What is redundancy? Employment Law

Redundancy happens when a business needs to let go of staff who are no longer required to do their job due to changes within the organisation or a specific department. Circumstances where redundancy situations may arise include when a business:

• Changes what it does
• Changes the way it does things
• Moves location
• Reduces the amount of work for staff
• Cost savings are needed
• Closes

There are strict rules and procedures a business must follow when making redundancies to ensure no employees are discriminated against or unfairly dismissed. Throughout the process, an employer must be able to show that they have taken all reasonably practicable steps to follow the process.

Further to this, employers looking to make redundancies must be prepared to evidence the steps they have taken to try and avoid redundancies and to reduce or mitigate the consequences of redundancy.

What are an employee’s legal rights in relation to redundancy?

Employees facing redundancy are entitled to a selection of legal and contractual rights to protect them from unfair dismissal. This includes the right to:

• A fair process
• A minimum notice period
• A genuine and meaningful consultation (for a minimum period if 20 or more redundancies are proposed)
• Time off to look for work

Help & Support from Beswicks Legal

If you require help and advice regarding redundancy, either as an employer or an employee, our team at Beswicks Legal are on hand. Our specialist Employment Law team can help individuals and organisations understand their position and clarify the options available to them. For help and support, please get in touch today to speak to a member of our team.