Redundancy - starting a new job during gardening leave?

[shouldbworking]

Apologies as this has probably been asked a thousand times. Google had all sorts of scenarios that didn't quite match mine.

I was informed yesterday that I had been 'provisionally selected for redundancy' which according to the company means that they will be giving me the formal notice on monday. As I had figured it was a coin toss whether or not it would be me that was seleted or not, along with the reduced progression opportunities with the reduced headcount I decided to start looking at the beginning of last week. As a result of this I have a fairly large number of opportunities coming up and its looking likely I will be offered new work before my notice period is up.

My current employer is likely to put me on gardening leave for my notice period of a month - Is there the option for me to start a new job during this time? it just seems daft that I'll end up sat at home for a month doing nothing rather than being out there earning.

ps. SC cleared C# senior developer looking for a team lead role in the Bristol / Bath area

[Munter]

I think it comes down to your current employer. If they are happy for you to start work with a.n.other before the end of your gardening then that's ok. I can't see why they would mind not paying you more cash, unless you are going somewhere competitive.

P.s. If your offers do not work out and you need to slum it for a bit below a team lead to make ends meet. Send me a PM. One of our guys decided to move home to Iraq rather than stay and work. (Ok that's not a selling point....)

[GeraldSmith]

If it's redundancy it's more likely to be PILON (pay in lieu of notice) than gardening leave. With PILON you can work because you are no longer an employee when you walk out of the door, with Gardening Leave you can't because you are still an employee until the end of the notice period

[Kudos]

With gardening leave you need to be available for the original company in case of queries.

They might let you go early, but then I doubt they'll pay the full redundancy.

Why not site with the feetup/go to the gym/learn a new skill during the gardening leave before starting the new role? Employers will wait 1 month, and tbh by the time you interview, negotiate etc it'll not be 1 month

[anonymous-user]

Kudos said:

With gardening leave you need to be available for the original company in case of queries.

That is a grey area I have found, because most companies will take back phone and laptop therfore not on demand for the company.

[shouldbworking]

Cheers for the responses. I'll see what comes up on monday. Fingers crossed they will go for the pay in lieu of notice. Having a month off would be great at other times - I'd love to do lejog or something but at the moment I am in the middle of TA training so it'd be tricky to do.

Munter - cheers, I'll bear it in mind - obviously its pretty rare to hire an outside person rather than promote from within so its more of the opportunity that needs to be there.