Where do I stand? Job redundant but I am not.

[StuVT]

Hi,
I need some advice. I was told 3 years ago that my regional manager role was redundant but I was not. It's a large international company.
I was given roles to help other depts for a bit, then was placed in a continuous improvement dept. Which after training, qualifying for lean 6 yellow and green belts they outsourced that dept only to bring it back in house with new staff. I was then given some responsibilities of my old manager role back. Which were then given to one of the team leaders. I'm now on secondment in another dept where I've learnt a lot and it's been good experience. However my secondment should have finished but I can't get a straight answer from my manager when I'm off secondment and what's next as I haven't had an official job title for 3 years and I'm sick of just floating around. Where I am now on secondment want to keep me but it's not a full use the of my skills and experience. If I choose to stay where I'm currently seconded to I have to accept a 50% pay cut which isn't possible. They have honoured my salary of 3 years ago but with no cost of living increases since and now I've been informed HR are interested in my salary and lack of a permanent role so I expect a pay cut soon.

Where do I stand? They have effectively halted my career that I was doing well in. The carrots on sticks have fizzled out which were false promises about my future there to keep me in the business. I'm fed up of being in limbo. I like the company, I've been there over 12 years they made the decision to keep me on when my manager role was redundant due to a restructure and honoured my salary but HR are all new under a new manager so I'm expecting a choice. Accept 50% less salary or go elsewhere which I think is unfair as I've been 100% dedicated to whatever they've given me and have been told my experience and skills are highly valued. If I refuse a pay cut can they go ahead and implement it anyway? Would that be constructive dismissal? Do I hold on for redundancy but can they do that on the 50% salary I've refused or will it be calculated on my current salary? I have no idea what the law is on Redundancies.

It's quite a niche industry I'm in so it's not very easy to find a new company and pick up where I left off. 😥

Help!

[Pit Pony]

In my humble opinion, your current role is one of "Floater" ...you know the company, how it works, and you are flexible enough to do what ever they need.
The acceptance of that "Without portfolio" Job role was at your current salary, over a year ago. As soon as they wish to change the salary, they are changing the t&cs of your contract and if you refuse to accept they have to go through a dismissal through redundancy, and follow the procedure on redundancy.
And that opens them up to an unfair dismissal claim.
I'm not in HR, and not an employment lawyer but i have been an employee and was once in a union, so professionals might have other views.

[Pothole]

"and now I've been informed HR are interested in my salary and lack of a permanent role so I expect a pay cut soon."

Any reason you haven't spoken to HR about this?

[StuVT]

Pothole said:

"and now I've been informed HR are interested in my salary and lack of a permanent role so I expect a pay cut soon."

Any reason you haven't spoken to HR about this?

They are near impossible to book time with unless they are the ones who decide a meet us required. The old HR bunch were lovely and open. The new lot not so. This comment stems from my secondment manager being honest and saying he may have opened a can of worms discussing me with them. He said the attention shifted from a possible transfer to the pay grade being lower to questioning my salary and situation.

[Pothole]

StuVT said:

Pothole said:

"and now I've been informed HR are interested in my salary and lack of a permanent role so I expect a pay cut soon."

Any reason you haven't spoken to HR about this?

They are near impossible to book time with unless they are the ones who decide a meet us required. The old HR bunch were lovely and open. The new lot not so. This comment stems from my secondment manager being honest and saying he may have opened a can of worms discussing me with them. He said the attention shifted from a possible transfer to the pay grade being lower to questioning my salary and situation.

This is quite important. Call them every day until you get an appointment.

[MadCaptainJack]

And keep records that you can reference if needs be. If you're emailing them using a work account, print out relevant emails, including the emails you send to HR.

[PushedDover]

MadCaptainJack said:

And keep records that you can reference if needs be. If you're emailing them using a work account, print out relevant emails, including the emails you send to HR.

and mention that you are logging these in the email too

Seen film Office Space ?


Are you Milton?

[MadCaptainJack]

PushedDover said:

and mention that you are logging these in the email too

Errr... Personally, I would not recommend mentioning to HR that you're keeping records. Might come across as a bit confrontational, put HR on the alert/defensive, make them feel less well-disposed towards the OP, and increase the likelihood that they do things by the book, making no errors for the OP to take advantage of in any subsequent negotiations. Forewarned is forearmed, and all that.

My reason for suggesting that the OP keep records is so that they have them in their back pocket if things take a turn for the worse.

[PushedDover]

MadCaptainJack said:

Errr... Personally, I would not recommend mentioning to HR that you're keeping records. Might come across as a bit confrontational, put HR on the alert/defensive, make them feel less well-disposed towards the OP, and increase the likelihood that they do things by the book, making no errors for the OP to take advantage of in any subsequent negotiations. Forewarned is forearmed, and all that.

My reason for suggesting that the OP keep records is so that they have them in their back pocket if things take a turn for the worse.

it may get him an answer. They may be simply kicking his query to the long grass each time.


I 100% agree with the last sentence. Start a journal - back dating it historically now while you can remember.
I got squeezed from upon high a few years back. Learnt lots in the process about what right you have and had to go all the way to the court steps and beyond.
I did then get the right outcome and essentially 9 months out of them

[StuVT]

Thanks all for takeing time to advise. I'll start a timeline going back and update it moving forward.

[edc]

Pothole said:

"and now I've been informed HR are interested in my salary and lack of a permanent role so I expect a pay cut soon."

Any reason you haven't spoken to HR about this?

HR won't really care about your salary. But your cost centre or budget owner will. It's HR's job to flag any variance to any salary scale or ask the questions of managers but ultimately questions of value for money and internal equity are for manager issues. HR may make recommendations or provide advice but it's a business decision.