Collective redundancy: Government guidance and HR1 form

The Government has published an updated HR1 form (available here) for employers to notify the Secretary of State of their intention to make 20 or more employees redundant within a period of 90 days or less.

The new form is intended to be shorter and more straightforward to complete.

The Government has also updated the accompanying guidance notes on how to use the HR1 form and collective redundancies more generally (available here).

A failure on the part of an employer to notify the Secretary of State of a proposal to make collective redundancies is a criminal offence, which can result in an unlimited fine being levied against the employer. Individual directors can also be prosecuted and found liable, if the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or attributable to neglect on the part of, such individual.