These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications.
Q: What constitutes ‘reasonable alternative work’ in law?
A: It is work that is suitable in terms of factors that include skills required, pay, location and status. For example a woman returning from maternity leave could be given back her old job as a secretary to the sales director or, if that is not available, be redeployed as a secretary to another senior executive.
It would be unreasonable to put her into the typing pool, or relocate her from the directors’ suite to the works manager’s office in the middle of the foundry. If the factory were relocated five miles away most employees are likely to be redundant.
Assuming that jobs and terms and conditions of employment continue unchanged at the new location, it would be reasonable alternative employment for someone with a company car or who lived midway between the two sites. It would not be reasonable for someone who lives close to the old site who does not have a vehicle if there is no public transport to the new site.
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