Being made redundant

Never been through this before It's nothing to do with Covid and it's 'only' my second job, but still.....

My second job is as a caretaker in a school for kids with behavioural problems. I work there 25 hours a month (6.25 hours a week) , the cleaner locks up the school and an agreement was in place that someone would open the school due to my working hours at my main job. My 25 hours a month is spent on maintenance, legionella water checks, fire lighting checks, etc.

Now, they have decided they need a caretaker to be there 1.25 (1 hour, 15 minutes) hours a day to open up the school, etc., therefore my role has become redundant

It takes less than 15 minutes to open the door, switch off the alarm and switch the lights on It's only a small school. This leaves the new caretaker with just 1 hour a day to do all the work the school asks to be done.

I'm in a 'consultation' period now, after having a meeting with my managers on Tuesday.

It'll be the first time in years that I'll be down to just the one job!

I'm disappointed as they've had about 5 years of faithful service from me - never been off sick, etc.

I'm employed by the local council authority and my managers are disappointed too. They can't find me other work, due to the flexibility of this job and my working hours at my main job

I just hope it ends up as one of those situations where 'you miss what you had when it's gone' as it'll be hard for the new caretaker to do what I used to when they are only available an hour a day

Harsh news indeed T, if they're dead set on this course of action are they talking some redundancy package?

I'm not in any kind of position to give good advice Theresa, but I can say I'm sorry for your bad news.
Everyone is making cutbacks it seems.

I hope you manage to find something else! Keep civil and it could be the new method doesn't work out well with them.

Ah Theresa, really sorry to hear that. Not much I could add to your situation. Hope you get through this.

Really sorry to hear this, Theresa. I hope your track record gets you something to replace those hours soon.

Sorry to hear this, T. Having been through this on both sides of fence too many times, I can tell you that you shouldn’t take redundancy as a reflection on you. Businesses and organisations need to make changes and cut costs from time to time and people, unfortunately, get caught up in it. I had to let 25 of my people go earlier this year. Very tough and shocking for them. At most times, I’d say that people generally end up in a better place but these are not normal times so I wish you all the very best.

They aren't making cutbacks - the new caretaker will be employed on the same hours I am.

I know it's not a reflection on me and my work, it's just that they need someone to open the school every morning, which I'm not in a position to do and never was, but the previous headteachers and deputies were happy with the arrangement.

The council are my employers though and they have to do whatever the school funding pays them for, so they now have to look for a caretaker to take over from me. The council have already tried offering me relief work, but that's not suitable for me, due to my varied hours at my main job

I don't think the redundancy will be worth much due to my contracted hours

Looks like I'll have to try and get more overtime in my main job!

It’s a bugger at the best of times to have to deal with this but it’s a strange place that we are in both at work and home. Really hope you find something.

Sorry to hear this Theresa.

If it's any consolation, it's not a reflection of your abilities and work ethic whatsoever and is totally out of your hands!

I'm sure you'll be fine in getting something else!

Theresa, if the consultation is ongoing, raise job share - ie why can't that duty of opening up be given as a duty to someone else already in post, or appoint someone else in addition to do it. Is there a reason why it has to be done by the same person?

One slight word of warning, this does not sound like a redundancy situation, so you may not be entitled to a redundancy payment - although they may be willing to treat it as one.

Thanks Mark

To be honest , for the sake of 6.25 hours a week, I can't see anyone wanting to job share. No one at the school wants the responsibility of opening up any more, so they need to appoint someone that does.

The consultation end on the 14th November, so they should set out redundancy terms then, if nothing else is found.

I'll just wait and see what happens.

No worries, if I can help, just drop a PM

Hi Theresa,

Really sorry to hear this. Its becoming more common place with schools especially with the temptation of becoming academies. They get sold the dream then a big facilities company costing way more does the job of a caretaker.
Its usually a case of local authorities getting schools of there books which will be the eventual outcome. They will probably farm those duties eventually.

Thought about a full time caretakers job or even facilities role? Might be something worth considering for a more complete income? Let me know if something you would think about.

Thanks Mark

Reubs, the local council is still responsible for the school, the land, cleaning, caretaking, funding, etc., it's just that the school want a caretaker to be there for a fixed time each day, rather than the flexible hours and days I work now.

I'm already in a facilities role at the hospital I work in and I work 40+ hours a week there, so I'm ok for work, thanks It's just that the school was a nice little bit of extra income and as payday is a week earlier than the hospital, it helped see me through