Prevented from promotion opportunity created by me moving

NarniusSaper

In the area I work in for my company, the 3 people in the structure above me are all content to sit in their positions until they retire. As such, the only opportunity to move up was to relocated to a different region when an opportunity arose. When it did, I applied and got the job, but meant my office was now 5 hours away instead of 1, meaning a horrible commute or having to relocate.

However, the act of me leaving the region allowed the company to repurpose my old role to a higher one but because I had just moved, I was ineligible to apply. If I had stayed, the promotion wouldn't have been available and because I moved I'm not allowed to apply.

Is this classed as discrimination in anyway? Our HR is essentially saying tough luck but there's nothing that can be done.

Marcon

NarniusSaper said:

In the area I work in for my company, the 3 people in the structure above me are all content to sit in their positions until they retire. As such, the only opportunity to move up was to relocated to a different region when an opportunity arose. When it did, I applied and got the job, but meant my office was now 5 hours away instead of 1, meaning a horrible commute or having to relocate.

However, the act of me leaving the region allowed the company to repurpose my old role to a higher one but because I had just moved, I was ineligible to apply. If I had stayed, the promotion wouldn't have been available and because I moved I'm not allowed to apply.

Is this classed as discrimination in anyway? Our HR is essentially saying tough luck but there's nothing that can be done.

Nothing discriminatory about it. Discrimination has to be unlawful before it is actionable, and moving house isn't a protected characteristic (although I can understand exactly why you must find the situation very galling). 

Anythingbutbeige

I would be so !!!!!! off by this as it most definitely feels unfair.  I recognise how unhappy this would make me feel if I have upended my life, suffered that horrid commute in the pursuit of professional development, to have this backhand.

I have a couple questions:
How have you raised this with your organisation?

What do you want from this scenario?  The acknowledgement of the injustice, your old job back at higher rate or change in the organisation policy?  Something else? 

I'm curious what your thinking right now, and if this is prompting you to want to move companies, or raise this as more of a complaint?

NarniusSaper

Just for clarity - I have moved regions not house. My complaint is that it was impossible for me to have applied for the promotion - it wouldn't have been available if I stayed in my current post and I was ineligible to apply because I had recently changed roles. I would like the company to allow equal opportunity for me to apply for the role, but that opportunity has passed. They are refusing any wrong doing or acknowledgement that there is anything wrong with the situation. My previous line manager previously tried to repurpose my role to a higher grade but was told there wasn't the budget. But because I moved within the company, the budget was freed up. If they had offered me the higher role their budget would have been exactly the same so unsure what their thought process was.

DullGreyGuy

Anythingbutbeige said:

I would be so !!!!!! off by this as it most definitely feels unfair.  

Unfair isnt illegal

Realistically it's not uncommon when a key person leaves a role that it may trigger some thinking on if the current setup is optimal or not. It can happen immediately or can be in response to feedback when trying to hire on a like for like basis. 

Marcon

NarniusSaper said:

Just for clarity - I have moved regions not house. My complaint is that it was impossible for me to have applied for the promotion - it wouldn't have been available if I stayed in my current post and I was ineligible to apply because I had recently changed roles. I would like the company to allow equal opportunity for me to apply for the role, but that opportunity has passed. They are refusing any wrong doing or acknowledgement that there is anything wrong with the situation. My previous line manager previously tried to repurpose my role to a higher grade but was told there wasn't the budget. But because I moved within the company, the budget was freed up. If they had offered me the higher role their budget would have been exactly the same so unsure what their thought process was.

It sounds like extremely poor management, but there is nothing unlawful about it. Are you sure they even had a rational thought process...?!

Nothanks

I feel for you, that’s infuriating. 

Unfortunately crap management isn’t unlawful and in terms of most policies and the law they probably haven’t done anything wrong. Granted it’s cackhanded at best or Machiavellian at worst but I’m not sure there’s any mileage in pursuing it. 

sheramber

se. When it did, I applied and got the job, but meant my office was now 5 hours away instead of 1, meaning a horrible commute or having to relocate.

Which you knew before you applied.