Pay Cut

TELLIT01

74jax said:

dontknowwhattodonext said:

Having looked today a more local job to home is offering 45k, would half my traveling time and fuel cost.

I'd apply, you can always try and negotiate 50k with 20yrs experience. 
I wouldn't agree to a paycut, at all. You've been there too long to be messed about with no notable differences, a few errors etc does not warrant 10k more in their bank.
Let them try to mess you about, whilst you pay no notice and find another job. Then leave. And don't look back. 

If the company is trying to force a pay cut on the questionable basis that work hasn't been up to scratch, they will need to go through a formal disciplinary process first.  That will take time, hopefully long enough for the OP to find another job.  Even if the alternative job only paid £40k I would rather take that than accept the cut with the current employer.  The employer clearly doesn't value the employee even after 20 years.

GiantTCR

dontknowwhattodonext said:

Having looked today a more local job to home is offering 45k, would half my traveling time and fuel cost.

How long is your notice period? Being there 20 years I'd assume you're on a 3-6 months notice?

Ask the company you're applying to if they'd be happy to wait for that long.

dontknowwhattodonext

3 months notice

74jax

dontknowwhattodonext said:

3 months notice

I don't see that as a problem. Mine was 3 months and the positions you apply for, if similar, will be 3 months too. So is expected. 

I certainly wouldn't ask the company you're applying too if they'd wait that long. You discuss the contract details either at interview or on review of the contract and a start date discussion is usual at interview. 

clive0510

if I was asked to take a 20% pay cut, I would want to be doing 20% less hours. if your employer is not happy with that, then tell him you are not happy to take a pay cut with christmas on the horizon. 
the worst they can do is ask you to leave. which you could do and take redundancy. but if they do that they are not allowed to replace you with someone doing the same job, or bearing same job title, within 6 months. 
so if there are tasks and duties that you do and do well, then thats why they don't want to get rid of you all together. 
if it were me, I would be getting my cv out there to all n sundry, and preparing my letter of resignation.

dontknowwhattodonext

Yes there is stuff I do well and MD agrees with that

Grumpy_chap

If I have read this thread correctly, and not missed anything, the situation is as follows:

• OP has salary £50k
• OP has long service (20 years)
• OP's employer may be in some difficulty / uncertain viability
• OP has long notice period (3 months)
• Some mention of the OP having made some errors in their work - is this just bluster by the employer?
• OP has been asked to take a pay cut of 20% to £40k from 1st January (possibly a bigger cut than this if employer is trying to back-date the cut so the OP would have been £50 for 6 months then £30k for 6 months making average £40k over 12 months).

If the last bullet is correct, this looks like a cut from £50k to £30k. 
What assurance is there that the salary will be increased back to £40k once the 6-months have passed?

At a minimum, the suggestion to change salary from 1st January does not even appear to be honouring the notice period that the OP is entitled to.

No-one seems to have asked (apologies if I missed it) what happens if the OP says "no"?

What benefit is the OP gaining in return for the cut in salary?  None seems to have been mentioned.

If the employer is in financial difficulty, is this just a ploy for the employer to avoid their obligations to pay notice and redundancy?  (Would the employer say on 2nd January, here's your redundancy notice, it's all based on current salary £30k?)

If there is any merit in the comments about mistakes by the OP (and it is unusual for a reliable employee of 20-years service to suddenly make such significant errors without there being some influencing factor), is the suggested reduction in salary simply the employer trying to encourage the OP out but without the hassle and cost of disciplinary process / redundancy?

dontknowwhattodonext

Thanks

Your summary is correct, no idea what woould happen if I say No, I do have a contract saying the current salary, we have a meeting

next week to agree on the pay cut, but yes will be less than 1 month from the agreed amount untiil it takes place, which I guess is debateable if ok to do

penners324

Laugh at him and say no to the pay cut

General_Grant

clive0510 said:

if I was asked to take a 20% pay cut, I would want to be doing 20% less hours. if your employer is not happy with that, then tell him you are not happy to take a pay cut with christmas on the horizon. 
the worst they can do is ask you to leave. which you could do and take redundancy. but if they do that they are not allowed to replace you with someone doing the same job, or bearing same job title, within 6 months. 
so if there are tasks and duties that you do and do well, then thats why they don't want to get rid of you all together. 
if it were me, I would be getting my cv out there to all n sundry, and preparing my letter of resignation.

The highlighted text - that employers are not permitted to appoint someone to a job within six months of a dismissal on the grounds of redundancy - is completely wrong.
It is perfectly legal for an employer to decide to appoint someone to a post which was previously declared as redundant even as soon as the day after the termination.  Business conditions change.