What consultation must an employer undertake before making redundancies?

In every redundancy the employer must inform each employee individually in advance.

This is to enable discussions to take place with a view to agreeing, wherever possible, an alternative to redundancy.

In addition, where it is intended to make 20 or more employees redundant, the employer must inform and consult the recognised union at least 30 days before the redundancies are due to take place.

This rises to at least 90 days where 100 or more redundancies are involved.

If there is no recognised union the employer is required to make arrangements for the election of employee representatives with whom consultation will then take place within similar time limits.

This is one of the commonest areas where employers get it wrong.