Employment Pay - Covering a higher pay grade

Roger871

Basically I started working for my employer 6 years ago. The employer is a big multiple wholesaler in the UK.
I was employed as the transport supervisor. 3 Years ago my branch manager retired, so instead of replacing staff. They took a driver off the road to do my job, i would then step up as assistant branch manager and my assistant branch manager would step up as Branch Manager. 3 Years later and I still haven't been paid a penny extra for covering these duties and taking on the extra responsibility.

The assistant branch manager who stepped up to the Branch managers position has received discretionary payments for covering the duties. Speaking to our regional directors we were assured things would be sorted over a year ago. The pay difference between my job and the job I'm covering is £12000. The company have accepted that I am the Asssitant branch manager, by naming me on our trading licence and replacing me in the job I was doing etc.

Our company handbook states that if you are required to cover a job role of someone on a higher pay grade for more than 11 days then you are entitled to 75% of the difference between the pay grades.

I know I should have sorted this when the problem originally arose, but was promised that it would be sorted in due course. Have I left it too long to sort anything. I just want to be recognised for what Im doing. If anyone has advice that would be great.

scheming_gypsy

Who are you chasing it with? quite often people will mention it to their manager who doesn't mention it to anybody else; so no matter how much it gets mentioned the people who need to know, never find out.

Notmyrealname

Yes you have. By continuing to work you have been deemed to have accepted the terms. The only thing you can do is continue to raise this with the area manager or HR.

Roger871

I have in the last 2 weeks sat down with our HR advisor who says that the matter is definitely going to be sorted. The pay scales are quite clearly defined in my company. Its like they want me to do the job to suit them but when it comes to pay they avoid the matter. My directors have stated that the pay will be sorted soon, but they keep saying it every 3 months when I enquire.

Yorkie1

If there is nothing in writing from HR, I would write to the HR advisor you sat down with, setting out your understanding of the the discussion you had, and asking for confirmation from that person of the timescale for the next steps to happen.

Emmzi

you may need to lodge a formal grievance then. how do you feel about that?

ohreally

You need to start generating a paper trail, start with your manager and copy in HR.

Then approach trade union for assistance.

Acc72

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Who are you chasing it with? quite often people will mention it to their manager who doesn't mention it to anybody else; so no matter how much it gets mentioned the people who need to know, never find out.

I agree with the above.

Before you do anything crazy like raise a greivance (not what companies expect of their managers who they want to hold on to long term), you need to find out who the relevant person is and to speak to them.

eg. you may speak to the branch manager (who was the previous assistant manager), but despite what he might say he is more concerned about getting his own pay rise sorted.

Do you have formal appraisals - if so, when is the next one due.

The fact that you have been doing the job for 3 years shows that you can do the job, which will be a good basis for negotiation.

Please bear in mind though that your employer can pay you whatever rate of pay they feel like, and they are not obliged to pay you at the same rate as the previous assistant manager (although I am not sure how the details in your handbook fit into this - maybe someone else can advise ?).

I would therefore focus on your achievements and skills etc. when negotiating rather than just what the previous incumbent was earning.

Are you in a Union ? - could you have a quiet informal conversation with a rep. to see where you stand ?

Ideally you want to get an increase in the most positive way and only go down the greivance etc. route as a last resort if you think that it is worth it.