Redundancy Handling

We have two approaches to redundancy handling to ensure your business continues to operate as quickly as possible, during and after redundancy.

Click for Free guidelines.

Fast Track

For a small number of redundancies, where perhaps a total skill set is no longer required we adopt a fast track approach. The benefits of fast track is that business disruption is kept to a minimum and those impacted are not dragged through a lengthy period of ambiguity.

Step 1

We write to the employee notifying them of the reason for the redundancy, and invite them to a meeting to discuss the matter.

Step 2

We hold a meeting with the employee to discuss the redundancy – at which the employee has the right to be accompanied. We then notify the employee of the decision and the right to appeal.

Step 3

We hold an appeal meeting (if the employee wishes to appeal) at which the employee has the right to be accompanied – and inform the employee of the final decision.

Collective Redundancy

Consultation

Apart from the good employment relations benefits of consultation, employers who propose to dismiss as redundant 20 or more employees at one establishment over a period of 90 days or less have a statutory duty to consult representatives of any recognised independent trade union, or if no trade union is recognised, other elected employees.

We handle the BERR notification for you. 

Elected Representatives

Employee representatives may be elected solely for the purpose of consultation about specific redundancies or they could be part of an existing consultative body. Detailed requirements are laid down in regulations for electing employee representatives in situations where the employer does not recognise a trade union.

We handle the election process for you.

This duty applies even when the employees to be made redundant are volunteers. Failure to comply with the consultation requirements could lead to a claim for compensation, known as a protective award.

Consultation will begin:

• at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect if 20 to 99 employees are to be made redundant at one establishment over a period of 90 days or less
• at least 90 days before the first dismissal takes effect if 100 or more employees are to be made redundant at one establishment over a period of 90 days or less.

The consultation process should precede any public announcement of the redundancy programme and we will work with you to prepare and issue relevant notifications. 

Selection criteria

We will work with you to develop selection criteria that will ensure you retain the core skills required to maintain and grow your business.

Statutory disclosures

Employers have a statutory duty to disclose in writing to the appropriate representatives (and individuals) the following information concerning proposals for redundancies so that they can play a constructive part in the consultation process:

• the reasons for the proposals
• the numbers and descriptions of employees it is proposed to dismiss as redundant
• the total number of employees of any such description employed at the establishment in question
• the way in which employees will be selected for redundancy
• how the dismissals are to be carried out, taking account of any agreed procedure, including the period over which the dismissals are to take effect
• the method of calculating the amount of redundancy payments to be made to those who are dismissed.

We will handle these statutory duties on your behalf.

Notice of termination

We will issue Notice of Terminations once consultations have begun, but only after sufficient meaningful consultation has taken place. Consultation with individuals will be held as case law has shown dismissals to be unfair where representatives or unions have been consulted, but not individuals.

Contact Commercial Hub HR for a no obligation discussion on how to re-align your reward strategies for increased profitability.

Central Milton Keynes office:
Technology House
151 Silbury Boulevard
Central Milton Keynes
MK9 1LH

Tel: 0845 1161 511 Fax: 01908 545705 E-mail: info@commercial-hub.co.uk Website: www.commercial-hub.co.uk