Qu: I am redundant on August 31st -

Can I do supply work in September without affecting my redundancy pay?

 

Answer: YES, but make sure you do not receive any offer until after August 31st.

Here's the small print:

A redundancy payment is only disallowed if all of three important conditions are satisfied:

• the teacher returns to the same employer or takes up a post with a public sector employer **

• the break between the two employments is less than four clear weeks plus one day, and

• the offer of the new employment was made – either orally or in writing – before the previous (redundant) post ended.

 
In other words, the entitlement to redundancy payment stands when:

• a teacher leaves an LA post by virtue of redundancy and straightaway takes up employment in an independent school (or vice versa), or

• a teacher’s new post is with another public sector employer**, but commences after a gap of more than four clear weeks plus one day, or

• a new post starts within the four-week period, but is only offered after the termination of the previous job."

 
So, a teacher taking redundancy from a maintained school or central Authority post can accept  genuinely casual, day-to-day supply work straight away after leaving the permanent post without jeopardising her or his redundancy payment, provided this teaching is offered at the start of the new term, i.e. after the previous contract has ended.

** There is a list of public sector employers who are considered to be the same as Local Government employers and include bodies such as the Broads Authority, known as the "Modifications Order" list.  If your new employment is in the public sector, but not a Local Authority, check with the Union.

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