Can a Store Manager block an employee from an internal position.

Rorkhill

I have applied for an internal vacancy at my work and the department manager is happy to give me the job but my store manager is saying I cannot leave my current position because I'm needed there. He said I could work both jobs together but I already have a second job so it would mean I would have to quit that one (which I'd rather not do). Is he able to enforce this or can I challenge him? Also the other position is for more hours and includes qualifications so would be more beneficial than my current dead end department.
Thanks in advance!

Comms69

Well it depends on his influence with the other manager.

Ultimately no one can force you to work.

sangie595

Rorkhill wrote: »

I have applied for an internal vacancy at my work and the department manager is happy to give me the job but my store manager is saying I cannot leave my current position because I'm needed there. He said I could work both jobs together but I already have a second job so it would mean I would have to quit that one (which I'd rather not do). Is he able to enforce this or can I challenge him? Also the other position is for more hours and includes qualifications so would be more beneficial than my current dead end department.
Thanks in advance!

Can he? He has.

Can you challenge it? Internally to the company, yes you can. But whether you win or not is a different matter.

I'm guessing that the Store Manager is above the Department Manage, so yes, he can prevent him from offering you the position. You can appeal above the Store Managers head. But win or lose you are probably just ensuring that you end up with no job. So I wouldn't recommend it.

Negotiation would be better, but if he's adamant that he won't let you take it, it's his store and you can't take it. Why does he need you in your current position?

Rorkhill

@sangie595 The only reason he wants me to continue in my current position is because I am the only person willing to work the hours (16:00-00:00) on the department and if i left he would need to train a member of staff from another department. The store is over its hours so he can't employ any new staff. However, the department i wish to move to is paid through head office and not included in the store hours so he would not lose money by me switching roles. It seems the only reason he doesn't want me to move is because it will give him a headache.
I will be talking to HR tomorrow about the situation so hopefully we can come to an arrangement that way.

sangie595

Rorkhill wrote: »

@sangie595 The only reason he wants me to continue in my current position is because I am the only person willing to work the hours (16:00-00:00) on the department and if i left he would need to train a member of staff from another department. The store is over its hours so he can't employ any new staff. However, the department i wish to move to is paid through head office and not included in the store hours so he would not lose money by me switching roles. It seems the only reason he doesn't want me to move is because it will give him a headache.
I will be talking to HR tomorrow about the situation so hopefully we can come to an arrangement that way.

I hope so. But don't bet on it. You've gone over his head to HR. I suspect he'll be fine about replacing you now. Completely. In both jobs. And why did you bother to ask for advice if you'd already involved HR? It's too late. Whatever will happen will happen. But watch your back...

TELLIT01

The job of the Store Manager is overall management of the store, the job title sort of gives that away. If a member of staff moving jobs internally will negatively impact on the running of the store then the manager can block the move, even if only temporarily.

xapprenticex

To get back at him, the best thing you can do is win the lotto then quit giving no notice.

Rorkhill

@sangie595 why would he replace me in both jobs now and give himself 2 headaches, that's ridiculous. I have not already involved HR, i said i will. And i will contact my HR manager to discuss if there are other possibilities. Thanks for the uplifting reply though, really appreciated

scd3scd4

What a nice decent manager............holding back a person for he's own gain. Man, the Union where I work would eat him alive.

getmore4less

what happens for holiday and sick now if you are the only one that will work these hours?


You have the classic pecking order conundrum

Often in these situation you need to try to be the pawn, letting those above have the fight and willy waving so rather than YOU going to HR and being the bad guy you try to get the potential new boss to engage those involved to influence the situation.

Also it can help to try to broker solutions rather than think of it as someone else's problem to solve.

If the sticking point is getting someone to cover your existing hours what can you do to help make that happen, back to first point who covers you now when you are not.

You also have the secondary problem that you are part time and have another job that is stopping an interim solution where you do both and let the various managers fight for your hours.

Any way to fix that part of the problem making it a solution.
I would also be very careful about bringing that up as it is very negative in relation to the new post as you are putting another company ahead of the one with the job.


how many days a re you doing this 16:00-00:00(8hr) shift,
how many hours/shift is the new job
how many hours shift at the other employer

prowla

The company can't force you to work there and if you are being blocked in going for another role then you can look elsewhere.


The company can decide whether they are prepared to take the risk that you will leave if they block you changing role.