issue with change in working conditions

rupertsmam

Hi All

I hope someone can offer some advice on a situation I am facing at work.

I was recently promoted at work. On the offer of promotion the HR department said that my original terms and conditions would remain unchanged but that I would be expected to be involved in dept management as an additional duty. I accepted the role based on this information.

However, on receiving my workload statement from my line manager for the coming year it appears that they have fundamentally changed my terms and conditions, despite saying in writing they would not, and as you might guess, these changes are not favourable.

My question is: if they have said in writing that terms and conditions will be unchanged do I have any leverage to get them to honour this legally ? I challenged the HR dept and they are just telling me to try and negotiate things with my manager.


Advice much appreciated
RM

SarEl

The workload isn't part of your terms and conditions! Job descriptions, which is what you are effectively talking about, aren't usually contractual, and you are expected to fulfill the duties commensurate with your grade, and in line with that line that always appears at the bottom that says "and any other reasonable duties commesnurate with your grade" or words to that effect. And you appear to be on a lossing argument saying that these are not commesurate with your grade if you are paid the same as her and this is part of her workload. I believe the formal term used is "delegation".:(

rupertsmam

Thanks. But actually the role profile in my case was related to my contract (I know that is unusual). I was on a researcher contract and my promotion was to a senior research based role. My manager wants to give me the duties of a junior teaching assistant and in so doing prevent me from performing the primary tasks associated with my role as I have no time allocation for these.

She tried this last year prior to my promotion but HR would not let her give me this work as it was counter to my contract. Now all they are saying is that I should have duties which are commensrate with my role and grade: I have no problem with that.

SarEl

In that case you know that you have three options - since HR are correct and this is between you and the manager. You can refuse because these things are not your job (asuming there is not a line somewhere about other erasonable duties); you can negotiate; or you can raise a grievance. But assuming, which seems fairly safe to assume, that this is an academic institution then I would suggest that you do as HR have said - or you may find that your role dries up entirely and the funding attached to it disappears. Academic institutions have their own peculiar, and quite lawful (if not moral) ways of dealing with things. And a rsoy future can suddenly become a wizened prune. I suggest that you make a reasoned case and show how these duties will interfere with your primary role, and point out that if the primary role is not carried out it will reflect poorly on both of you.

dmliverpool

SarEl wrote: »

In that case you know that you have three options - since HR are correct and this is between you and the manager. You can refuse because these things are not your job (asuming there is not a line somewhere about other erasonable duties); you can negotiate; or you can raise a grievance. But assuming, which seems fairly safe to assume, that this is an academic institution then I would suggest that you do as HR have said - or you may find that your role dries up entirely and the funding attached to it disappears. Academic institutions have their own peculiar, and quite lawful (if not moral) ways of dealing with things. And a rsoy future can suddenly become a wizened prune. I suggest that you make a reasoned case and show how these duties will interfere with your primary role, and point out that if the primary role is not carried out it will reflect poorly on both of you.

This is a good response.

With budgets getting tighter they will simply want more for their money. This may be a good thing as you will be pushed a little. If you can't do it someone else will comes to mind. I would negociate things now as if you start to under achieve they will look at your capability again.