DOZENS of Brierley Hill-based former employees who lost their jobs when Tuffnells Parcels Express went into administration are to take legal action over the way the redundancies were managed.

News that the company, employing around 2,000 workers across 33 UK depots, had collapsed broke on June 12.

The majority of staff were made redundant, according to the joint administrators at Interpath Advisory.

Tuffnells, which delivers large items to the retail sector, had reportedly been under pressure as a result of Covid-19, increased costs and market competition.

Following the news, specialist employment law experts at Aticus Law has confirmed it has been instructed by 522 affected individuals, including 42 from Brierley Hill, and is now in the early stages of investigating concerns around how the redundancy process was managed.

As part of the process, the firm will also determine whether ex-employees are eligible to claim for a Protective Award claim against the company.

Aticus says if its clients are able to 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 £643 per week.

Edward Judge from Aticus law said: “As such a large employer with more than 2,200 members of staff, news that Tuffnells has collapsed into administration will come as a bitter blow to many, many families across the country.

Stourbridge News: Edward Judge of Aticus LawEdward Judge of Aticus Law (Image: Aticus Law)

“Within a matter of hours of the announcement we were contacted by around a dozen impacted employees who raised concerns about how the redundancy process had been managed.

“That number has risen rapidly to more than 500, including a total of 42 from Brierley Hill, and we are now in the early stages of investigating those claims and advising our clients on their options.

“As is always the case with protective award claims, 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.”