This checklist summarises the key issues that your business should be aware of when dealing with a redundancy situation.
When can a redundancy situation arise?
Redundancy encompasses three different types of situation:
- Business closure.
- Workplace closure.
- Reduction of workforce.
Collective consultation
- If your business is making 20 or more employees redundant over a period of 90 days or less, you must:
- inform and consult appropriate employee representatives.
- notify the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
- An employment tribunal can award up to 90 days’ pay for each employee if your business has not consulted adequately. You can also be fined for failing to notify BIS.
- Your business should also ensure that you follow a fair procedure during the redundancy process (including consulting with employees properly) to minimise the possibility of claims for unfair dismissal.
Redundancy and unfair dismissal
- Redundancy is a potentially fair reason for dismissal. However, a redundancy dismissal is likely to be unfair unless your business:
- identifies an appropriate pool of employees for selection for redundancy.
- consults with the individuals in the redundancy selection pool.
- applies objective selection criteria to the employees in the redundancy selection pool.
- considers suitable alternative employment where appropriate (subject to a trial period).
- In certain circumstances, selecting an employee for redundancy will be automatically unfair. For example, selecting an employee:
- for a reason connected to pregnancy; or
- because they refused to sign a working time opt-out agreement.
Alternatives to redundancy
- At the start of a redundancy procedure your business should consider whether you can avoid making compulsory redundancies or reduce the number of compulsory redundancies. For example, by:
- suspending or restricting recruitment;
- reducing or removing overtime opportunities;
- not renewing contractors’ contracts; or
- Ceasing or reducing the use of agency workers.
- If these steps are unavailable or insufficient, your business could also consider:
- inviting potentially redundant employees to apply for suitable alternative vacancies;
- inviting employees to volunteer for redundancy;
- inviting employees to consider early retirement; or
- temporarily laying off employees or reducing their hours.
Redundancy payments
- Employees with at least two years continuous employment with your business at the point they are made redundant will be entitled to a statutory redundancy payment.
- Some employees may also be entitled to an enhanced contractual redundancy payment.
More information
If you have any queries about the content of this checklist, please contact Philippa Spratley.
