Lack of Salary Increase, where does he stand...

persa

pops5588 wrote: »

Thanks for that. I am inclined to agree, he has already gone through much worse with the manager who ended up getting sacked so I hope he can muster the strength from somewhere to keep going if he doesn't get a payrise. Just tough to see him feeling so demoralised when he works so bloomin' hard.

It is a small firm, yes. Unfortunately there is no contract to read, hence the confusions. Any figures are from OH who has talked to others on the same course as him. And yes, like you say switching to ACCA isn't an option for him, he is aware of the snobbery

The others may well be from larger firms. If your OH compares his salary to a Big 4 trainee, he should expect to be miserable!

No contract? Now that is unusual, when an employee is training, the contract is more to protect the employer. Your OH needs to dig around - there may well be a staff handbook setting out the exam policy. Shared network drive, maybe? Worth a rummage.

Possibly he agreed to repay X of costs in an email to his boss? Worth another rummage in his work mailbox.

If he can walk free of financial ruin, he could have a chat with a local recruitment agent to get a feel for the market. But I still suspect staying put will be the best option.

I sympathise, I know what it's like to be PQ and want out, but there's a reason why turnover is so high for newly qualifieds and not PQs!

burnoutbabe

could he not move to a different training firm? plenty of people do that, as they have to move location and there are positions open as people fail exam and have to leave?

But find out about the contract. My one was that I didn't have to repay anything (big 6 firm) and my salary bumped up a few k every year on passing the exams. then a bigger leap when i passed finals and done 3 years - took a while longer for me to actually "qualify" as had to do all those forms but that was just a technicality.

Any

Quite frankly, firstly he needs to go and speak to the boss.
Without him making this first move there is nothing to advice.

No contract in writing - his word against bosses word, he promised he will stay, the other he will pay.... Neither happened. Effectively cancels each other out. And his boss knows it too. As your OH didn't sign anything about repayment and the boss signed nothing about repaying... What do you think that means? Of course he can walk.
Your OH needs to get some guts and ask. Getting frustrated over not having an answer either way is waste of time and energy.
I would be surprised if doesn't give him that £1k!!

As for your statement "them paying for fees but he gets pay less and so boss worked it out that your OH is effectively paying for his own" - what else exactly would you expect???? That is completely normal.
What more do you want? A job, experience to qualify, interest free loan (which is what it effectively is), someone to sign off his experience papers, someone to supervise effectively, train him on the job and get paid extra for the privilege??

In this world? That is called having your cake and eating it...

persa

burnoutbabe wrote: »

could he not move to a different training firm? plenty of people do that, as they have to move location and there are positions open as people fail exam and have to leave?

People who move whilst not time served generally take what they can get, the OP's OH is looking for a better job, not any job.

pops5588

*sigh*

It is always beyond me why, when so many others manage to give advice in such a frank and yet perfectly polite way, others choose to be needlessly rude.

Anyway. Will rise above it. Thanks for the suggestions and advice everyone. His boss is away for a week now anyway so he has some time to have a ponder and look around to see if there is any information anywhere.

For the record, he isn't trying to have his cake and eat it. Just wondering why he is slogging his guts doing the job of a manager as well as exams and studying for less than £17,000 a year. Not asking the world, just what's fair. We pay our way, don't claim any kind of benefits, work hard. Whatever you do some people will always look to criticise. Now that's what sounds like a real waste of time and energy to me...

Edit: Whoops, forgot to rise above it...

persa

pops5588 wrote: »

For the record, he isn't trying to have his cake and eat it. Just wondering why he is slogging his guts doing the job of a manager as well as exams and studying for less than £17,000 a year. Not asking the world, just what's fair. We pay our way, don't claim any kind of benefits, work hard. Whatever you do some people will always look to criticise. Now that's what sounds like a real waste of time and energy to me...

Your OH needs to refocus on the end result. I appreciate how he's feeling, but I suspect he's lost sight of what qualification means - in short, freedom! He has an exit plan, he needs to keep passing those exams and maybe 6 months before he's due to qualify, introduce himself to the best recruitment agencies in your area. Reassure him he doesn't have to stay at his current firm forever - the best revenge at being badly remunerated is to ace those exams and shoot out the door!

Funky_Bold_Ribena

pops5588 wrote: »

There is a kind of unwritten rule established that these things aren't to be discussed until it's appraisal time. But now it's appraisal time and his boss won't even give him one.

I'm not being funny honest, but if he wanted any more money then at the point of asking if he would take on extra work is the best time. Apart from once he has a job offer of course.

Has he signed anything specifically saying he will pay back any training fees if he leaves?

pops5588

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

I'm not being funny honest, but if he wanted any more money then at the point of asking if he would take on extra work is the best time. Apart from once he has a job offer of course.

Has he signed anything specifically saying he will pay back any training fees if he leaves?

No he hasn't signed anything since his AAT, then he was supposed to be put on a new training contract but it never happened.

Regardless I think persa is right in that he just needs to try and keep going. I shall try a bit harder to give him the validation he deserves from work, at home.

pops5588

persa wrote: »

Your OH needs to refocus on the end result. I appreciate how he's feeling, but I suspect he's lost sight of what qualification means - in short, freedom! He has an exit plan, he needs to keep passing those exams and maybe 6 months before he's due to qualify, introduce himself to the best recruitment agencies in your area. Reassure him he doesn't have to stay at his current firm forever - the best revenge at being badly remunerated is to ace those exams and shoot out the door!

Thanks persa. I know you're right. I really hope he will hold on! It's a shame because he genuinely really enjoys accountancy and has worked so hard. He only has another year and a bit to go, and I suppose in reality it will whizz by. I hope...

Funky_Bold_Ribena

pops5588 wrote: »

No he hasn't signed anything since his AAT, then he was supposed to be put on a new training contract but it never happened.

As far as I am aware and you will need to check the latest; if he hasn't got a specific signed clause/statement saying 'i will pay back 100% amount of training fees within one year/50% within two years' etc, then they can't take the money out of his earnings and can't claim it back at a later date. I'd have a look at his initial training contract and go through it line by line on this point. Find out if he ever signed anything to this end in the office.