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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

82 replies

Confused222 · 03/05/2023 13:54

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?

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 03/05/2023 16:07

Cantuserealname · 03/05/2023 15:29

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.

So true

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 03/05/2023 16:08

Newestname002 · 03/05/2023 15:22

@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. 🌹

Good advice thanks 🙏

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 03/05/2023 16:09

Toomanylatenightprogs · 03/05/2023 14:54

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.

Thank you 🙏

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 03/05/2023 16:09

Freshlycutgrasss · 03/05/2023 15:20

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

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

Thank you 🙏

OP posts:
MaisieMay23 · 03/05/2023 16:13

They're trying to pull a fast one, hoping you'll just quietly go along with it.

if you'd wanted to be a music !teacher, you'd have trained for that, you didn't.

alongside following the various bits of advice above & telling the school
'No I'm a psychotherapist not a teacher' I'd be looking for a new job elsewhere.

but put aside a certain time each day to get this sorted and spend the rest of the day enjoying your baby or it'll ruin your mat time with your baby and you can't get that back!!

Twobyfour · 03/05/2023 16:18

Correspond by email or letter not by telephone call so you have a record

ClawedButler · 03/05/2023 16:23

Similar happened to me once, when my employers realised that I wasn't needed for the job I'd been employed for, so just made me do a different job. And that wasn't even one you need a proper qualification to do - it was just something I had no interest in, experience of or aptitude for. I sucked at it, and it was incredibly stressful - I would sit at my desk with tears streaming down my face, totally out of my depth and multiple people shouting at me for doing a bad job.

I can't imagine how bad it would be to be thrown into a job you're not even qualified to do.

Clarinet1 · 03/05/2023 16:40

Another thing you could do is check the organisation’s policy on what qualifications they expect for teachers, perhaps from recruitment ads for similar posts. If you don’t have the qualifications, you can’t teach for them. Also, if there is no longer budget or a requirement for a therapist, surely you are redundant and should have the rights that go with that. I also agree with PPs that this could be constructive dismissal and you should contact ACAS and Pregnant Then Screwed.

Dontlistitonfacebook · 03/05/2023 16:45

You've already had good advice here OP. All I want to add is that this doesn't sound right at all - like asking a student counsellor to teach rather than provide psychotherapy. Just no!

Fandabedodgy · 03/05/2023 17:34

I am going to disagree with a lot of people. Your employer CAN do this.

From the ACAS website.

If you have taken more than 26 weeks you still have the right to return to your job on the same terms as before you left.

But if it's not possible because there have been significant changes to the organisation, you could be offered a similar job.
In this case, the job cannot be on worse terms than before. For example, the following must be the same:

  • pay
  • benefits
  • holiday entitlement
  • seniority
  • where the job is

I do agree that you should contact ACAS for advice but I think that you will find that your employer could successfully argue that it is a similar enough job to justify.

Defaultsettings · 03/05/2023 21:33

@Fandabedodgy it’s not similar job though. It’s music related but therapy and teaching are completely different.

VanGoghsDog · 03/05/2023 22:01

Surely in order to be a teacher, you have to actually BE a teacher? You can't just be told "now you're a teacher". I mean, if you're not one, you're not.
I think the teaching unions would have something to say about that even if you're not a member. Which you wouldn't be, because you're not a teacher!!

Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 07:24

VanGoghsDog · 03/05/2023 22:01

Surely in order to be a teacher, you have to actually BE a teacher? You can't just be told "now you're a teacher". I mean, if you're not one, you're not.
I think the teaching unions would have something to say about that even if you're not a member. Which you wouldn't be, because you're not a teacher!!

totally agree. I told them I’m not qualified to be a teacher! It’s like they think because the word ‘music’ is in front of each title then it must be the same. And I know there have been people in my life who haven’t always understood the difference and I tell them and that’s fair enough, but my employers should really know better !

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 07:41

Fandabedodgy · 03/05/2023 17:34

I am going to disagree with a lot of people. Your employer CAN do this.

From the ACAS website.

If you have taken more than 26 weeks you still have the right to return to your job on the same terms as before you left.

But if it's not possible because there have been significant changes to the organisation, you could be offered a similar job.
In this case, the job cannot be on worse terms than before. For example, the following must be the same:

  • pay
  • benefits
  • holiday entitlement
  • seniority
  • where the job is

I do agree that you should contact ACAS for advice but I think that you will find that your employer could successfully argue that it is a similar enough job to justify.

It’s not the same though. I’m a mental health psychology based profession. I facilitate sessions with my clients after signing confidentiality agreement. They do not get graded on anything etc. They do not come to learn techniques etc, they come first and foremost because they are struggling with mental health and want to address some issues/thoughts and feelings. They are referred through the mental health team for this type of therapy as they may struggle to verbalise their thoughts and feelings so music is used to help them communicate. so while both professions use music, it’s used in different ways, and the psychotherapy part of my job that is different to the eduction and thats actually a big difference between the two. I’m registered with the Health & Care professions council, whereas teachers will be under an education/ teaching body.
my employers know this so I don’t understand why think they can just change everything.

I hope I’ve explained this ok. I have pms, a head cold, and I’m all emotional and hormonal :/
(Also why I came on here first )
sorru for being so long winded my brain is mush :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 07:50

Defaultsettings · 03/05/2023 21:33

@Fandabedodgy it’s not similar job though. It’s music related but therapy and teaching are completely different.

I know and in think it’s all about bums on seats and number of qualifications/ awards they hand out etc and not even caring how we get them.
they at first had tried to get me to get my clients to complete some educational qualifications on based their therapy sessions! (Such as wrote about therapy for someone else to mark for writing award, or working with others award etc). I said that was unethical and immoral and I couldn’t even ask my clients that. I said that could completely ruin the therapy for them, and places more importance on an award rather than what they came to me for.

so I guess that’s why they now want me to be a teacher! Feelings to them are not as important as the number of qualifications produced.

for what it’s worth I think both professions are equally important. But they serve a different purpose and should each be respected for that.

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 07:51

Dontlistitonfacebook · 03/05/2023 16:45

You've already had good advice here OP. All I want to add is that this doesn't sound right at all - like asking a student counsellor to teach rather than provide psychotherapy. Just no!

I know it’s madness right? Although I had to do a lot of thinking around it. I feel likes it’s all
been a bit sneaky…

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 07:53

Clarinet1 · 03/05/2023 16:40

Another thing you could do is check the organisation’s policy on what qualifications they expect for teachers, perhaps from recruitment ads for similar posts. If you don’t have the qualifications, you can’t teach for them. Also, if there is no longer budget or a requirement for a therapist, surely you are redundant and should have the rights that go with that. I also agree with PPs that this could be constructive dismissal and you should contact ACAS and Pregnant Then Screwed.

Thank you.
they haven’t even told me they don’t have funding for my post or anything.
just that I would ‘mostly’ be teaching and my post has always been a combined post which it never was :/

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 04/05/2023 07:58

Are you employed by an agency or the college?

gogohmm · 04/05/2023 08:00

My suspicion is that they have lost funding for your position but really value having you on staff. It's a shame that they aren't just being honest with you.

NEmama · 04/05/2023 08:05

Agree with pp that funding for your actual job isn't there and they need a music teacher.
Cheeky as fuck
@Fandabedodgy totally different jobs apart from both having music in the name

Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 08:06

ClawedButler · 03/05/2023 16:23

Similar happened to me once, when my employers realised that I wasn't needed for the job I'd been employed for, so just made me do a different job. And that wasn't even one you need a proper qualification to do - it was just something I had no interest in, experience of or aptitude for. I sucked at it, and it was incredibly stressful - I would sit at my desk with tears streaming down my face, totally out of my depth and multiple people shouting at me for doing a bad job.

I can't imagine how bad it would be to be thrown into a job you're not even qualified to do.

Aw sorry you went through that. I was looking forward to going back but now I’m soooooo anxious.

and I really should be enjoying the rest of my maternity leave.
my employers we’re making out like they were doing me a favour “oh but teaching will take the pressure off and be easier than psychotherapy right after maternity leave”
for a start I don’t anyone can decide either profession is easier than the other and how would I find it less stressful and easier doing a job I can’t do!

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 08:08

MaisieMay23 · 03/05/2023 16:13

They're trying to pull a fast one, hoping you'll just quietly go along with it.

if you'd wanted to be a music !teacher, you'd have trained for that, you didn't.

alongside following the various bits of advice above & telling the school
'No I'm a psychotherapist not a teacher' I'd be looking for a new job elsewhere.

but put aside a certain time each day to get this sorted and spend the rest of the day enjoying your baby or it'll ruin your mat time with your baby and you can't get that back!!

Thank you 🙏
I know I really need to be enjoying this time with my baby.

its really affecting me emotionally and my anxiety is through the roof. HV is aware of this and checking in on me :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 08:08

GabriellaMontez · 04/05/2023 07:58

Are you employed by an agency or the college?

the college

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 08:16

gogohmm · 04/05/2023 08:00

My suspicion is that they have lost funding for your position but really value having you on staff. It's a shame that they aren't just being honest with you.

If that was the case it would feel much better if they could just be honest.

then the choice could be mine and things would feel more positive.

but telling me things like I have always been a combined post just messes with my head a bit.
mans just trying to get me to side step without any proper training etc
its like they don’t want to admit it or something.
maybe I should just ask them if that’s the case.
if they want me to change my job, shouldn’t they be offering all the training I need to go with it. ?
Also I get paid the same as the tutors. But I feel they just want to get through more qualifications for stats etc. Honestly I feel it was to say ok I’ll get my clients to complete qualifications for therapy they would be happy with that. But I’m not doing that to my clients. That would be worse.

OP posts:
Original poster
Confused222 · 04/05/2023 08:19

NEmama · 04/05/2023 08:05

Agree with pp that funding for your actual job isn't there and they need a music teacher.
Cheeky as fuck
@Fandabedodgy totally different jobs apart from both having music in the name

yeh maybe they don’t want a therapist anymore. But I think also teaching subjects her more qualifications for the college.
quite a few people have been confused with the differences before, but my employers should know better!

OP posts:
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