Does a verbal agreement count for anything?

Fiddlestick

Mrs_Imp wrote: »

The root of the problem here is the 'new' managers desire to 'come in and make changes'
It was all agreed with the old manager, and in fact the old manager hasn't yet left, but the 'new' manager has wedged her oar in to the problem and insisted on getting involved

She is the manager.

Why wouldn't she get involved in an agreement that's going to bind her for the time to come?

carlpayne

Your immediate Boss doesn't want to loose you. So you can speak with him directly.

SarEl

At the risk of being jumped on again for not being sympathetic enough, I think that you are misunderstanding quite a few things here. Your right is to ask for a contractual change - not to get one. What anyone else gets or what compromises you think you have made are not relevant - the bootom line point of the decision is that the employer and you have a contract, you are asking them to change that contract, and they only have to do so in so far as it enables them to continue to meet their business needs.

And since the old manager isn't the one who is going to have to live with whatever they have promised then it could be argued that they have given scant regard to what they have agreed to because they don't need to live with it!

You haven't been told no. You have been asked for a discussion on the request. And that is reasonable enough. Making the assumption that they will not agree with what you are asking means that you are starting from the point of view that this is a conflict. They may be entirely satisfied with your assurances and arrangements. But if it is a conflict, then it is one that you may wish to consider carefully - you are not likely to win, one way or another. Ideally you will be able to convince them that your arrangements have business merit and can be supported, and that is the way to go in approaching this. Tell them why it is good business sense for them. Because they don't actually care about your personal arrangements and what time your daughter leaves nursery or who picks her up. They are employers, not social workers.

Mrs_Imp

SarEl - I do see your point, however it seems as though the one thing I tried to avoid happening has happened. Despite keeping my initial post deliberately vague, some people have managed to work out the entire contents of my proposal to work, who I work for, what department I work in, the exact nature of my work and what hours I worked before going on maternity leave, then commented on whether or not it makes good business sense.
That was never my question. I wanted to know whether a verbal agreement with my manager counted for anything now that we have a new manager involved. I wouldn't expect the new manager to come in and renegotiate every one elses contracts, so I wanted to know if she could come in and renegotiate my verbal contract. And the answer has been provided by some - a verbal contract is basically only good if I can prove that it was made. I fear that I will be fighting a losing battle on that one.
Whether or not the scant information I provided constitutes good or bad business sense is another discussion altogether, and I have sympathy with both sides of the argument. I have to show the company that it's worthwhile retaining my skills, but they also have to show me why I shouldn't take my skills to another company.

SarEl

Mrs_Imp wrote: »

Despite keeping my initial post deliberately vague, some people have managed to work out the entire contents of my proposal to work, who I work for, what department I work in, the exact nature of my work and what hours I worked before going on maternity leave, then commented on whether or not it makes good business sense.

Good grief - then some people have far too much time on their hands!

skintandscared_2

So are you saying that other new mothers have returned to work on the exact same basis that you are requesting? And they have the same work responsibilities that you do?