Unfair treatment by manager

Robson1978

Hi - I need some advice please. I've been with my employer for 5 years in a fairly senior role and was approached internally last summer by another part of the business to go and work for them in a more senior role. As the recruiting manager didn't want to go through the whole advertising/interview process he asked me if I would take the role on a 9 month FTC and then once I was in the team he would appoint me into the specific role that he approached me about and that he woud convert back to a perm role. I agreed (naively) as I had worked with this manager before and it was a good role that he asked me to join his team to do. He would not commit anything in writing because he wanted to keep the whole thing 'under the radar' of internal recruitment processes.

I've now joined the team but my manager keep delaying appointing me into the specific role that he approached me about so for the last 6 months I've literally had no job to do and carried out a few ad hoc projects that have utlised less than 25% of my capacity.

I've flagged this position to my manager on several occassions and he constantly apologises and says that he will resolve the situation. The 9 month FTC ends in April and I feel as if, through no fault of my own, I simply have to leave the Company as I cannot go on being paid each month when I am working for about one day per week.

I do have in writing that I would be entitled to redundancy if my FTC ends and there is no role for me to go into after that, but I feel as if I should be entitled to something more given how I am being treated??

I fully appreciate that in hindsight I should have insisted on getting more in writing, especially when I was giving up a permanent role for a FTC purely to help out the hiring manager. However the prospect of a promotion clearly clouded my judgement.

Any advice appreciated.

Regards
Robson

TBagpuss

Well, the positive is that you have your continuous employment so if the worst comes to the worst you have your redundancy rights.

What happened with your old role? Has someone been recruited to replace you?

what is the management structure like? Is there anyone else you can speak to about your future prospects?

I'm a little confused as to how the manager could have circumvented recruitment policies and yet got a contract for you - did you get the FTC in writing?

I don't think you will be entield to anything othe than redundancy if the rile ends in April and there are no other internal opening,s but it would be sensible for you to speak to the ACAS helpline to see if they can make any other suggestions, and consider making discreet enquiries with HR about whether the role is likely to be made permanent.

Robson1978

Hi - with regards to my old role, this has now been filled. There's a few other people that I could talk to about other possible roles elsewhere in the business which is something that I am doing at the minute.

I do have a contract for the FTC because by classing it as an FTC the hiring manager could avoid most of the internal recruitment process and approached his HR manager to draft the FTC contract once I'd agreed to his offer.

Thanks for suggesting ACAS, I'll try them too.

It still feels as if they should not be able to persuade someone to give up a perm role and then back track on appointing me into the specific role they approached me about and instead I am scrambling about day after day in no mans land trying to find work to do.

Regards
Robson

rochja

Are you sure that what was said wasn't 'well its an FTC at the moment but I expect to be able to confirm you in the roll as permanent staff later' Let the buyer beware.

getmore4less

This is a classic case of being on top of the company politics.

Whos who in the pecking order of influence and play the game.

Might have left it a bit late but if you feel stitched up where is the boss in the pecking order and can you restore your place where you want it to be, might need exposing their failure to get value out of you

Problem is if you have been basically idle since taking this role it may be hard to play yourself back into a better place with a credible story as it shows a distinct lack of self motivation and drive you should have been actively identify and taking over other work to fill our void and even just doing the job you though you were going to do.

also essential on FTC to make sure you are working on projects that have deadlines beyond the end date.