Redundancy & Maternity

JMBWales

Hi, ive had a letter to say my job is at risk of redundancy. Im currently on maternity leave and have been since January. I am senior on my section and train/look after 12 people who all came in after me. So i also get paid slightly  more. Can they make me redundant? Or should some of the others go first?

lincroft1710

Anyone whose role becomes redundant,is themself a candidate for redundancy. The employer must follow due process. You haven't said if your 12 co-workers are also affected.

JMBWales

Yes theyve all had letters to to say there at risk

sharpe106

Why should the others go first? 

JMBWales

Because ive been there 3 years longer than all of them and trained them. I have more experience and no alot more about the job. The question is more about me being on maternity and my rights with my role going back and if they have to find me work somwhere else in the company

sharpe106

They can't say your on maternity leave so it is you and they can't discriminate against you with you being off on maternity. But that does not mean that your name gets taken out of the hat. The chances are if you are the senior employee and do the training your probably pretty safe anyway, unless you get paid a lot more then the others. 
But yes if they decide it is you to go then the same as any other employee they have to try to find you role/. 

JamoLew

It may also depend on the current structure compared to the proposed new structure.
If you are the only person in the  establishment on a certain job description/contract/T&Cs and that role is no longer going to exists, there is no choice to be made.
If however you and the other 12 are all on identical contracts/job description/T&Cs and they are reducing from 13 to say 6 - that may have a different outcome.
You say you are senior in your section - therefore it could be possible that your role is unique

lincroft1710

So is your employer dispensing with the entire department or just reducing the number of people in that department. Definitely for the former and possibly for the latter there may be no need for a more senior member of staff in the department.