Redundancy: the options

Try to find ways of helping employees come to terms with their situation.

How employers can help redundant employees

You could:

• Consider re-employment in other roles within the business.
• Advise them to contact their local Jobs & Benefits office, which can provide a free service for bringing together employers with vacancies and people looking for work. The Jobs and Benefits Office can also give details of training opportunities available.
• For larger-scale redundancy programmes, employers may find it helpful to discuss with the Jobs and Benefits office staff the possibility of providing facilities on site for interviewing redundant employees.
• Contact other local employers who may have vacancies that they could offer to the redundant employees.
• Offer advice on searching for suitable vacancies in the press and on the internet.
• Offer guidance on CVs, job application forms and interview techniques - see applying for jobs.
• Make them aware of the assistance available from the Careers Service.
• Provide clear information on the amount of redundancy pay and how it affects pension payments and state benefits.
• Point out the need for the employee to discuss the financial implications of redundancy with their family as early as possible.
• Consider other support, such as financial advice or counselling support.

See coping with redundancy.

Additional help with redundancy

Redundancy Payments Service

If you require further information or advice with an ongoing redundancy claim, you can call the Department for the Economy's Redundancy Payments Service on Tel 028 9025 7562 or email: rpsquery@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For general advice on redundancies, you can get help from the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) Helpline on Tel 03300 555 300.

Redundancy Service

The Department for Communities (DfC) offers a Redundancy Service to help employers and employees through the process of redundancy. A redundancy clinic webinar is also available to help employers and employees affected by redundancy.

For further help, you can also email: dfcemployerservices@communities-ni.gov.uk.

Redundancy webinar

The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) redundancy webinar recording provides useful information on the topic of redundancy and how to ensure the redundancy process is managed fairly and in line with employment legislation.