Ex-employer wanting little 'free jobs' after redunancy

[LondonKid]

Interested in people's thoughts on this....

My wife was made redundant after three years of continuous service and left the company on good terms.

Now that she has left they keep sending her emails asking if she will answer a few work questions or put together a little spreadsheet for them (she worked in finance)

She still really likes her ex-colleagues and doesn't like to say no, but i am very much of the impression that they made the decision to terminate her employment and that she should not agree to continue helping them out at her expense.

What would you do? Would you continue to be helpful, would you make up excuses as to why you can't do it, would you just ignore the messages or just bluntly tell them no?

 

[Colin Warnek]

No.

 

[Heine_Otto]

Easy this one. Give them a blunt no

 

[Colgates_shaving_foam]

Interested in people's thoughts on this....

My wife was made redundant after three years of continuous service and left the company on good terms.

Now that she has left they keep sending her emails asking if she will answer a few work questions or put together a little spreadsheet for them (she worked in finance)

She still really likes her ex-colleagues and doesn't like to say no, but i am very much of the impression that they made the decision to terminate her employment and that should not agree to continue helping them out at her expense.

What would you do? Would you continue to be helpful, would you make up excuses as to why you can't do it, would you just ignore the messages or just bluntly tell them no?

I would say something along the lines of if you contact me again regarding work then I will sue you for wrongful dismissal as my role was obviously not redundant.

Or just F### off

Either way works.

 

[Wiseman_Vaughn]

No. Or send them a quote.

 

[Decent_Left]

Interested in people's thoughts on this....

My wife was made redundant after three years of continuous service and left the company on good terms.

Now that she has left they keep sending her emails asking if she will answer a few work questions or put together a little spreadsheet for them (she worked in finance)

She still really likes her ex-colleagues and doesn't like to say no, but i am very much of the impression that they made the decision to terminate her employment and that should not agree to continue helping them out at her expense.

What would you do? Would you continue to be helpful, would you make up excuses as to why you can't do it, would you just ignore the messages or just bluntly tell them no?

Bluntly say no.

If she does do anything for them what about liability?

What a pack of gets

 

[Billy69_uk]

yes, but at £100 per hour as a consultant

 

[The_Lizards_Jumpers]

Ask them if they want her back on a consultancy basis, since she obviously has some knowledge that they need.

She can then charge them for the work she does, obviously as long as it doesn't impact on her existing work / leisure time.

 

[Centralscrutinizer]

As above. I'd say I'd be happy to work for them on a day rate. It'd be a NO doing anything for free as a favour.

 

[LondonKid]

Thanks guys - i thought that would your responses

I think they have a bit of a nerve actually asking the question in the first place.

They've obviously tried to cut costs without considering the consequences!

 

[Willow]

Your wife work/studied hard to gain the knowledge she now has. Why should this company be allowed to terminate her contract but then expect to still gain the benefit of her knowledge and experience. She shouldn't worry about hurting their feelings over this, if they would turn their back on her because she refused to work for free they weren't really friends anyway. Just freeloaders.

 

[Muttley]

Consultant rates or not at all. One or two quick questions fair enough if there is no ill will beyond that nothing comes for free.

 

[TheYorkshireTerrier]

Quote them for it, should never do any work for free outside of a contractual agreement.

 

[Corco65]

She might have grounds, if you are in time to take action at an employment tribunal regarding unfair dismissal (redundancy is dismissal) given they keep asking her to do work.

You can argue her job isn't redundant and therefore the dismissal is unfair as the job actually still exists, especially if you have evidence regarding the number and frequency of requests.

 

[Youngie]

I’d go down the consultancy route and bill them..(tell them first obviously)

you’re a winner either way as they either clear off or they take her up on it and your quids in

 

[HundredRoom]

Consultant rates or not at all. One or two quick questions fair enough if there is no ill will beyond that nothing comes for free.

A bit of a capitalists point of view. Shouldn't you be considering the greater good

 

[Millbrook]

A bit of a capitalists point of view. Shouldn't you be considering the greater good

Capitalism is the greater good, in this case at least.

 

[festa5]

Who is asking her? Is it ex-colleagues looking for a favour from a mate or is it being asked of her in an official capacity?

I don't think it changes the answer, but might change how she goes about saying no.

Pretty stunned if it's the former like, very unprofessional and definitely taking the ****.

If it's the latter, still pretty cheeky but it happens. Answering the odd question if it's short and takes no time might be ok if it's something specific that only she would know (where did you save X etc), but knocking up a spreadsheet! My immediate reaction would be that they were on a wind up.

 

[zzzzz]

It's another GTF from me.

 

[SmallTown]

As others have said. Happily do work but charge consultancy fees for it