To Not Take On Extra Duties

[Charliesunnysky10]

I'm an administrator for a property company and my job description has the woolly phrase 'assist in duties as required by manager'.

My manager & the ops manager have asked me to start checking the units for health & safety issues, and and I'm not comfortable doing this because even if they train me (which they'd need to), I'm worried if I miss something important, it will come back on me and I could end up being dismissed or even facing criminal proceedings (both managers said this won't happen but that's not really good enough). They both said in previous settings the administrator did this. I really wanted to ask if those administrators we're like me, on minimum wage. Both my teenage children work in supermarkets (which they enjoy), and are paid more than I am.

I have asked about a pay rise for the past 3 years but all I have been given is 3% which is less than inflation, so in effect a pay cut.

I stay because I've done this job for over 10 years, so while it would be tricky for anyone else (and they'd not get a replacement at minimum wage), it's easy for me and I enjoy it mostly - it fits in with my family commitments and is walkable - I don't have a car.

What has really annoyed me is that the admin at another location told me this task is done by the Ops manager at her site (who is, like ours, trained and experienced), and I jokingly said I wasn't surprised as we both know they earn in excess of £50k while I'm on £20k. She went quiet and said that she is getting paid quite a bit more than £20k and really I should be on £23k -£25k min for the responsibilities I carry (which includes checking and challenging invoices).

I though perhaps this would be an opportunity to get that extra pay rise but they are saying it's part of my current role and not like a promotion.

I'm really inclined to refuse, but I feel like that's going to make my case for being paid closer to what my counterpart at the other site is being paid really out of the question.

Who previously fulfilled this H&S role in your workplace?

Would you actually have time to include this unwelcome responsibility together with your current role?

@BitterAndOnlySlightlyTwisted The manager before the current one did it, current manager been here for a year, so the annual checks are now due and we got an Ops manager 6 months ago who I think would normally do it but he has a lot of catching up and is passing it on to me on the basis that it was an admin role in his previous posts.

Yes, I'd have time to get through the visits (there are 50 to do) at the rate of say 12 a week, as long as I speed up with my current workload.

Up until 2 weeks ago, I was working a second job in the evenings over the past year to supplement my low pay here. It was exhausting, so if I hadn't given that up, I'd no way have had the energy to take this on. But in just 2 weeks of reducing my hours from 58 back down to 40, I feel so much better and I could cope with the extra work.

You have reservations about taking on this additional responsibility. I would focus on this rather than the pay aspect for the moment. You have worked there for a decade and someone more senior and more highly paid has fulfilled this role previously. It’s not your concern about why this new Ops Manager is too busy to carry out their role. I would fully disclose about the other site’s arrangements without naming names if possible.

Sounds shit. Been there, done that and got the T-shirt

@BitterAndOnlySlightlyTwisted Thanks. I'm really trying to see and/or turn this into a positive, so I really appreciate your take on it.

Could you pop the cat among the pigeons and ask by email Mgr& Ops Mgr cc HR for training in the H&S role, as Mgr & Ops Mgr have directed that you should take this aspect on, and you want to be confident you are doing the new role correctly and accurately without any repercussions. And in same email ask if what the additional pay award will be for doing these extras.

@Ariela This is a great idea.

I think I've been looking at it from the view that they're asking me to take on more (someone else's) responsibility, but trying not to pay me any more money. And if they did agree to pay me more it would only be the 3% I'd have got in my annual salary review which takes place in Jan.

The issue is that these unit checks are already overdue and any rise/role enhancement will take weeks if not months to approve and implement.