Alternative employment following redundancy - trial period and redundancy pay

Hi. I was put at risk of redundancy and my last day was due to be last week (thursday 15th Dec). I was successful in applying for an internal role, starting on the Friday. I'm now in a 4 week trial period.

My first question is:
What does the 4 weeks include? Next week is Christmas week where we have to take holiday as the office is shut. Would next week count as one of the 4 weeks?

My second question is:
If at the end of the trial period I don't want to continue in the role, do I lose out on any of the redundancy pay? If my last day had been the15th Dec, I would've got 1 months pay in lieu of notice, 3 weeks pay redundancy and my holiday paid.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

1) The four weeks includes Christmas - four consecutive calendar weeks.

2) If you do not wish to continue in the role you must let the employer know before the expiry of the trial period and, providing the role was unsuitable and/or you acted reasonably in leaving it, then you will be treated as having been made redundant on the 15 Dec.

Of course, if there is any dispute over the reasonableness of your leaving or the suitability of the post, and the employer does not pay you redundancy, then you will have to prove to a Tribunal that it was not suitable. So you should think carefully about the circumstances and the evidence you would need to show that.

Hi - thanks for your reply.

Re redundancy pay. If I'd left on the 15th I would've got my 4 weeks notice period paid, without having to work it. Would my 4 week trial be the equivalant of working my notice, thus I wouldn't get paid for it? Or if myself, or my employer, decided not to continue after the trial would they then pay me another 4 week notice period plus my redundancy?

Thanks again.

The trial period cannot be treated as your notice period.

Assuming you were contractually entitled to receive the 4 weeks pay in lieu of notice, then you should still receive that if you refuse the alternative employment as unsuitable (and assuming it is deemed reasonable for you to have done so).