To think I shouldn’t have to remove this from my portfolio?

[BuckysArm]

I just learned that a campaign I created, led, managed etc has been nominated for an award. I’m so pleased for the whole team, they all deserve it.

It’s already in my portfolio (approved when I was terminated) so really it would be a case of adding the award nomination/win if it gets it into the details. As simple as that.

But I’ve just had a phone call from my ex Director to 1. Tell me this news and 2. To let me know he’s so proud of the work I did and the shape I left the team in but it’s very awkward for the CEO as everyone thinks the new manager masterminded the whole thing and that I had no part in it as I’d been put on ‘low level duties’ before leaving (why I’m being talked about like that is beyond me and I’d rather not have known) so he wanted to let me know (apologetically) that I am now forbidden to include the entire project in my portfolio let alone mention the award nomination in anything/tell any prospective employers etc.

I did point out that it’s not like they’ve been nominated for something that is going to change the business, it’s just a nice recognition for the team and this seems like a bizarre overreaction.

And to avoid drip feeding later in, I was fired without my director’s knowledge while he was on holiday and I’d been there just shy of two years so nothing I could do. All hell broke loose when he came back to find out.

WIBU to just keep it in my private portfolio (as opposed to public) and still use it as an example in interviews etc? Surely they can’t actually take it away from me as something I can use as an answer? They’ve taken enough away from me as it is. Perhaps an email to HR to get some clarity?

Also, there’s no NDA at play here.

It's odd that they are happy for everyone to believe that the current manager was the mastermind of the project and effectively pass your work off as their own. That's very shady. It's not your problem that the CEO feels awkward, it's ridiculous that they even expect you care about that. If it's your work, something that could help you secure future employment, and there are no clauses that forbid you from using it then definitely leave it in your portfolio. I'd point out that it's extremely inappropriate for them all to be supporting somebody trying to pass off your work as their own.

Why are you letting them walk all over you, put it back on your website. It's your hard work and no one has the right to take that away from you. Great you already have in writing you can use it. Email the ceo back and include the crap he' told you on the phone and say in no uncertain terms will you remove it.

Carry on using it. They should have kept you employed if they wanted to get away with bullying you. Why would you care their ceo is uncomfortable with their own lies? So they should be and that director should be ashamed, i hope you don’t harbour warm thoughts for such spinelessness.

It’s such a long story:

My original line manager had to leave suddenly and recommended me as his replacement.

I’m offered the promotion (with probation) and accept.

I do job really well and increase income and brand awareness.
New CEO starts.
Director verbally tells me it will be permanent promotion and letter is coming.
My previous role is advertised.
I meet new CEO in a one on one and he questions my age (ridiculously thinks I’m 10 years younger and questions why I work at x when my background is in y - explained it’s because the y team need y not x)
Lockdown starts and so do interviews (I am involved)
I receive a written letter stating I am returning to my former role.
I find out someone who has interviewed for my previous role (who I had major reservations about due to huge gaps in knowledge) has now been offered the manager role instead.
New manager starts and I have to train him and continue my promoted duties as he’s inexperienced (all admitted and openly known my everyone, and I do speak up to be fobbed off by HR that it was for my benefit).
Director goes on holiday
I’m urgently called into office, told to take my laptop in etc and am surprised to be given my notice.
I continue to be a mug for four weeks and put my all into leaving my reports in the best possible shape and am given indefinite permission to use ‘any and all work I created and contributed to’
Director appalled and continues to give me freelance work as new manager struggling.
This week, on the back of final campaign while still employed being nominated for an award, I am told I can no longer take any credit for said campaign.
Also asked by Director to do three days next week to save campaign launching next month as it’s ‘not your standard and it’s not going to work’ - I haven’t accepted yet as not sure whether to sever ties to prevent burning bridges.

Also, thank you for everyone’s responses. I wasn’t sure this would be in ACAS territory (they were helpful during my painfully legal dismissal) but I’ll start there. Want to nip anything further in the bud.

@TheGumption

Why didn't the director take you back when he came home? Or didn't you want to go back?

Everyone’s scared of the new CEO and he couldn’t overrule.

Get a lawyer

@ginnybag

Why are you doing favours for a company that sacked you and are trying to damage your working history and a former boss that did nothing to fight for you?

Stand up for yourself. It was your work, you have it in writing, so take the credit.

This. It might be worth getting this moved to legal for further advice.

@ginnybag

Why are you doing favours for a company that sacked you and are trying to damage your working history and a former boss that did nothing to fight for you?

Stand up for yourself. It was your work, you have it in writing, so take the credit.

Loyalty to my team rather than the organisation as a whole. But I completely agree with you.

Well YOU can rattle the new CEO's cage, can't you?

Get some legal advice and see what, if any, shot across their bows you can give!

They are acting abominably and using your old manager to do their dirty work, expecting you to carry on being friendly and even to dog them out of the decisions they made!

Get angry, it's your reputation they are trading on!

Get some legal advice first but I’d be tempted to put a big announcement on your public portfolio about how delighted you are that the work you did on X has been nominated and link to it.

Fuck them.

They’ve treated you abominably.

It’s not your problem that the CEO feels uncomfortable. He should.

If you do decide to do work for them to save the campaign make sure your rates are eye watering expensive say £1,500 per day (oh and you only work in full weeks so £7,500 should cover it).
Oh and your contract includes written permission for you to use the work in your portfolio.

So the company are passing off the work that won the award as being done by the current team, and using it for a commercial advantag? What utter shitbags.

I would have thought that something in writing would trump a phone call, but would agree you need legal advice. Good luck.

@Mycatismadeofstringcheese that’s one of the reasons I’ve tolerated the whole other mess. I now get paid a day rate and earn my monthly wage in a week of work for them. I felt like that was my victory in the whole thing.

Woohoo! Good for you!

If you have it in writing do not delete from your portfolio!

This! You don't owe them anything. Don't let someone else take credit for your work. Stand up for yourself.

Has you left with a settlement agreement? If you do anything outside of that it might invalidate it.

OP I recall your original Thread, and I agree that they are still treating you appallingly, and now he's allowing someone else to take the credit for your hard work. I think you are a fool for taking this laying down.

Back to your original question, Yes I would absolutely keep the work in your personal and also in your professional portfolio 🌺

The new CEO may have realised he made a mistake with his new hire and doesn't want it highlighted. It would embarrass him for even more people to know that he fired the person who lead a team in producing award-winning material, and in the meantime, he's hoping the inferior replacement will get the glory, which will then reflect back on the CEO for having been so clever in hiring him.

Unless you have reason to believe the new CEO will be replaced soon, himself, I wouldn't worry about burning bridges with him, but I'd try to stay on good terms with your director and the people in your former team, in case you ever end up working together again (and simply because it's a shame to sour things with someone you had previously had good experiences with).

I don’t see how they can change your termination agreement (unless some insidious revelation has come to light).

Just tell them you don’t agree to it. Sure, too bad for the CEO and the new manager if this causes embarrassment, but that tends to be what happens when people find out that someone is taking credit for others’ work, eh?

They know, you know, the team knows your contribution. All they’re doing now is trying to intimidate everyone to silence (apologetic or not).

For what reason were you given notice? Was it even legal?!

A very vague change of direction due to the pandemic but I was under two years service so they gave me more than I needed to. I did seek legal advice at the time and all was above board.

I would mention it in job applications etc as something you worked on. Nothing wrong with that as it's just a fact.

It's noticeable that you've been asked to do this in a phone call. Could you email the director and ask him to email you the points that he discussed so that you can give them due consideration and seek further advice if necessary?

@WeatherwaxOn

Tell them to do one. You have it in writing that you can use it.

This. Awful behaviour on their part using your work and passing it off as their own. Would really make me angry.