7. Concluding redundancy consultation

The final consultation meeting will involve confirming with the employee that they have been selected – or escaped  redundancy.

1. Redundancy – where to start
2. Who to consult with
3. Who to select for redundancy
4. Alternatives to redundancy
5. Consultation meetings
6. Redundancy – scoring employees
7. Concluding redundancy consultation

It is usual practice to allow the employee to be accompanied to the final consultation meeting by a colleague or union representative – though as this is not a disciplinary procedure the Acas Code of Practice does not apply.

What should be addressed at this meeting?

You should ensure that the employee is clear on the reasons for the redundancy and also address any questions or issues that are raised by the employee.The clearer you are, the less likely there will be a dispute later on.

You will already have informed the employee in writing of their entitlement to notice and any statutory redundancy pay. You should confirm this along with the date the employee’s employment will end – including any payment in lieu of notice or whether the employee will be required to serve their notice.

If the employee has any outstanding holiday then they should be informed what this is and what arrangement you want to make as regards when or if it has to be taken before they leave.

The duty to look for alternative employment for the employee continues up until the expiry of the notice period. This is often overlooked by employers and can lead to a claim of unfair dismissal.

Confirmation in writing

Once the meeting is complete, you should ensure that a follow up letter is sent to the employee addressing what was discussed at the meeting and advising that they can appeal the decision.

The right to appeal

If the employee decides to proceed with the appeal then ideally, it should be heard by an someone who did not carry out the initial redundancy consultation.

Expiry of the notice period

Once the employees notice period has expired you should ensure that any outstanding payments are made, for example, any outstanding holiday pay, redundancy payment and any outstanding expenses.