Law Queries

Redundancies have been announced at our work. Our employer has said that we have to work our notice and do not have the right to be paid in lieu. Surely we can demand this?

The law does not give employees the right to demand pay in lieu of notice. This means that if your employer insists that you work your notice then you cannot claim payment in lieu. There is a procedure for an employee to make a request to be paid in lieu of notice (perhaps because the employee has been offered a new job which has to be taken up right away) but even in this case the right is not absolute.

More information: LRD booklet, Redundancy law - a trade unionist's guide