Headcount reductions are among the most legally and reputationally sensitive processes a gambling operator can undertake. A redundancy process that does not follow the Employment Rights Act 1996 on selection criteria, consultation periods, or statutory entitlements exposes the business to employment tribunal claims, ACAS enforcement action, and significant reputational damage. For gambling operators, the stakes are higher still: any redundancy affecting a PML holder, key individual, or role carrying direct compliance responsibilities creates regulatory notification obligations that sit entirely outside the standard HR process and must be managed in parallel.
This framework gives you the legally compliant process for every stage of a workforce reduction, from business case through to post-process obligations. It covers the legal test for genuine redundancy, selection pool definition, objective selection criteria, individual and collective consultation requirements, statutory entitlement calculations, and the gambling-specific regulatory steps required when regulated roles are affected.
The framework is structured in six sequential parts and is designed to be worked through in order. Parts 1 and 2, covering the business case and selection criteria, must be completed and reviewed by HR and legal before any individual communications begin. The selection criteria stage is where most redundancy processes go wrong, and the tool is deliberately detailed at this point for that reason.
Used properly, this framework supports HR teams, legal counsel, and line managers working through a reduction programme. It provides a defensible, documented process at every stage, ensures regulatory obligations are identified early, and reduces the risk of the employment tribunal claims that most commonly arise from poorly designed selection criteria or inadequate consultation.