Three years ago a relation was offered the opportunity to move from a hands on role to an office based role. He was given a letter which stated that it should not be considered a "legal document" but which outlined his new role and promised that his job title, contract and pay would be reviewed in not more than six months.
It was at least a year before a review took place and he was given an increase of £0.50ph to the Supervisory rate as an acknowledgement of his change in role even though they did not update his contract or confirm exactly what his role was.
The company got into difficulties, was bought out and he TUPE’d to the new company, still with no contract for his new role.
He was promised his role and pay would be sorted out in January and today a manager told him that his title would either "a" or "b" (both of which would report to job role "c") and that if it was decided that his title was "a" he would have to accept the pay rate for that role which represents an £8000py cut because his current rate of pay is equivalent to that paid to job role "c". The alternative given is for him to return to his original hands on job which would lose only the £0.50ph pay rise. Understandably this has come as a nasty shock, he’s put three years into his new role however nebulous, he’s received nothing but positive if informal feedback (no formal appraisals) and though he was promised a pay review he’s come to accept that his current pay is all he’s going to get until he finishes qualifying, something that the company is paying for.
It’s been a while since I’ve worked in HR, (I’ve been a member to avoid completely losing touch but it is a while since I’ve been on the site and I’ve had to re-register) I believe that his company is on slippery ground but am concerned by his lack of new contract, it should have been pursued more vigorously but unfortunately the company had him over a barrel as they are paying for him to qualify for the role he’s in and there was a limit to how much he wanted to rock the boat.
I’d appreciate any opinions, suggestions and advice.
