Redundancy Question

kmurph

I was made redundant at the end of March, when the company I worked for closed down. We were the sole supplier and support contact for a software package used by a particular sector of Irish industry around the country. We were a franchise owned by a UK company that we had very good relations with, and dealt with daily.

When we were told that the company was closing, my boss assured me and the other employees that the UK branch were going to cover all the closure costs and we would definetly receive our redundancy, obviously based on how long we worked for the company.

However, about a month later, we were told that the UK had gone back on this agreement and we would be getting nothing for the forseeable future. We were paid our normal wages for our final month before we finished.

So basically just wondering if this was totally above board.

tk123

I don't think it is - you are entitled to redundancy by law. When I was made redundant it was 2 weeks for each year so long as you were there for 2 years min and a bonus week - thats just statutory redundancy. We were given a a few hundred more as a goodwill gesture.They also have to give you paid time off to look for other work Check out http://www.oasis.gov.ie/employment/losing_your_job/redundancy.html

kmurph

Thanks for that link tk123. Lots of interesting reading there.

My situation is a bit wierd as I still have something of a working relationship with my old employer. I've done a few nixers for him since I finished with the company and don't particularly want to rock the boat there.

Having said that, according to the online calculator thingy, I'm entitled to almost €4,000 in redundancy which would be nice.

shoegirl

kmurph wrote:

However, about a month later, we were told that the UK had gone back on this agreement and we would be getting nothing for the forseeable future. We were paid our normal wages for our final month before we finished.

So basically just wondering if this was totally above board.

No, its not, you are legally entitled to staturtory redundancy and your employer can be convicted for not doing this. However, check out the government's oasis site, fill out this form:

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/utilities/redirect.php?url=http://www.entemp.ie/erir/formrp14.1.doc

60% of your lump sum is claimed back by your employer anyway, there is no excuse.

This form is to be used when applying to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for payment of a redundancy lump sum from the Social Insurance Fund. You should only use this form if you have applied in writing to your employer for payment (Form RP77 may be used) and he has failed to pay the redundancy lump sum. So write him a nice letter telling him that under the Redundancy Payments Act, 1979, you are requesting that they pay your lump sum. If you get no reply or are refused you need to contact the Employment Appeals Tribunal, unless you already have a redundancy cert, which means you can then fill out the form below.

This Form must be accompanied by either a Redundancy Certificate or a favourable decision from the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

"If you have applied in writing and your employer refuses to give you a Redundancy Certificate or ignores your application and you consider that you are entitled to a redundancy payment, you may appeal to the Employment Appeals Tribunal. If the Appeals Tribunal decides that you are entitled to a redundancy lump sum they will issue a decision which should be sent to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment with this form."