Would you ask to postpone a start date again?

uberua

Hello everyone,

This post is just to get a second opinion on what you would do in the same situation, here is my story:

A company X where I work announced the closing of business and 2 phases of making workers redundant, in June and July. I have found another job with a start in May but new employer Y agreed to postpone the start date until June so I can get a redundancy pay. I signed the contract.

After that a company X where I work announced that due to many workers who already left the company (moved to other jobs not waiting to become redundant), the first wave of making people redundant is cancelled and all who left will be made redundant in July.

I contacted current employer X asking for early redundancy and my request was rejected. Now in order to be able to get the redundancy (and the amount is like 4 months salary) I need to contact my new employer Y and ask to postpone the start date again. I feel quite uncomfortable to do so as they postponed the start date already before and the contract is signed.

The question is, would you try to contact the new employer and ask them to postpone the start date again, or will it be too much and they can just say that “you don't seem very interested to work in our company”, and they may cancel the contract and find another person for this position. I need to add that the position is quite good and I’d like to work there indeed, I just don't want to miss a chance to get a lump sum of redundancy pay if the new employer does not mind moving a start date again.

Please share your thoughts, it is quite interesting for me to get a second opinion.
Cheers.

LimeFruitGum

I would push back harder on your former employer than your future one, because your redundancy package is none of the future employer’s business. But I would get legal advice on it first.

I would not risk the new job over a 4-month redundancy package, assuming you are being paid more in the new job.

squeekyduck

Do you have a letter/contract with company X stating the original end date? If so, I would be pushing company X to hold up their side of the bargain.

If it's a specialist job, company Y may be able to accommodate you but I would be having this discussion as a last resort. Generally, in certain fields at least, it is difficult to get people so they will do all they can, and in reality 4 extra weeks is not much.

Strumms

100% get legal advice.

If they agreed a redundancy with you, ie. xxxxx euros, and XX finish date... to my all be it non legally trained mind, they are reneging on what they agreed....

That reneging is going to come at a cost to you, financially, stress etc... you 100% need legal advice they are treating you disgracefully...

Don’t give them an inch. As for ‘accommodating’ them ? They are trying to throw you overboard, accommodation would be the last thought.

uberua

Thank you all for your comments. Yes, the salary at new place is like +20%. The contract with my current employer has no end date, it is a permanent full time position, specialist job. The time difference between June and July in my case will be 8 weeks as it is a beginning of June and the end of July.

I have a 1 month notice to respect (I work there more than 5 years) if I decide to complete the form RP6, however, they mentioned that they will refuse to pay redundancy if I will leave any time earlier before the finish date. I did not receive the form with XX finish date yet, I will be getting it soon and the date will be the end of July. The situation is that they announced 2 waves to us with a 1st been in the beginning of June, I was counting to leave with a first one, signed a contract with another company and now they announced that 1st wave is cancelled.

I was considering to get a legal advice too, thanks lads for your input.

If there are any other thoughts, please share. Thank you all.

Jim2007

Stop for a minute and consider the impression you are giving your future employer by asking them to play these kinds of games with you...

You are not entitled to redundancy unless the your employer decides to go ahead with the redundancy drive and even then they may not offer it to you... and if they know you're very enthusiastic to get it early, I wound not be surprised if they jump to the conclusion you'll go anyway and they leave you swinging in the wind.

If it were me I'd keep my new employers well out of it. It's very easy get shot of someone in the early stages and starting out this kind of game will make every other issue a reasons to review your status.

bucketybuck

If I was your new employer I would be distinctly unimpressed with all of this, it certainly doesn't paint a picture of a new employee eager to get started.

You say they accommodated a later start date based on the original redundancy schedule, that's fine, but flexibility when agreeing a start date is one thing, reneging on agreed start dates is quite another.

There may be other factors, maybe you have some specialist skills that they really want so they will work with you on this, I cant say. But kicking the can down the road another 2 months doesn't show much commitment or focus on your new role.

Just my opinion, but a new hire coming to me with this sort of thing would not be a good start for me.

uberua

Thanks everyone. I won't be contacting a new employer for changing a date, I was thinking that's a bad idea from the beginning but just wanted to hear what others think. I will consider getting a legal advice on redundancy pay though.