Lawyers Issue Warning to Younger Workers Ahead of Redundancies and Cuts

BIRMINGHAM, England, May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Employment specialists at Birmingham based BDS Law have published advice for younger workers who they say are more vulnerable in a redundancy situation.

The advice which includes, checking contracts and redundancy policies ahead of redundancy notices being sent out, is published in Rookie Magazine. Rookie is a free publication aimed at 20-35 age group distributed nationally.

DBS Head of Employment Paul Griffin said, "We have seen a marked increase in enquiries for younger workers who feel insecure in their jobs. In our experience people in their twenties and early thirties are seen as easy pickings for employers who a making cut backs. They are cheaper to get rid of and least likely to make a fuss in return for a decent reference."

"The situation has changed as younger workers are less optimistic now about getting a new job in a labour market which will tighten still further when the government's cuts start to bite."

The advice sets the basics of what every worker needs to know in redundancy situation, which most younger workers are unaware of. It explains that an employer' has an obligations to consult staff over redundancies and how it is possible to claim compensation for unfair selection for redundancy at an employment tribunal.

The decision to use Rookie magazine was made on the basis that younger people were unlikely to seek advice of this nature until it was too late and the best way to get their attention was in a magazine that featuring music and fashion. The advice will also be published on Twitter and Facebook.

Note to Editors. Rookie magazine is published on 31st May. The full transcript of the article is below.

Unless you have just come back from a gap year in Outer Mongolia you will have noticed the economy is a little shaky right now and it could be about to get a whole lot worse as Government plans to cut spending kick in.

Over the last year 40,000 people have been made redundant every month. They mostly went in the private sector. NHS staff, police officers, fire fighters, and council workers all face a similar fate.

Losing your job can be a bitter blow both to your finances and to your confidence too. You need to prepare yourself now before the worst happens. Knowing your rights and understanding your employer's obligations to you can't hurt even if you are one of the lucky ones.

Ask questions

Now is not a good time to bury your head in the sand. Ask your boss or supervisor how the company or department is doing. If there are financial problems or big cuts in funding for the service you and your work mates provide this is a clear sign that trouble is round the corner.

Consultations

All employers have an obligation to consult with their staff if jobs are likely to occur. What form the consultation takes and how much influence you can have on the outcome will depend on how many people work for your company and whether or not there is a trade union agreement in place. The time between announcement and the first people can be up to 90 days and in most cases this will be much shorter. Check your contract

Ask about your company's redundancy policy. It may be included in your contract or it may be a separate document. It should be able to tell you how individuals will be chosen in a redundancy situation and how much pay you can expect if you do lose your job.

No point getting excited about the money here, big pay outs are reserved for big city bankers. Most employers will only pay what's called statutory redundancy pay which is calculated according age, service and weekly pay. There is also a ceiling on the amount and so two months' salary may be as much as you can expect even if you been with your employer for a long time.

Unfair dismissal

The best outcome is to avoid being selected for redundancy at all. The best protection can be found in knowing your rights to compensation should your boss get the process wrong. If your boss selects you unfairly for redundancy you may be able to claim unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal. You can get some cash and your boss has to pay the legal costs. Most employers will want to avoid the time and expense going to a tribunal can cost them.

Avoid the chop if you can

Knowing what you can make a claim for can help you during the consultation period. If your boss thinks you may have a claim chances are they'll leave you alone.

Legal advice

The best possible advice we at Rookie magazine can give you is to speak to a qualified employment solicitor as early as you can, there's no point facing all the stress on your own.

Get started today, find out how the company is doing, dig out your contract and check your notice period, and speak to the personnel department about the redundancy policy and then call your lawyer. Good luck.