1.0
Redundancy Procedures
1.1
It is River Clyde Homes’ intention to develop and expand our organisation and to provide
security of employment for our employees. However, circumstances may arise when
changes in the market, technology, organisational requirements, and similar developments,
will lead to the need for reductions in staff.
2.0
Choosing people for redundancy
2.1
Before deciding to make anyone redundant, there must be a genuine need for redundancy.
When choosing employees for redundancy, River Clyde Homes must use a method which is
fair and which does not discriminate against employees for reasons such as your race or sex.
They must base their decisions on some evidence, for example, on disciplinary records,
rather than just deciding to get rid of you because they don't like you.
3.0
Consulting you about redundancy
3.1
Fewer than 20 people are being made redundant
If River Clyde Homes is thinking about making an employee redundant, they will consult with
you before making a decision. If we don't do this, an employee’s dismissal for redundancy is
potentially unfair even if they are in a genuine redundancy situation.
3.2
20 or more people are being made redundant
If River Clyde Homes was to make 20 or more employees at one workplace redundant, this
would be called a collective redundancy. As well as consulting with the employee
individually, River Clyde Homes will consult with the four recognised trade unions who are
Unsion, UCATT, GMB and Unite before issuing any redundancy notices.
4.0
Discrimination and choosing people for redundancy
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4.1
It's against the law to choose employees for redundancy because of age, disability, gender
reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or
belief, sex or sexual orientation as this would be discrimination.
4.2
It may also be against the law to choose people for redundancy just because they work parttime or are pregnant, as this would be sex discrimination or discrimination because of
pregnancy. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has produced an information
booklet on managing redundancy for employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave. It
is available from the EHRC website at www.equalityhumanrights.com.
5.0
Dismissal procedures
5.1
River Clyde Homes will follow a fair procedure when choosing who to make redundant.
6.0
Taking voluntary redundancy
6.1
Where jobs are to reduce, River Clyde Homes may ask for employees to volunteer for
redundancy and Voluntary Severance may also operate from time to time as agreed by the
Board.
7.0
Suitable alternative job offers
7.1
If River Clyde Homes is intending to make you redundant, we will consider whether there
are other jobs available which you would be capable of doing.
7.2
If a suitable job is available, River Clyde Homes will offer it to you instead of making you
redundant.
7.3
Suitability of the alternative job that River Clyde Homes offers you is dependant on a
number of things. These include:
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
the sort of job it is

the pay you will get

the hours you'll have to work

where the job is located

your skills, abilities and personal circumstances.
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7.4
River Clyde Homes doesn't have to offer you a similar sort of job or a job in the same
workplace.
7.5
The offer of alternative employment must be made before your current job ends. The offer
can be made in writing or verbally. You must be given enough details about the new job so
you know what the difference is between this one and your current job.
8.0
If you refuse an alternative job offer
8.1
If River Clyde Homes offers you a suitable alternative job and you turn it down without a
good reason, you may lose any right you may have to redundancy pay.
8.2
The employee and River Clyde Homes may disagree about whether a job is suitable or
whether the refusal is unreasonable. If this is the case, an employment tribunal to decide
whether you are entitled to redundancy pay.
9.0
Trying out an alternative job
9.1
If an employee is considering the offer of an alternative job with River Clyde Homes, the
employee has the right to try out the job before they decide whether or not to take it.
9.2
The employee can work in the new job for a trial period of four weeks and this will start
immediately after the previous job ends.
9.3
If the employee decides the new job isn't suitable, they can give notice during the trial
period without affecting any right that they might have to redundancy pay. If the employee
hasn’t given notice by the end of the trial period, their right to redundancy pay ends.
9.4
River Clyde Homes may offer the employee a number of alternative jobs and each offer must
give the employee enough details about the job so that they know what the difference is
between this one and their current job. The employee is entitled to a trial period in each job
if they want it.
10.0
Notice of redundancy
10.1
If the employee is being dismissed for redundancy, they have the right to notice and must be
given:
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one week's notice if the employee has been employed for at least one month but
less than two years
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if an employee has been employed for at least two years, one week for each
complete year of employment, up to a maximum of twelve weeks.
11.0
Getting another job during the redundancy notice period
11.1
If the employee is under specific notice of redundancy and they have found another job, the
employee may leave to take the new job during the notice period. However, the employee
may lose the right to redundancy pay.
12.0
Time off to look for work when you're under notice of redundancy
12.1
If an employee has been given notice of redundancy, they have the right to paid time off to
look for a new job. Employees have this right as long as, by the time their notice period
ends, they've worked for their employer for at least two years. There are some employees
who are not entitled to paid time off to look for work. These are:
12.2

employees who've worked for their employers for less than two years

merchant seamen

share fishermen

members of the armed forces

police service employees.
Reasonable time off will be given and this will be dependant on the employees
circumstances. For example, it might depend on the difficulty of finding work in certain
areas, the time and travel involved and the range of jobs that the employee is looking at.
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