Can I be made redundant to allow for up-skilling a team?

[Jambaro]

Hi - I've spent a long time googling but can't find an answer so here I am.

Me and two colleagues with the same job role have been put at risk this week and been given the opportunity to apply for 3 roles which are of a higher level.

I've decided to apply because I feel I meet the criteria for the more senior role but it's strikes me as an unusual reason for redundancy and they should be offering the chance to train to meet the new skill set?

Given that they haven't just given any of us a promotion it is clear they know we won't all apply for the role or won't meet the criteria(I.e. Whatever happens we aren't all staying?) but I can't help thinking if any of us do meet the criteria it should be offered as an alternative employment option rather than making us go through an interview process?

I'm just wondering whether I ought to float the idea at my consultation if the others don't apply? I.e. The others haven't applied, I'm qualified so offer me as an alternative role?

Is it even legal to use up-skilling a team as a redundancy reason?

[Paulie67]

Re: Can I be made redundant to allow for up-skilling a team?

Sorry to hear that Jambaro - I suffered similar fate last year and work in HR! The short answer is probably yes as you are effectively talking about a restructure. Normally in the case of a restructure, attempts may be made to match people to posts (if the duties and grades are similar) or, as in your case, require employees to apply for posts (this is what happened to me - I jumped ship and took voluntary severance). Should you fail to be appointed, then you would be classed as redundant as your post has effectively gone. Employers are required to mitigate the effects of redundancy by considering suitable alternative employment - but only if they have suitable vacancies - they do not have to create you a post. It is hard for me to go into more detail without knowing details of your redundancy policy or what consultation you have been through. Hope this help and good luck

[Jambaro]

Re: Can I be made redundant to allow for up-skilling a team?

Thanks for your guidance - I think my 'argument' is that the senior role they are advertising is the same grade as my current role with 'senior' tacked on. We have a forms job grading process so I know they are the same level. I wondered if they should be offering the role as alternative employment of the others in the pool do not meet the minimum criteria for the new role but I do?

[Paulie67]

Re: Can I be made redundant to allow for up-skilling a team?

Setting the grade aside, how similar are the roles in terms of duties and responsibilities? Are you able to argue that the post is effectively yours with a different job title? If this is the case, then they should be offering the role as alternative employment if you meet the criteria. You will need to push your employer on the redundancy selection criteria and ask for objective reasons why you have not been offered the post. This is very similar to what happened to me last year.

[Jambaro]

Re: Can I be made redundant to allow for up-skilling a team?

I shall take a look into it - I've explained to them that I feel the roles are close on paper and that the actual job they have asked me to do for the last year (and graded me against as exceeding expectations) is actually the new job. Essentially the reason they want to replace us is the size of be portfolio we will be managing has grown since we were appointed and we aren't skilled to run a portfolio of that size however I've been running a portfolio of the bigger size since day 1 and graded as doing well.