Redundancy

Covid has been a difficult time for nearly everyone, whether it be you or someone you know has been ill, you have lost someone during this time and restrictions have made it hard to grief, you lost your job, your family or friends have lost their jobs and your trying to support them. It is the strangest times of our life’s. I said to a friend recently we are only seeing the ripple of redundancies once we get out of furlough, we will have to face the storm…

I have had several calls this week asking for advice regarding this. I am not an employment specialist, so I have directed people to. Gov and ACAS but the piece may help you. On a positive I have noticed a lot of nanny agencies posting jobs so don’t be too worried, but you may need to be flexible in the role you take. Keep an open mind

If you are made redundant it can be an opportunity to re-evaluate what you do. We need as individuals to manage this as best we can, and I am offering some information to try and help you.

Below are the details of redundancies information as a nanny you are entitled to redundancy pay if you meet the criteria. So, check this out on information below, check with .GOV and if your unsure speak to ACAS.

Positivity in our lives help us through and I wanted to share some tips that may assist you.

About you:

Get up on your alarm time each day the same time as if you would for work
The night before write a list of jobs/tasks you need to do- it will keep you focused
Take exercise every day- for mental well being

Your professionalism:

If you are not a trained nanny this maybe the time to take a course that offers ofsted compliant training this will mean when you move jobs it will give families the chance of you becoming Ofsted registered. Check your first aid, safeguarding, and DBS is all in date. If you need help, please contact us directly.

Have you ever thought about your transferable skills? Qualified nannies can often move onto other careers using their qualifications to work or study further?
Career change? I have seen many nannies move into these sort of roles
Health visitor assistant roles,
Teaching assistants,
Going to university to do midwifery or teacher training.
looking at specialising such as working with special needs, Montessori or play specialist.
Nursing
One of my nannies took up social work. so, the opportunities are endless.

Additional matters to consider:

Think about splitting your jobs if your struggling to find full time work. You may nanny a few days and take a totally different role the rest of the week. Is there a hobby you may be able to turn into a small business, such as decorating, gardening, Keep fit or sewing?
You may be able to go back to college or university to study to a new career. Alternatively, if finances restrict this look at open university, they have fantastic courses available to learn in your own time. I have taken some shorter courses myself in lock down.
Update your CV but remember for different roles you will need to adjust your CV. The CV will need to highlight the skills the company are seeking and what you can do. Remember transferable skills…
Applying for work is so sole destroying now with the internet, your asked to fill out forms even though you have a CV and often up to 4500 words why you are suitable for the role. This is before you even get a chance to have an interview. Do not get downhearted just set a time each day to do some searching and applying and then you will feel refreshed for the next day. Where possible find agencies for work they will do a lot of the hard work finding potential employers for you.

Your well being:

Make sure you get a break during the week and spend time with a friend. keeping within the safe measures
Going professional on social media. Then look at your personal social media keep it private. Set up a professional platform for work such as linked in.

The facts:

If you have been made redundant as a nanny and you’re PAYE the rules for redundancy is exactly the same for any other job. Speak to your employer (the family) and sort out what is happening.

Good luck

Information from .Gov Website

Redundancy pay

You’ll normally be entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you’re an employee and you’ve been working for your current employer for 2 years or more.

You’ll get:

half a week’s pay for each full year you were under 22
one week’s pay for each full year you were 22 or older, but under 41
one and half week’s pay for each full year you were 41 or older

Length of service is capped at 20 years.

If you were made redundant on or after 6 April 2020, your weekly pay is capped at £538 and the maximum statutory redundancy pay you can get is £16,140. If you were made redundant before 6 April 2020, these amounts will be lower.

Calculate your redundancy pay.

Redundancy pay (including any severance pay) under £30,000 is not taxable.

Your employer will deduct tax and National Insurance contributions from any wages or holiday pay they owe you.

Exceptions

You are not entitled to statutory redundancy pay if:

your employer offers to keep you on
your employer offers you suitable alternative work which you refuse without good reason

Being dismissed for misconduct does not count as redundancy, so you would not get redundancy pay if this happened.

You’re not entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you fall into one or more of the following categories:

former registered dock workers (covered by other arrangements) and share fishermen
crown servants, members of the armed forces or police services
apprentices who are not employees at the end of their training
a domestic servant who is a member of the employer’s immediate family

Notice periods

You must be given a notice period before your employment ends.

The statutory redundancy notice periods are:

at least one week’s notice if employed between one month and 2 years
one week’s notice for each year if employed between 2 and 12 years
12 weeks’ notice if employed for 12 years or more

Check your contract. Your employer may give you more than the statutory minimum, but they cannot give you less.

Notice pay

As well as statutory redundancy pay, your employer should either:

pay you through your notice period
pay you in lieu of notice depending on your circumstances

Payment in lieu of notice

Your employment can be ended without notice if ‘payment in lieu of notice’ is included in your contract. Your employer will pay you instead of giving you a notice period.

You get all of the basic pay you would have received during the notice period. You may get extras such as pension contributions or private health care insurance if they are in your contract.

Your employer may still offer you payment in lieu of notice, even if your contract does not mention it. If you accept, you should receive full pay and any extras that are in your contract.

Consultation

You are entitled to a consultation with your employer if you’re being made redundant. This involves speaking to them about: