Thomas Cook Collapse: What is available for Urgent Termination Notices?
Are you a Thomas Cook Employee who’s job is at Risk?
On the 23rd September 2019, it was announced that Thomas Cook, the UK’s oldest airline collapsed and ceased trading after 178 years in business.
With news articles and reports flooding the media it is easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of information being shared and understanding who is to blame. For many, the priority is to get their loved ones safely home and to recoup their losses.
But, regardless of blame, one fact remains and that is the 9000 Thomas Cook employees whose jobs have been put at risk. Where does this news leave them?
For many people, our jobs are much more than just a way to make money to live – they can form a major part of our lives. For many, their job gives them purpose, routine and social interaction. We form friendships with our colleagues and our jobs give us a sense of security both financially and with regards to our wellbeing.
Losing your job unexpectedly, therefore, can be a devastating blow and leave you with lots of unanswered questions whilst the dust settles. Grief is a natural response to loss of any kind and combining this whilst being forced to make unexpected changes to your life can result in feelings of anger, depression and anxiety.
Practical Advice
At Altum HR we support employees through redundancy and job loss all the time and so we want to share with you some of our top tips to help you stay positive during this difficult time.
- It is important to remember that losing your job is a temporary setback. Give yourself time to adjust to your new situation. Be aware of how you are feeling and how much time has passed. However – dwelling on something that is out of your control can easily turn into something further. You are not to blame for an unexpected job loss and whilst you will feel disappointed or upset about how a situation was handled or the unfairness of the situation, allowing this to linger too long will not be beneficial to you in moving forward.
- Acknowledge your feelings and don’t be afraid to ask for help and support from your friends and family if you need it. Feeling of anger, depression and anxiety can impact on your ability to get back to work so try to adopt a positive mindset to help you deal with your emotions and move forward. (For physical support check out the support links at the end of this post)
- Be proactive – If you were expecting to be at work and your role finishes immediately you may have some time on your hands. Use this wisely by updating your CV and covering letter, make sure you CPD file is up to date and start looking for suitable roles.
- Take care of yourself – It can be easy when going through difficult times to forget to look after yourself properly. This could manifest in excess drinking, eating the wrong foods, or not eating at all. By taking care of yourself physically and mentally by maintaining a healthy diet and remaining active, your wellbeing will have a big impact on your mindset and your ability to find a new role quicker.
If you are a Thomas Cook Employee and you are looking for answers regarding money owed and financial implications please visit this link for more information:
Signposts for Support
Please do not be afraid to seek support if you are finding it difficult to cope. We’ve pulled together a list of useful links that we feel would be beneficial to anyone experiencing job loss.
Stress and Crisis Support
Anxiety UK – 08444 775 774 (INFO LINE 09:30 am – 5.30 am Mon-Fri)
Text support – 07537 416 905
Email – support@anxietyuk.org.uk
Website – www.anxietyuk.org.uk
Anxiety UK is a national charity run by people with lived experience of anxiety, aiming to support everyone affected by anxiety through information and support. This includes talking therapies and self-help groups.
Big White Wall
A safe online community of people who are anxious, down, or not coping who support and help each other by sharing what’s troubling them, guided by trained professionals. Also available as an app.
Samaritans – 116 123 (Freephone 24 hours a day)
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org
Provide emotional support for people 24 hours a day 365 days a year, They allow people to talk about their feeling of distress and despair and are confidential and offer non-judgemental support
Financial Support
Money Advice Service – 0800 138 7777 Freephone 9 am – 8 pm Mon – Fri, 09:30 am – 1 pm Sat)
Website www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
A free independent service set up by the government that provides information on all money related matters via a helpline, online information and free web chat.
National Debt line – 0808 808 4000 (Freephone 9 am – 8 pm Mon-Fri, 09:30 am – 1 pm Sat)
Website www.nationaldebtline.org
The national debt line is an independent charity which provides free, confidential specialist advice on managing financial debt via a helpline, online information and free web chats.
Step Change – 0800 138 1111 (Freephone helpline)
Website – www.stepchange.org
Charity step-change provides free advice on problem debt and debt management
Citizens Advice – 03444 11 444
Website www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Citizen’s Advice provides free, independent information and advice for people on money, legal, consumer, housing and other problems. Its website is searchable for local citizens advice bureaus and also has a dedicated webchat service.
Employment Advice
ACAS – 0300 123 1100
Website – www.acas.org.uk
ACAS provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. Supports good relationships between employers and employees, but also provides conciliation services to resolve workplace problems.
Gov.uk
The first point of contact for information on all government services, including money, tax, benefits, disability, employment and carers rights.