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Ways of consulting you

There are two ways in which your employer might have to consult you about redundancy:

Collective consultation

If your employer's planning to make 20 or more employees redundant within a 90-day period, your trade union (or elected employee representative if you don't have a union) should be consulted before anyone's given notice.

The consultation should cover ways to avoid a redundancy situation, and how to keep the number of dismissals to a minimum and limit the effects on those dismissed (eg by offering retraining). It should take place at least 30 days before the redundancies are due to begin or 90 days if more than 100 employees are affected.

If this doesn't happen, you (or your representative) can take your employer to an Employment Tribunal, which can award up to 90 days' pay in compensation to each employee.

• More about how to solve a problem at work

Individual consultation

Your employer should always consult you individually. This will normally involve:

If this doesn't happen, your dismissal for redundancy may be unfair.

• Find out more about unfair dismissal

Where to get help

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) offers free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues. You can call the Acas helpline on 08457 47 47 47 from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday.

• Acas Opens new window

The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) offers free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues for residents of Northern Ireland. You can contact the LRA on 028 9032 1442 from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.

• Labour Relations Agency Opens new window

Your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) can provide free and impartial advice. You can find your local CAB office in the phone book or online.

• Find your local Citizens Advice Bureau Opens new window

If you have doubts about the way your employer may have calculated your statutory redundancy pay you can call the Redundancy Payments Helpline on 0845 1450 004.

More useful links

• Detailed guidance on redundancy consultation and notification from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) Opens new window
• Detailed guidance on redundancy from the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland Opens new window
• Find out more about insolvency Opens new window
• Advice for employers on redundancy from Business Link Opens new window
• Adviced for employers in Northern Ireland on redundancy from nibusinessinfo Opens new window