DBS Law Ltd

Lawyers issue warning to younger workers ahead of redundancies and cuts

Employment specialists at Birmingham based DBS Law have published advice for younger workers who they say are more vulnerable in a redundancy situation.

The advice which includes, checking contracts and redundancy policies ahead of redundancy notices being sent out, is published in Rookie Magazine. Rookie is a free publication aimed at 20-35 age group distributed nationally.

DBS Head of Employment Paul Griffin said, “We have seen a marked increase in enquiries from younger workers who feel insecure in their jobs.  In our experience people in their twenties and early thirties are seen as easy pickings for employers who are making cut backs.  They are cheaper to get rid of and least likely to make a fuss in return for a decent reference.”

“The situation has changed as younger workers are less optimistic now about getting a new job in a labour market which will tighten still further when the government’s cuts start to bite.”

The advice sets the basics of what every worker needs to know in redundancy situation, which most younger workers are unaware of. It explains that an employer has an obligations to consult staff over redundancies and how it is possible to claim compensation for unfair selection for redundancy at an employment tribunal. 

The decision to use Rookie magazine was made on the basis that younger people were unlikely to seek advice of this nature until it was too late and the best way to get their attention was in a magazine that featuring music and fashion.