To refuse to do what my employer wants me to do?

[Confused222]

I am a qualified music psychotherapist and employed to work in a college setting. The company that employs me now wants me to mostly teach music on a regular long term basis when I go back from mat leave in August. I’ve never trained to be a teacher and was only employed to do music psychotherapy to benefit those with mental health issues.
I was told in the beginning I would only do psychotherapy and case studies/reports/ evaluations etc and work closely with mental Heath team etc etc. I had clarified this at the interview because I was the only music therapist to be employed when the rest are teaching staff.
now when I go back from leave I’m supposed to be a teacher?

I don’t know how to teach.
I have covered teaching classes in the past to help out when I’ve had space and always told the students that I was a music therapist covering a class for the session etc, so they wouldn’t expect me to really know how to teach them and just got on with their work as I was more of a supervisor on the day.

Some of my colleagues think I’m being stubborn as they’ve all had to move around and teach different subjects, but that’s the term of their contract and they are all teachers. Mine never said I would have to teach any subjects. They only change I could expect was to be moved around to provide therapy sessions in different locations. the company are telling me that I’ve always been a combined therapist/tutor but this is not true.

Genuinely don’t know what’s right anymore or what’s even really happening. I am worried about my clients as it means they will no longer get sessions that they were referred to for mental health reasons.. But if they were to come to me for music classes they might still want to open up about thoughts & feelings and then the lines could be blurry? Or they just won’t want to come back and go back to not having a support that worked well for them. Or the classes might not even be offered to them?
gutted as this is my dream job but feel like it’s slowly being pulled away from me and I’ll be letting clients down. I’ve been crying every day..

Can they do this? Or am I overthinking this? Should I just be grateful to have a job? Should I leave?

For the first six months of maternity, an employer is legally required to give you your old (exact) post back. After that they can move you to a different role, but it must be similar and retain the same pay and terms & conditions.

OP needs to find her contract and the original job ad. She also needs to list out what duties she performed pre-Maternity leave and specialist qualifications required to do them, and compare with what they are now asking her to do.

I’m with HCPC. I told my employer I’ll give them a call and they told me don’t do that Yes I bet they did! They want to to just agree, not speak to someone who will tell you they’re being outrageous.

They're pretending not to understand.

Don't go back and forth with them. Just pleasantly ask them for your new job description and for a copy of your contract.

And then, in the background, contact your regulator and a lawyer.

I would do a bit more digging into why this is happening. It sounds quite niche, have they lost the funding for the post? If so redundancy may be all you can hope for.

I don’t think this is something your employer can do. Contact ACAS https://www.acas.org.uk/contact , make sure you have a copy of your contract.

@Confused222

Yes I’m with HCPC. I told my employer I’ll give them a call and they told me don’t do that I’m overthinking the situation!

Of course they're saying this - trying to cover themselves for their mis-step.

Where/ how did you apply? If via a website/ agency there may be an archive copy you can reference.
Hopefully you can get a copy of the advert from here as a PP suggested. If you try there first with no result, ask your HR for a copy together with your contract.

I hope the other avenues suggested for advice prove useful fingers 🤞. I've seen Pregnant then Screwed recommended a lot on MN. Stick to your guns and Good luck! 🌹

If that the case I’d rather they just tell me. And then give me the option to choose wether I take on a new role or leave.

but the way they are doing just seems off and dishonest. They haven’t once told me they don’t have space for a therapist anymore. They are just trying to make out I was always some kind of teacher, it’s messing with my head and I just few like I’m being mucked about really

Good advice thanks. I’ll do that 🙏

Thank you I’ll do that thanks

Thank you I’ll do some further digging thanks

Yeh I was crying at the time but looking back it seems outrageous they’d say that

No but looking into jointing one now

it’s just all so surreal and I’m too hormonal
for this!

Definitely contact ACAS, much better able to answer your questions than Citizens Advice will be. Good luck

https://www.acas.org.uk/

@Confused222

And then, in the background, contact your regulator and a lawyer

Check your home insurance to see if you have opted in for Legal assistance, which you might find useful for costs. 🌹

Agree with contacting acas and/or pregnant and screwed. If they're completely getting rid of the role then that's one thing (although they still have a process to follow if this is the case), it's another if they're hoping for you to build up teacher numbers and want to be able to pull you away from your job on a whim.

I strongly suggest you get some legal advice. This sounds as though they are making you redundant from your substantive post, as a therapist, whilst trying to avoid any mention of redundancy.

You are not a teacher, you've not been trained to teach. You have done some cover supervision in the past (avoid referring to it as teaching cover) but that is all. I don't know exactly how "equivalent pay and conditions" is defined, but I would have thought that moving you to something you have not been trained for is not equivalent. Would they be offering you any training?

Hopefully you can get some professional advice to help you challenge this.

It's complicated, because it sounds like there may be a redundancy situation if they can't afford to continue the music therapy (although they don't seem to have stated this explicitly). If so, there is a rule that any woman being made redundant during maternity leave must, where possible, be offered suitable alternative employment (because it's recognised that it's a difficult point at which to secure a new job). If your contract says music therapist, you may need to seek clarification on whether this role is now subject to redundancy procedures. Whether what you're being offered is suitable is the other question. Do get advice, and don't get pushed into anything.

https://maternityaction.org.uk/advice/redundancy-during-pregnancy-and-maternity-leave/ has some information about the redundancy/maternity issue.

(And start looking for other jobs...)

To me, this sounds like constructive dismissal. They have their business needs (a music teacher) and are trying to shove you into this box. You have every right to challenge this given that you are not a music teacher, as you've explained. I would seek legal advice.

Great advice from PP’s, but just want to say how awful that they are creating stress for you when you are on maternity leave, when you are trying to enjoy the time with your baby. That time is precious, and your emotions will be all over the place (speaking from experience!) I hope you manage to sort it and enjoy the rest of your time off with your little one.

Honestly feels like this may be the case!

That’s a good idea - there’s a website called Way back when (I think) that has archive pages from websites

Thank you. Sure is emotional! I’m alwayvso accommodating, I never complain and not confrontational at all so it’s all feeling very overwhelming to have to deal with this!

Oh goood thanks 🙏

Yes does feel likes I’m being shoved into the wrong box!

Thank you. I already know my pay would remain the same etc. So that’s not an issue.
i think they just want it for numbers really!

they’re going for quantity over quality