To quit my job rather than do this?

[WelshRambler]

Hey all,

Looking for some unbiased advice. Every year my work hold a big event for a small charity the week before Christmas. It raises a lot of money and really makes a huge a difference to the charity. We literally raise more money for the charity in one hour than the charities get in a year. The charity changes every year.

This year I was asked to organise which charity we would partner with, which I duly did. I chose a lovely charity who were really excited. I then went on annual leave leaving both work and the charity with all details confirmed, travel organised etc. I’ve kept in touch with the charity on my time off and they’ve shared some really heart warming and heart wrenching stories that they would like to share. Everything seemed well.

Cue tonight. I’ve been asked by work to stand my charity down with one days notice because work has found a charity that they think will do better on socials.

AIBU to refuse to stand my charity down because 1) it’s wrong and 2) I’m on leave?

I’ve point blank messaged to say I won’t do it but honestly they might force me to. Also, if I don’t stand my charity down and they turn up I will be in big trouble.

I am going to fight this and genuinely would rather quit than do it.

Before anyone suggests it, it’s not possible to have both charities.

WWYD in this situation?

I would absolutely stand my ground. I would hope it's just some clueless senior manager trying it on, surely they couldn't get everything sorted with the new, social media friendly charity at short notice?!

I'd leave my out of office on and pretend I haven't seen the message. Whoever came up with this marvelous idea should be the one breaking the news.
Just no... Nobody can force you to do it. And if they dismiss you based on your refusal, then employment tribunal will have a field day with this.

I would stand my ground and make clear my stance on the situation. I'd also make clear to them that if you do quit over this you'll be making it very widely known why.
Utterly disgusting, look better on socials? Wankers.

That sounds shit. Surely their socials will look pretty terrible when the original charity share their disappointment.

Reeks to me of someone more senior than you promising 2nd charity the deal and having forgot you've been tasked with finding the charity. Now they have two charities. You're the bottom dog so you've been asked to cancel.

Id go back and ask if the potential damage on 'socials' has been considered. I can't imagine it being a very positive story, promising a charity and then dumping them,

I'd point out they're going to look utterly fucking shocking on socials when charity 1 absolutely decimates them on every platform they can find. Are they insane?!

Well I can see their point. You haven't been there to organise things personally. Just say you can't do that as they've already been promised the money.

Yeah, I wouldn't stand for that.

Christ on a bike. As PP's have said, I'd refuse to do it. If they sack you then you could turn them inside out at a tribunal.

I once quit a job for much less than this (and knowing I had another to go to) but then emailed the client I was being told to fuck over directly to advise them that I'd left the business rather than fuck them over. I live in a small place and industry reputation is important 🤷🏻‍♀️

@DingDongAlong Pretty much bang on the money. Someone more senior did organise the other charity but they knew about the original charity as well.

The charity I made arrangements with is very small and doesn’t really have a social media presence. Not sure they’d been vindictive enough to do anything if I did stand them down tbh.

This ⬆️

Surely it has already been organised? How can the event be a day away and it hasn’t been advertised including the charity you selected? This would be a terrible move from your organisation. I think I’d email back and CC anyone involved in organising this event to explain what a bad idea this is and then see that you refuse to do it..

I have been organising it. And I am giving up a day of AL to attend the event on the day. Or at least I had been asked to and I had agreed.

Stand your fucking ground.

I’d also be prepared to walk over this. Bastards - fancy putting you in this position!

Yeah I'd bet that someone more senior said to their mate at another charity that they'd get selected, now they've realised they couldn't promise it anymore and their mate is having a hissy fit.
It's not your problem. Don't be bullied.

Would it be too revolutionary to suggest splitting between the two charities as a compromise?

What a terrible position to be put in. I would absolutely stand my ground with this.

Shitty behaviour. Can you afford to just quit, though?!

I understand it’s not ideal, but this may be a compromise that means your chosen charity still gets a substantial donation without you having to leave immediately. If you are forced out/have to cancel them they will get nothing, even if you later are successful with a constructive dismissal claim.

Absolutely no way I'd do that. They don't get to fanny out of the dirty work; their choice to change and dump last minute, they tell the charity. Making you do it is really unfair. If I were the dumped charity, I'd make sure I spread the story as far and wide as possible.

I agree with others that you should emphasise that it will be excruciatingly bad PR for them to cancel on this charity. I would also say that you are not willing to make the call to cancel, you are on annual leave. However I would provide your work colleague’s with the charity contact person’s details so that you are not blamed for them not being able to get in touch.

Name them on MN, and the charity they were replaced with - we'll get them some socials

This is just unfair on the charity who would have been counting on the donation!

@jacks11 @FromCuddleLand I really can’t go into details about how the event works as it would be very outing but it’s really not possible to do two charities.

This happens in Breeders!