The Current Situation
The Administrators have confirmed that approximately 2,500 staff have been made redundant with immediate effect, with the remaining wholesale employees staying on to assist in winding-down the business.
The Administrators are continuing to explore options for a sale of P&H Direct Van Sales Limited, P&H Sweetdirect Limited and P&H Snacksdirect Limited. In the meantime, the business has ceased to trade but all employees have currently been retained in these business areas.
If you have been told that you have been made redundant:
If you have been made redundant with immediate effect, you can begin looking for a new job, and any shortfall in statutory notice will be guaranteed by the Government.
Your statutory notice entitlement depends on your continuous service at the date you were dismissed as follows:
|
Period of Continuous Employment
|
Statutory Notice |
| Under 4 weeks |
NIL |
| 4 weeks – 2 years |
1 week |
| 2 years – 12 years |
1 week for each complete year of service |
| Over 12 years |
12 weeks |
If you have been told that you are being kept on:
If you have not been given formal notice of redundancy dismissal and a specific leaving date, you must be very careful. Even though you are at risk of redundancy, if you leave early to go to another job you will not be considered as dismissed and you will lose your redundancy entitlement if you just resign.
If you have found another job, you will need to ask the Administrators to dismiss you by reason of redundancy on the date you want to leave and issue you with a dismissal notice to that effect. We have asked the Administrators to support this approach. If they refuse to co-operate, you will be forced to make a very hard choice between the new job and the redundancy package. If you find yourself in this position, please contact the Union for further advice.
Redundancy Pay
The Government guarantees certain payments. The Administrators have given Usdaw guarantees that they will help you make a claim to the Insolvency Service Redundancy Payments Office and you should work with the Administrators to make the claim.
Please note, if you have under two years' service, you will not be eligible for statutory redundancy pay. If you are currently on maternity leave, please contact the Administrators or the Union for specific guidance.
Usdaw is currently consulting with our solicitors over any further monies you may be entitled to and will contact you in the near future regarding this.