Employer has reduced my pay...

EltonA32

Hi there all new here

I am struggling to find information at the moment on what I need to ask about.

Basically, a couple of weeks ago, my employer moved me into another area with no notice whatsoever and they also reduced my salary from £14,000 pa to 11,200 pa. I am convinced that they are unable to do this as it was their choice to move me. They moved me because they wanted to keep a more experienced staff member as she was threatening to leave unless they moved her into her old job (mine). She would also have been on quite a bit higher salary than I was.
So, they did this and pushed me aside reducing my salary, knowing full well I have an 8 week old baby and my partner is on maternity leave and gets less than £500 pounds per month. And because I am paid 4 weekly, my salary is very poor. Oh, I also do not have a contract, written or verbal - everything I find out is usually from other people because communication in the company is dire, to say the least. In fact, I dont think anybody has a written contract.
Now consequently, my partner is seriously thinking of going back to work already which frankly I don't want to happen as our daughter has not bonded with us well enough for her to be looked after by other people yet.

Unfortunately, the company I work for seem to do things in any way they want as they don't have a dedicated HR dept. and there is also no Union. Only a small company but have been in business since 1981 with a very good anual turnover as most of the business is export.

I'm unsure how to approach this as knowing the company I work for, they'll sack me for raising it. To be honest I am dying to name and shame them but you never know who reads these forums...so, have the company got the right to reduce my salary, even though I had no choice in the matter?

Any KNOWLEDGEABLE help much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

copier_guy

how long have you worked there?

BlueIsTheColour

I would give Acas a call, they can advise you, I suspect it will depend on any contract you have signed, but it all seems very unfair on the face of it. They have a phone helpline and whenever I have used them before have been a great help!

www.acas.org.uk look for the national helpline on there

Good luck getting it sorted

EltonA32

copier_guy wrote: »

how long have you worked there?

I have only worked there since July 2008 as I relocated from York to Wales.

Thank you for the reply Blue.

LittleVoice

You do have a contract even if they have not given you the written particulars to which you are entilted (assuming you have worked there for more than two months).

KME91

they can't reduce your salary without your specific agreement. raise a greviance, the acas website will tell you how to do it, and make a complaint. you could argue they've breached their contract with you by making this change.

the term to look for is 'unlawful deduction of wages'

maninthestreet

Sounds like you've been constructively dismissed.

EltonA32

KME91 wrote: »

they can't reduce your salary without your specific agreement. raise a greviance, the acas website will tell you how to do it, and make a complaint. you could argue they've breached their contract with you by making this change.

the term to look for is 'unlawful deduction of wages'

Thanks KME. Is this information you just have in your head or is it actually factual/law? Sorry I just have to ask before I start raising a grievance at work.

EltonA32

Ok I have been reading into this on a number of UK employment law sites. However, I am concerned that if I turn around to my employer and state that I am very unhappy with my pay cut, they will sack me because 'I haven't accepted it'. It states that I must be given prior notice IN WRITING and for me TO ACCEPT the new proposal. I decided not to resign because naturally, times are hard and I have a baby and partner to think about, not to mention my debt.

Even if I do raise a grievance, I am still concerned I will be sacked. But then I guess I'll have a case for unfair dismissal?

I really don't know what to do but I don't think it's fair that I have to suffer because it was, again, their decision to move me. Are there any people here who have been in a similar situation?

Trust_2

clarity is required, for you, so do not jump or say or do anything withour advice!

Do not do a thing until you have taken appropriate advice, ACAS is good

Do you have legal cover on your house insurance?

catalogue the course of events dates/times
conversations which put you in this position etc

Who officially told you you salary will be cut?

What did they actually say to you, did you sign anything

This will be asked by acas, slight things that do not go in your favour are time with company etc!

When you started were you given an appointment letter
Do you have a contract

Can not work out from you statements if the company is small/medium/large

EltonA32

Trust wrote: »

clarity is required, for you, so do not jump or say or do anything withour advice!

Do not do a thing until you have taken appropriate advice, ACAS is good

Do you have legal cover on your house insurance?

catalogue the course of events dates/times
conversations which put you in this position etc

Who officially told you you salary will be cut?

What did they actually say to you, did you sign anything

This will be asked by acas, slight things that do not go in your favour are time with company etc!

When you started were you given an appointment letter
Do you have a contract

Can not work out from you statements if the company is small/medium/large

OK Thanks Trust I probably will approach ACAS but first:

We're stupid enough not to have home insurance but frankly we can't afford to!
My Director informed me of the move/cut, with no prior warning whatsoever.
I was told that one department had to make cuts from it's payroll so the staff member who was taking my job would go on MY department's payroll; however, I know full well the politics behind the move. She is a very experienced staff member and they didn't want her to leave as chances of replacing her were very slim and I know she had time off due to work related stress, so they moved her into my job as it's less stressful so she could do her OLD job and MY job on my department's payroll, but on a higher salary than myself. I know this as the person concerned pretty much told me and I was there when she appeared in tears one day.
I signed nothing.
I was not given an appointment letter. I've had no induction, no written contract and no REAL verbal contract, more like, 'here's the job, get on with it'. Anything we need or want to know we have to ask as we are not told anything.

The company is small I guess, but turnover I would say is high as they supply products to the industrial market and leisure market, internationally and have very large, ongoing contracts with companies.

As I've said before, would love to name and shame and if/when I ever leave, I will.

Thanks for all your replies so far.