Garden leave - Any legal experts out there?

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My DH resigned from his job last week and was willing to work his 4 week notice. After 4 days his boss texts him at home (this saturday) telling him not to return to the office, except to return his laptop and blackberry and to collect his personal belongings in the foyer.

We were obviously happy about this and made plans to go away for a few days next week.

He has now had a phone saying they have changed their mind and want him to come in and do a "HR specific project". He has never worked in HR before and they have said that they will not tell him what the project is until he gets there tomorrow.

Stupidly - he cannot find his contract but we were wondering where he stands legally?

Any advice would be great. Thanks

Bumpity bump.... or did all the clever peaople leave mumsnet?

Is he in a Trade Union?

Did he query the telephone call from the boss on Saturday and then the change of plans today? If it were me, I would ask for a "Secial Payment" for a "special project"

Not in a trade union. He is just a sales manager with a team of 6. They were all approached by the same company and 4 of them have left and they are pissed off with him.

They have asked him to come in tomorrow to do an HR related task. In his contract it states that they can ask him to do any reasonable tasks, but obviously they dont want him to do anything relating sales because of contact with clients, and therefore his task will not be related and they c ant tell him what it is.

One of the reasons he decided to leave is because there was no career progression even though there was space for him to move, they made it clear it wasnt him they wanted.

If the task is not related to his job title - can he raise a complaint?