SAINSBURY’S has confirmed it will cut around 3,500 jobs as the second lockdown begins.
The majority of jobs will be axed from Argos stores, which Sainsbury’s bought in 2016, as part of plans to immediately close 120 stores.
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It is the first stages of a strategy that will see 420 standalone Argos shops permanently shut over the next three-and-a-half years.
Instead, it hopes to open 150 branches inside Sainsbury’s supermarkets by March 2024, leaving just 100 separate Argos stores.
Roles will also be cut in Sainsbury’s stores, with the closure of its delicatessens and fresh fish and meat counters.
Simon Roberts, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, said: “We are talking to colleagues today about where the changes we are announcing in Argos standalone stores and food counters impact their roles.
What are my redundancy rights?
BEFORE making you unemployed, your employer should still carry out a fair redundancy process.
You are entitled to be consulted on the redundancy lay-off first and to receive a statutory redundancy payment, as long as you’ve been working somewhere for at least two years.
How much you’re entitled to depends on your age and length of service, although this is capped at 20 years. You’ll get:
- Half a week’s pay for each full year you were under 22,
- One week’s pay for each full year you were 22 or older, but under 41,
- One and half week’s pay for each full year you were 41 or older.
Sadly, you won’t be entitled to a payout if you’ve been working for your employer for fewer than two years.
There should be a period of collective consultation as well as time for individual ones if your employer wants to make 20 or more employees redundant within 90 days or each other.
You are also entitled to appeal the decision by claiming unfair dismissal within three months of being let go.
“We will work really hard to find alternative roles for as many of these colleagues as possible and expect to be able to offer alternative roles for the majority of impacted colleagues.
“Right here and now, I and all the team are focused on supporting and delivering for our customers in the days and weeks ahead.”
Sainsbury’s has not disclosed which Argos stores and supermarket deli counters are at risk of closing down.
The supermarket hires around 55,000 employees a year, and has already hired 52,000 workers since March to keep up with demand caused by the pandemic.
It said there are “many” internal job opportunities for employees who face redundancy but accepts the vacancies may not always be in the right location or at suitable hours for everyone.
The supermarket employs more than 170,000 in Britain.
The cuts come just a day after John Lewis axed 1,500 office roles and M&S announced its first loss in 94 years.
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Retailers, hospitality firms and airlines have been hit hardest in the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Sainsbury’s has been searching for new direction after its proposed tie up with rival Asda was torpedoed by watchdogs.
While sales have risen recently due to stockpiling, costs have increased due to PPE and discounters such as Lidl continue to ramp up the pressure.
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