quick question re employment law

[billb]

can your manager change the job description of someone you manage without discussing it with you and if the person you manage does not want the change?

[Anatol]

What does the employment contract governing the relationship in question say?

If duties to be performed (ie, job description) are set in the contract, then altering them would require standard contractual variation conditions; ie there must be benefit to both sides (consideration), and the variation would have to be consensual.

If duties are 'as specified from time to time' or something equally vague in the contract, then imposition of an altered job description may be lawful.

As for whether or not it can be done bypassing a link in the management chain, that's probably going to depend on your internal HR policies, and not so much on strict law...

HTH

Tol