Is my redundancy a smokescreen urgent help needed

I will try and explain best I can

I work in a HR departmen which consists of a HR Controller (not qualified in HR at all), myself HR Officer (qualified and member of CIPD), payroll officer, safety officer and admin support.

The company is going through 85 redundancies and consulted with unions regarding correct selection procedures. No consultation centred around the loss of individual post holders positions.

I was informed that I was at risk of redundancy. The company had to lose 1 administrator (of which there are 9).

At my first consultation mtg I was told in the opening line that my manager was told he had to lose one of his administrators (of which there are 3) and he had decided it would be me because my role could be shared out easier. There was no genuine consultation, the decision was made. I asked what the rational was behind his decision but he said he was told he had to lose one of us. The workload in the HR department is at a all time high (can be verified by those of us there as we have lost 6 staff members over recent years and we have had to try and cope best we can).

They are now saying my position is no longer available but the work is so obviously there with many tasks remaining outstanding. I feel that no explanation has been offered to me. I am more qualified than my manager in HR as he is from a safety background and there are other people in post in other departments who have nothing better to do than do their personal shopping in work time.

I am the only part-time worker out of 500 staff. The company do not like part time working and I had to struggle to allow them to let me do it. I have received constant jibes over the years. The last straw was when on maternity leave 4 years ago and my manager (who I believe has chosen me for personal reaons as he feels threatened by my ability) suggested I take a compromise agt rather than return to work following my maternity. I had previously stated categorically that I wanted to return to work.

I feel that the redundancy situation has been the opportunity they have needed to get rid of the one and only part-time who has always been a thorn in their side.

Any help greatly appreciated as I am trying to compose my appeal letter.

The whole thing just does not seem right.

Thank you in advance

Thank you for your post although I am sorry to hear about your situation at work.

From what you say, it doesn't look like your employer has not carried out a full and meaningful consultation with you.

Was there was a selection criteria used, as you were in a selection pool with 2 other administrators or did your employer just tell you that it was you who will be made redundant? Your employer should consult with all employees in the pool about the pool for selection (in your case all administrators), the selection criteria that will be applied and the method of application, such as interviews.

It is not permissible for an employer to select an employee for redundancy because he or she is a part-time employee. Where selection for redundancy takes place, it must be based on a set of criteria that are fair and free from bias.

If you are are dismissed, I would say on the face of it, you have a good case for unfair dismissal on the grounds that you were unfairly selected for redundancy because you work part-time although please take legal advice if you wish to pursue this. If a claim for unfair dismissal is made, your employer will need to demonstrate that the you were dismissed for a 'fair' reason.

From what you say, it sounds like your employer is not very orientated to part time workers!

I look forward to any information that you wan to return with. Please keep us with your situation as it will also help others in a similar situation.