12 Months Secondment Advice

Miss_$ · 11 October 2016 at 9:16AM

Hi All,

Hoping someone can help.
My partner has recently been offered a 12 months secondment job, in his current position he receives a monthly bonus which depends on his performance, he always get's a decent bonus.
He has been told that while is on secondment he will still receive his current basic wage, but his bonus will go to a quarterly bonus, this potentially could be a £8,400 a year pay cut for him, as the bonus is not guranteed.
My question is, can a company reduce your pay while you are on a 12 months temproary secondment?
We know he is still receiving his basic wage at the same rate, but he will no longer receive his monthly bonus which he is guranteed more aless every month, his bonus now will not depend on his performance but on how his team performs??
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sarah

tykesi · 11 October 2016 at 10:25AM

Simple option if he doesn't want to take the pay cut - don't take the secondment.

It's not the company reducing his pay, it's him who wants to take a secondment and the new department is on a different structure, not the company's issue at all.

YouAsked · 11 October 2016 at 10:38AM

Miss_$ wrote: »

My question is, can a company reduce your pay while you are on a 12 months temproary secondment?

The basic pay hasn't changed. He'd be subject to a different bonus structure. There's a difference.

Your initial post isn't clear on why the secondment has arisen. If it's because they desperately need your partner's skills in that area on a short term basis then you'd imagine they'd be keen to be flexible on the terms. If the secondment is an opportunity for your partner to develop skills/experience in a field which will be helpful to him in the long term then he may see a (potential) lower income for a defined period as a worthwhile investment in his career.

Undervalued · 11 October 2016 at 10:54AM

Miss_$ wrote: »

Hi All,

Hoping someone can help.
My partner has recently been offered a 12 months secondment job, in his current position he receives a monthly bonus which depends on his performance, he always get's a decent bonus.
He has been told that while is on secondment he will still receive his current basic wage, but his bonus will go to a quarterly bonus, this potentially could be a £8,400 a year pay cut for him, as the bonus is not guranteed.
My question is, can a company reduce your pay while you are on a 12 months temproary secondment?
We know he is still receiving his basic wage at the same rate, but he will no longer receive his monthly bonus which he is guranteed more aless every month, his bonus now will not depend on his performance but on how his team performs??
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sarah

I rather doubt it is actually "guaranteed" (even more or less!) as it then wouldn't then be a bonus!

Tell him to read his contract carefully but, almost certainly, it will be discretionary rather than an hard and fast entitlement.

TELLIT01 · 11 October 2016 at 11:06AM

Undervalued wrote: »

I rather doubt it is actually "guaranteed" (even more or less!) as it then wouldn't then be a bonus!

I have worked in a place where bonus payments, at the maximum figure, were made year after year which is just a variant on what the OP is saying. Although not guaranteed, they were paid every time for a 10 year period and some people did just assume it would be coming and spent accordingly - not a good idea.
The financial crash did see an end to that though.

To the OP's question. If the company are the people pushing the secondment then he should raise his concerns about the potential loss of income. If the secondment is his wish, he's just going to have to take the risk of the bonus not being paid.

12 Months Secondment Advice

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