49. A statement, signed by the Head of Personnel, giving particulars of the total redundancy package shall be issued to the employee when his or her redundancy is confirmed.

50. The statement shall show the different components of the package:

statutory/non-statutory redundancy entitlement;
ex-gratia payment;
annual leave not taken;
any other outstanding monies due (e.g. refund of college contributions).

It will also show how each component has been calculated.

Relevant date

51. The written statement shall also show the relevant date of redundancy, which is the date upon which all financial calculations are based. The relevant date shall be either: -

52. for permanent employees, the date upon which contractual notice expires (their termination date); or

53. for employees on fixed-term contracts, the date on which the contract expires if it is not renewed.

Employees on fixed-term contracts

54. This procedure applies to employees on fixed-term contracts. If a fixed-term contract is not renewed on expiry, or if an employees job becomes redundant before his or her fixed-term contract expires, he or she shall receive an appropriate redundancy payment, without prejudice to any other rights which they may have.

Appeals against selection for redundancy

55. Employees who feel that they have been selected for dismissal due to misapplication of the Redundancy Selection Criteria (see section 1.2 above), may appeal to the Secretary, or, if their (former) post is/was located in the Library or IT Services, Librarian & Director of Information Services.

56. The Secretary or Librarian & Director of Information Services shall nominate a senior member of the academic support staff to consider the appeal, together with any management response, and make a recommendation to whether it should either be upheld or dismissed.

57. Appeals may not be lodged against any decision by the School that redundancies are necessary.

58. Recruitment decisions taken in respect of potentially redundant employees are also excluded from the appeals process. Employees wishing to dispute recruitment decisions may do so by means of the Grievance Procedure.

59. The School reserves the right to rule the grounds of an appeal against selection for redundancy out of order, or not to allow the appeal to proceed. If the School decides to exercise this option, a written explanation of the reasons shall be provided to the former employee.

Suitable alternative employment

60. In keeping with its objective of avoiding redundancy wherever possible, the School shall seek to offer potentially redundant employees suitable alternative employment even where it is not broadly comparable in terms of content, grade or other benefits to their current job.

61. Such employment shall be offered before redundancy takes place and it will take effect within four weeks of the relevant date of redundancy. The differences between the two jobs shall be explained to the employee, who shall be given a four-week trial period in which to decide whether he or she wishes to accept the new post permanently. If during or at the end of the trial period, the employee decides not to accept the post permanently, his or her right to a redundancy payment shall not be prejudiced.

62. In such circumstances, it may be possible for the salary and other terms and conditions of an employee transferring to a job at a grade lower than his or her previous (redundant) post to be protected. (Reference to no guarantee deleted) Such protection would be for a fixed period, to be agreed prior to the transfer.

Outplacement

63. The School recognises that outplacement counselling will frequently be of assistance to employees facing redundancy. Group or individual counselling shall be provided as appropriate and the number of sessions to be funded by the School shall be agreed with the employee in advance. Further sessions may be provided at the employees expense.

64. Employees may also make reasonable use of School facilities such as word processors, telephones, fax machines and photocopiers in their job search.

Time off to look for work

65. All employees under notice of redundancy are entitled, during their notice periods, to reasonable paid time off during working hours to look for new employment or to attend training in respect of future employment.

66. Given operational constraints, employees wishing to avail themselves of this entitlement should give their managers as much notice as possible of their intended absence. Subject to this condition, requests for time off will not be refused.

Leaving the School whilst under notice of redundancy

67. Provided that they leave by mutual consent, and at a mutually convenient time, the School shall not withhold redundancy (but not ex-gratia) payments from employees facing redundancy who leave to take up new employment while under notice of redundancy.

Disciplinary, grievance and incapacity procedures

68. During the notice period, the provisions of the Schools disciplinary, grievance and incapacity procedures, including those relating to gross misconduct, shall continue to apply.

AJ/ID - 2 November 2001