Employment Rights
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When can you request voluntary redundancy?
I currently work in a back office role in a large company. Our department is closing down and we have been ‘mapped’ to new roles which are in a Call Centre. Call Centre work is my worst nightmare due to anxiety issues. However we have basically been told, if you don’t like it you can find a new job. Unfortunately, for me I work part time and have 2 young kids so finding a new job is not proving to be very easy. I have been with the company for 13 years and have always been in back office roles. They are also asking me to come in for four days a week for one month for training which is a nightmare for childcare. Can I request voluntary redundancy if the new role is not suitable? A handful of people have been given it for medical conditions i.e. ear problems, but I don’t know if having bad anxiety will be seen as a valid reason.
Your back office role is redundant so you are entitled to a redundancy payment unless there is “suitable alternative employment” for you. What is suitable depends on an objective assessment of your personal circumstances. If your anxiety makes a Call Centre role unsuitable for you, you should not be “mapped” into the role but instead given a redundancy payment. You should contact HR to explain your medical history and why this makes a Call Centre role unsuitable for you. You should also explain that your childcare needs prevent you attending four days for training. This is a further reason why the new role is not suitable.
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Comments [4]
Jane says:
My former classroom based role as a trainer has evolved into home based webinars which are causing me to feel anxious for a number of reasons, on3 o& them being my neighbour constantly banging on the ‘thin’ walls whilst I’m delivering a webinar, and two being the webinar platform isn’t suiting me and makes me feel terribly under confident and anxious and I miss going ‘ out’ to work. I’ve worked for the company for 12 years. Can I ask for redundancy?
Mandy Garner says:
When did the changeover happen and were you consulted on it? If you accepted the change to remote working, you would not be legally entitled to redundancy, but you might be able to negotiate something with your employer.
Stephen says:
I have worked for a company for 19 years and they have been bought by another company and are in process of merging. There are no plans for redundancy in my department but I want to change career so can I ask for redundancy and would I be entitled to a redundancy payout please
Mandy Garner says:
If no redundancies are on the cards and your role has not changed, your company would not have to offer any redundancy. However, if there is a restructure and you are asked to take on new terms and conditions you could refuse this and seek redundancy – see https://www.gov.uk/your-employment-contract-how-it-can-be-changed/dealing-with-problems