employment rights "in administration"

[stevet2607]

I am the general manager (not director or shareholder) of a small 20 employee company. The company is owned by a holding company which owns / ring fences the assets. The trading co is insolvent and the owner is trying to sell and has been advised to do a pre pack deal by his IP. The potential buyer is in the same town and well known to the company. He is an aggressive character and has in the past bought other companies only to bully / ease out its employees and has never paid any redundancy. My fears are that he will do the same here, but can the administrator give redundancy notices before the new buyer buys? Any tips on how as an employee I can try to give myself more protection. During hard times I have accrued a large amount of backpay and bonuses, and although the owner has in the past given me his assurance that he will personally pay me this, he has more recently said that I am now a creditor and will have to take my chances with the administrator. Any tips here? anything would be useful, thanks steve

[Black Noir]

Hi steve....sorry i cant help personally, but you may want to try posting this in the Law section as well as here.

[thugulike]

Have a look at the ACAS site. There are rules that allow employees of companies in liquidation (rather than administration) to be paid redundancy out of the public purse. It sounds as though there will be a TUPE transfer of staff and assets. You need to take advice from either ACAS or CAB in advance. The you will be armed with the information you need. If you are unfairly dismissed for whatever reason you can make a claim to tribunal. Good luck.