Do I have to apply for alternative roles on offer?

sghughes42

About half of the company I work for have been on furlough for the last few months. On Monday we were told that 10 of us were at risk of redundancy with 4 positions being created which are in effect hybrid roles to allow the company to down-size while keeping as much ability as possible.

The problem I have is that none of the roles suit me in the slightest - I'm an electronic engineer, these are sales, training and customer support roles on a side of the business where I have little experience. In addition, they are customer facing which poses an issue short-term in that due to being asthmatic I'm at higher risk and most generally due to a significant speech impediment I'm not great in roles that require lots of speaking to people...

Would I be at any disadvantage if I declined to apply for either of these roles? Would it affect my eligibility for anything in future? I see little point applying for a role I am quite unsuited to unless it would cause problems if I didn't. I think I'm in an unlucky position - the others at risk could fit these roles, some better than others, however my role is very specific and unfortunately the company has decided it can't support the 'new products' side of the business at this time.

sharpe106

You don't have to apply for an alternative role. If they have anything suitable they need to offer it to you which by the sounds of it they are doing, offering you the chance to apply for another role. Although the role does not suit you is not their fault. They still need to make 6 people redundant so if you don't apply for another role you will most likely be one of them. Although granted in theory if the job is similar they could put you in it even if you did not apply for it, but not sure why they would if the others all applied for them. 

sghughes42

Thanks, that's good to know. As I mentioned, I'm in a completely different role to the others under threat and the new roles are on their side of the business rather than mine. I think the roles are aimed towards 7 or 8 of them but that's not so much favouritism as just the company deciding where to focus to minimise cost.

sharpe106

Have a talk with them the best you can do really see what they say. 

dd95

if they offer you a suitable alternative and you unreasonably refuse, you would lose your right to redudancy pay, although on the facts it's doubtful that the alternatives are suitable for you -  you have the right to a four week trial period although you would need to inform employer that it is not suitable (if indeed it isn't) during that period. If you don't do this you would be considered to have impliedly accepted the new position

Grumpy_chap

If I were you, I'd apply for the roles anyway, so that forces them to make the decision that the roles are not suited to you, and you can say how committed and flexible you are for the company.  Nothing to lose.