With the current economic climate the way it is companies need to tighten their belts to succeed which unfortunately means that redundancy rates have seen a rise in recent years.
Having been there myself I know how hard it can be to get past this and although it is just business it can be hard not to take it personally and let it knock your confidence but remember you’re not alone. It’s an unfortunate fact that hundreds of thousands of people are made redundant every year in the UK. There are always positives that can be taken from any situation to help you move forward.
By law your employer has a number of guidelines they must adhere to:
- Give you a written explanation of why you’re being let go
- Give you at least one week’s notice if you’ve been employed between one month and two years
- Give its employee representatives (i.e. union) 30 days notice if they are making between 20 and 99 redundancies
- Give its employee representatives 90 days notice if they are making over 100 redundancies
- Try and find you alternative work in the organization if possible.
You do have the right to appeal against your redundancy. If you feel that you were not properly consulted, you have not been given adequate compensation, or you have been discriminated against in any way, shape or form, you can take your case to an employment tribunal to dispute the decision
Redundancy pay can be a huge financial relief in some cases, but the amount you are entitled to will depend mainly on the length of time in the position you’re being made redundant from, you can get a guide to the amount you are entitled to using the Directgov’s online calculator.
If your employer is not in a position where they can pay your redundancy pay (If the company has gone into administration, or has other financial difficulties meaning that they cannot afford the payment) the Redundancy Payments Office may make the payment.
Don’t be tempted to spend, spend, spend if you do receive a sizable amount of redundancy pay, just bear in mind you temporarily have no other income. Draw up a list of your outgoings and set yourself a personal budget. This will give you a timespan, so you know exactly how far your money will go, and how long you can dedicate to finding a new position.
You will of course be entitled to state benefits during your period of unemployment. To find out exactly which benefits how much you are entitled to, visit your local Job Centre+.
You are now ready to start looking for your next exciting opportunity, please do visit our website www.gravitasrecruitmentsw.co.uk to search our exciting vacancies.
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