Workplace moves

Giving you essential advice about your rights, if your employer announces a workplace move

• If your employer moves your place of work, it could have a major impact on your life.
• To be clear on your rights, it’s essential to know if your contract has a mobility clause, and whether that clause covers the workplace move.
• We can investigate your contract to check for a mobility clause and what it covers, and give you clear advice about your options.

What is a workplace move?

A workplace move is when an employee or an entire team is relocated from one place of work to another. This could be due to a company restructure, expansion, or to accommodate the needs of the business.

What are your rights during a workplace move?

If your employer has announced they are moving your place of work to another location, it could have a major impact on your life. For example, it may be necessary to move house, with all that implies for the rest of your family. So it’s important you fully understand your rights.

The first step is to analyse the terms in your employment contract to see if it includes a mobility clause and secondly, if there is a mobility clause, to understand if it is reasonable and whether the workplace move falls within the mobility clause. Your employer should consult with you to discuss the move and also provide you with reasonable notice.

Workplace moves can also give rise to unfair redundancy claims. You must be careful that as an employee you do not ‘unreasonably’ refuse the offer of suitable alternative work, as this could be held against you in a redundancy situation. This is why it’s vital you seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity.