short length of service (though that probably does not bode well for you), but you still need to be included in the consultation.

At the meeting, expect to hear an outline of the state of the business and why they need to make redundancies, what the process will be, selection criteria (and why the criteria are fair) and what the company has done so far to reduce the possibility of redundancy.  They may set out, either collectively or individual letters, what the redundancy and notice pay might be if you are selected for redundancy and whether or not the company is enhancing the payment above statutory.  They will ask everyone to thing of anyway that redundancies can be avoided (either at the meeting or, more likely, to give ideas after the meeting and how that can be fed in to the company and will be considered).  The you'll be told when the next meeting will be.

Given it is a large employer, there might be a Union representative present.

blue.peter

Take the word "discuss" with a large pinch of salt. If there are that many people involved, you shouldn't expect any personalised discussion. I'd expect it to be a talk (probably short) from a senior manager telling you, more or less, that you should expect to be made redundant. There might, or might not, be an opportunity to ask questions after the talk. It might be worth thinking about things that you'd like to know in advance, so that you can ask the questions if (a) they haven't already been answered and (b) you're given the opportunity to ask. Any personal discussion is likely to be later, with your line manager.

Well, that's more or less what happened when I went to a meeting of this sort a few years ago.

Grumpy_chap

Even if there is a Q&A at the end, consider whether you wish to ask anything in the open forum or better serve your interests by asking less openly, via e-mail or individual meetings (if there are any).

LockdownandReady

Would i even be eligible for any holiday entitlement pay? 

JReacher1

As you've only been there a few weeks I think you will unfortunately be on the list to be leaving. 

Thrugelmir

LockdownandReady said:

Would i even be eligible for any holiday entitlement pay? 

You will have accrued leave during the period of the employment. They'll either pay you for this when you leave, or ask that it's taken during the notice period. 

sharpe106

Start looking for another job now as probably one of last in be one of first out.
You will still be paid notice period and any holidays owed, they will discuss that with you, probably not at the meeting on Monday.
I would think on Monday they will pretty much just be reading out a prepared statement that they probably could have just as easily emailed you and that would be about it. 

LockdownandReady

Before I got this, we were all told that production would start on the 15th and our 2 weeks holidays would start on June 1st to 14th

But yeah been looking for jobs but see nothing 

sharpe106

Fingers crossed you may be one of the lucky ones. Guess it will come down to how bad some of your colleagues are compared to you. If they are that bad the company might be willing to pay them a bit to go.