Transfer of undertakings procedure (TUPE) is a piece of legislation and process when an employee is transferred into a new organisation. The regulations are to protect the rights of employees in the transfer situation

Frequently asked questions

What happens to me if I am transferred to another employer under TUPE?

When TUPE applies, the contracts of employment of all staff employed within the affected area are automatically transferred to the new employer, who then assumes all rights and obligations arising from those contracts, except for criminal liabilities and pension obligations.

What happens to the service I have built up with the university at the date of transfer?

The transfer does not break your continuous employment. The date your continuous employment started with the university is the one on which any entitlement to statutory employment rights will continue to be based.

What happens to my current terms and conditions of service?

The new employer is obliged to honour your contract of employment, which means that they must maintain your existing pay and conditions of service.#

However, they can alter them only to the extent they could have been altered by the university (for example, changes to pay and annual leave negotiated with your representatives and/or changes to your job description, on which you have been fully consulted).

What happens to my university pension?

University pension rights earned up to the time of the transfer are protected. The new employer is obliged to provide a minimum level of pension provision for you by matching your contributions, up to 6% of salary, into a stakeholder pension, or to offer an equivalent alternative. You are advised to contact hrstaffhub@imperial.ac.uk to discuss your pension options.

What if the new employer dismisses me rather than employing me?

Your new employer cannot dismiss you upon transfer, unless the main cause of dismissal is a carefully defined "economic, technical or organisational" (ETO) reason, which requires changes to the workforce, e.g. redundancies, and they are acting "reasonably" in treating that reason as sufficient to justify a dismissal. If your new employer does dismiss you for one of these reasons, they must give you contractual notice, or pay in lieu of it, and pay you redundancy compensation.

Can I object to being transferred?

You have the right to object to the transfer by informing either the transferor or the new employer. You should note that the objection will terminate your contract of employment, and you will be considered to have resigned rather than been dismissed.

How will I know that I am being transferred?

You will be informed formally by letter from the university of the impending transfer. In addition, your trade union or directly elected representative will be informed in the same manner.

What will the university tell me about the transfer?

The university will provide you and your Trade Union representative with the following information:

  • The fact that a transfer is happening
  • When it is expected to happen
  • The reasons for its happening
  • The legal, social and economic implications for you
  • The measures which the university intends to take that will affect you, or the fact that there will not be any such measures, if that is the case
  • The measures which the new employer intends to take that will affect you, or the fact that there will not be any such measures, if that is the case.
I am a migrant worker with a sponsorship certificate, what happens to me?

The new employer will be required to inform the Home Office when it becomes responsible for your employment. The university will also be required to inform the Home Office of the fact that your employment with the university has ended.