Is this dodgy/illegal?

[Lifeingingerbread]

I've been working in a particular role at a company for a few years. Let's call the role account based marketing. I was on maternity leave in the middle, and have been back at work for a year now. I've had to try and juggle different sets of stakeholders who all want different things, and some of them have been quite rude and bullying, but I haven't said anything to HR, just stuck up for myself in meetings and when challenged.

Anyway last week by manager told me that the role might be changing and offered me a maternity cover role that's for 4 months.

I found out this week that the role I'm currently doing is being marked up in seniority as they want someone more senior on it.

I've been really anxious and worried since I found out last week, as I now have to contend with job insecurity.

So my AIBU is - does any of this sound dodgy to you? Or is it just the way the chips have fallen. I asked if I was being made redundant and they said no.

Don't do it.... your accepting a temporary role in place of a permanent one. Seek legal advice.

What will they offer once the mat cover role ends? You need a 100% guarantee that they'll find you something else permanent. Speak to HR and an employment law specialist if need be.

Don’t sign any new employment agreement, or an acceptance of the new position, until you’ve spoken to your union or an employment lawyer.

@Lifeingingerbread why would you go to HR about issues and not your manager?

Conversely, you do need to go to HR about this change of role. If your existing role is being regarded, you shoukd have the opportunity to apply or there should have been a discussion about capability.

It sounds as though this is not the job or company for you and you have said you have been anxious. Life is too short to be unhappy at work.

Can you turn this to your advantage? Go and see HR, say you should have had a bite at the cherry, however, you want to be helpful but the mat cover is temporary, and what happens at the end of it? Note it could put you on a sticky wicket if you are made redundant then and are pg or newly pg. It might put them on a sticky wicket too.

Buy yourself some space op. It doesn't sound like this is working for you or them. Venture that you would consider three months' pay plus your notice period to leave quite quickly. Have 4-6 weeks with your baby and get your CV up and running.

It sounds as if they are offering you a chance to act up into a senior role, which would be good experience, rather than 'this is the only option and it's only for 4 months.'

Be an active member of the work-force and show you are up for a senior role by asking your manager what they mean by the words 'your role might be changing' and if so, how this will affect you, and if the acting up role will provide opportunities for progression.

Honestly, why people can't just ask the relevant people about such potentially life-affecting stuff is beyond me: they come away with half a story, which they make into something montrous in their head, then come on here with the half-story, and expect strangerscto provide an answer, when they cannot posdibly do so as they don't have facts

but I haven't said anything to HR, just stuck up for myself in meetings and when challenged.

You think you were “bullied”
or just challenged by stakeholders?

The maternity cover role they've offered isn't in my current team so they would change my contract to the new team. The role isn't an opportunity to step up into a more senior position, its a big standard role that is well within my capability.

I've mentioned that I'm uncomfortable with going into a temporary position and my manager has said they'll help me after that ends but that's no guarantee.

Background - my manager and a lot of my team are on the other side of the globe, and I've felt very isolated from them. The time difference is there of course but I've largely been ignored. I want to move jobs and have been actively applying, but stats happened here now feels like a knife in the back.

My stakeholders have been very tricky but there's nothing I can do. There is a difference between what they want and what my manager is willing to give and I've often felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Others in my team who have been in meetings with myself and stakeholders have said they think the way the stakeholders speak to me is bullying.

Part of me thinks I should just squirrel away at applications and get another job and not say anything else about it. There is the possibility that I might be asked to stay on in another team after the maternity leave ends, and this is a job and team who I feel no affinity with. But it does scare me having this cliff edge in front of me and I worry about what's happen if I'm let go with no job to go in to.

It sounds like they're trying to edge you out or to another less secure role rather than having to pay you redundancy.

Remember it's the job that is made redundant not the person, so if your job role is effectively disappearing then they should be offering you a redundancy package. They can also offer you another contract but that's up to you whether you think it's worth accepting.

Don't let them swindle you out of redundancy payment if you're entitled to it.

The maternity cover role they've offered isn't in my current team so they would change my contract to the new team

So they're trying to change your contract from permanent to temporary in another area?

Dodgy as hell if so. Sounds like they'd still let you go when the temp period ends but would have saved themselves redundancy.

Don't be bullied into it. I'd decline politely, say I'm happy where I am and wait for redundancy.

Contact ACAS as soon as possible.

They're absolutely brilliant and will give you the best advice, can't see how on earth they can swap you from a permanent contract to a temporary one.

Do not agree to anything without seeking proper advice.

If your job is no longer there it is redundant. I'd understand that angle before taking a temporary job.

Are you in a union?

If a person has more than two years service and moves into a fixed term role, at the end of the fixed term, they are still effectively redundant and service is continuous, counted from the start date.

If you are already looking for another job and are unhappy where you are and they have suggested a WP conversation, what are you waiting for @Lifeingingerbread.

Duh and I have set out reality for you. Bite their hand off, negotiate an excellent reference, buy yourself another nine months with your child or, if you get another job quickly bung a lump sum in the bank.

Life is far too short to be miserable at work and unless there is a significant disability the average employment tribunal pay out is simply not worth the stress.