Ex FlyBe employees to take legal action

A number of employees affected by the collapse of FlyBe and were based in Birmingham are to take legal action over the way redundancies were managed after learning on a company Zoom call that they had lost their jobs.

Law firm Aticus, which has a specialist employment team, says it has been contacted by around a dozen people affected by the news, including staff who had worked at the FlyBe’s headquarters in Birmingham, and that it has offered initial advice regarding a Protective Award claim against the airline.

If they pursue a claim and are successful, those involved in the legal challenge will receive up to eight weeks’ worth of pay in compensation, with a cap of £571 per week.

Commenting on the news and the potential legal action, Edward Judge from Aticus Law, who is also representing more than 130 ex-employees to bring a claim against Made.com which entered into administration last year, said increased awareness around workers’ rights means more people are prepared to challenge “poor employer behaviour”.

He said: “We have now been contacted by a number of individuals who have been affected by job losses following the recent collapse of FlyBe, and from what we understand to date they were made aware of the redundancies over Zoom.

“Sadly, in the current economic climate, it is not unusual to read about companies going into administration. The travel industry in particular has been hard hit by the pandemic, and the cost of living crisis.

“However, what is worrying that despite these businesses being fully aware of their legal obligation to enter into fair consultation over redundancies, that process seems to be bypassed entirely time and time again.

“Instead, staff are told that they have lost their jobs with immediate effect. The individuals who have reached out to us for advice regarding their rights are understandably very anxious and concerned about what the future has in store for them.”

Judge went on to explain that the firm is now investigating whether there are grounds to claim for a Protective Award, that is, compensation awarded by an Employment Tribunal if an employer fails in its duties.

“While historically people were under the impression that when a business has collapsed there is nothing that can be done, employees are now far more familiar with their rights and their ability to hold the company accountable.

“We are already representing around a dozen people who are now taking legal action over the way their redundancies were managed by FlyBe, and we expect that number to go up over the coming days and weeks.”

He added: “The Protective Award is a vital safety net for so many families in fast-paced redundancy situations that often leave them with no source of income and absolutely no notice.

“However, many people don’t realise that you can only get a Protective Award payment if you are included as part of the claim and are listed as part of the Schedule of Claimants attached to the Tribunal Judgment.

“You can’t simply watch from the side-lines while ex-colleagues take the legal challenge forward. It’s important to make sure your name and specific job title is included.”