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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 [2]
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