Coronavirus - promotion but no pay rise

GarciaLorca

Hello,
I am looking for some advice about my situation.  Before I do so, I want to be clear that I am aware how tough things are for people at the moment and that many people are in a far worse situation than me.  I know how lucky I am to have a job that pays well in the first place and I don't want to give any impression that I don't. 
My work is cutting costs because of coronavirus. They are implementing furlough for some staff as well as other aggressive measures like pay freezes and cancelling bonuses.  I got offered a promotion before everything went crazy which was take effect at the start of the new financial year and my pay would have gone up a lot.  The new role is much more senior and has a lot of additional duties and responsibilities.  I am also in professional services so my employer can charge me out at a higher rate because of the promotion so reap the benefits of this higher rate.  I have been told that the promotion will still go ahead but I won't be given a rise at all.
I know I should just shut up and take the promotion, but it feels like a very one sided arrangement - they get the benefits of an increased charge out rate, piling on additional duties and responsibilities and stress but there is no benefit other than the title.  Do I just accept this is the best situation out of a crap set of circumstances right now and hope things change in the next 12 months or would it be lunacy to express these concerns to the employer and turn down the promotion? 

Undervalued

This is entirely contractual matter, as there is no legal right to a pay rise ever unless your pay were to fall below the national minimum wage!

So it could be they are taking advantage of the situation, thinking that there will be lots of good people desperate for jobs when all this is over.

ssparks2003

Why not take a pragmatic position, take the promotion with the caveat that when the world rights it self then the increase will kick in. Declining the promotion in this climate because your not getting a pay rise could potentially backfire, in the same way was companies reputations are being damaged by their behaviour to their staff in this current situation.

lincroft1710

If you don't take the promotion is there a chance it would be offered to someone else?

pjcox2005

I've always spoken to bosses quite freely but I don't see any issue with outlining your concerns to a boss. You can be pragmatic about it to state you understand the current economy and that a pay rise may not be appropriate despite the duties but would like it in writing that this will be revised either after 3,6 months etc or when work becomes more normal (although I'd tried to set a benchmark for how this is measured - revenue?) rather than leaving it just to be "reviewed" in future.

Personally I'd still accept even without pay rise or confirmations, yes more responsibility and stress but likely more security and hopefully when the world sorts itself out it would be easier to fine a new employer doing the same promoted level job. Easier to move across then step up into a new role, plus you'll have the experience and CV to support that.

nyermen

Speaking of my experience (I used to work in PS), I'd accept it but I'd ask that the increase is applied once your utilisation rate is back to normal.    Clearly they're concerned you'll be benched at the moment, but once normality (eventually?) returns, they will want your experience and the higher charge-out rate.  Only you know your employer and can judge if they're taking the proverbial.  Also I second what pjcox2005 said, especially about experience/cv.

Brynsam

I can understand why you feel aggrieved,  but I wonder if (as someone has mentioned above) your employer will actually be able to charge you out for the same number of hours you'd be working if Covid-19 wasn't decimating everything in sight? A higher charge out rate means nothing if nobody, or very few, want/can afford your services.

Take the promotion with good grace, albeit with a gentle caveat that you would like matters to be reviewed in (say) 3 months.

TELLIT01

"  I am also in professional services so my employer can charge me out at a higher rate because of the promotion so reap the benefits of this higher rate."  Is the market going to be there for the company to charge you out during the coronavirus shutdown?  My thoughts would be to accept the promotion but get agreement that the salary situation would be revisited once the world returns to normal.