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HR tip: Time off for redundant employees

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications.


Question:

"Some employees who have been declared redundant have asked for time off to go for interviews, look for jobs and so on. This could disrupt the operation of running down their section, so how do we stand?"

HR tip:

Employees under notice of redundancy, who will have two years' service at the end of that notice period, are entitled to a reasonable amount of time off work to look for alternative employment or training opportunities. What is a reasonable amount of time is not specified in law. They are entitled to be paid for the first two days, but that does not limit them to two days off.

I appreciate that this will cause you difficulties but you must accept that the employees themselves have huge problems also. They have mortgages and bills to pay but are to become unemployed. Your best approach therefore is to arrange a time-off schedule with all the affected employees, regardless of their length of service. Give priority to people who have job interviews, then those with two years' service. If you do this you will minimise disruption and gain a useful amount of co-operation.

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