Job offer possible withdrawal

[deflatedbirthday]

I interviewed for a job, was offered the job the same day and accepted. I have now completed references, obtained uniform and have an occupational health appointment next week. I was very transparent about my qualifications throughout the application and interview. I have provided my certificates and ID to the recruitment team who stated they had everything they needed (this is an internal move).

The application stated NVQ3 or equivalent. I have alevels which I was led to believe was equivalent, as was the recruiting manager who has stated via email that this has always been the case previously.

HR have now decided that alevels are not equivalent to NVQ3 as there is no practical element. They have now retrospectively applied this new rule to my application and there is a good chance the offer will be withdrawn.

I am devastated and feel this is highly unfair. I understand they need to draw a line however I feel this should be for future advertised jobs and should not be retrospectively applied.

Is there anything I can do? I'm going to ask for a meeting with HR tomorrow.

I haven’t missed that at all.

@AnneValentine then you'll clearly realise that @prh47bridge was entirely accurate.

@Lougle AnneValentine is all over the site arguing that black is white. The posting frequency and style makes me wonder if this is the reincarnation of Bluntness100

I thought the exact same thing. @pprh47bridge obviously knows what they're talking about (and is absolutely correct, unlike AnneValentine.

When did they decide it was no longer an equivalent?

Was a formal decision made? Did the person who made the decision have authority to do so? Was it written down anywhere (the change)?

Was the decision equality screened (if it needed to be).

Seems odd the position was changed and the HR Officers you delay with didn't even realise.

No internal politics at play here is there?

@norma1980 these are all points I have addressed in my email to HR as fact finding queries.

With regards to internal politics... not that I'm aware of. If there is I think it's far higher up than me and not directly related to me personally.

Sounds like an over enthusiastic HR jobsworth. You definitely need to talk to someone else in HR. If you don’t get anywhere I would throw in a complaint. Must be incredibly frustrating for the department who employ you as well.

Who want you I mean

what a horrible situation OP, I agree it seems very unfair to move the goal posts now. Surely if the NVQ3 was an essential requirement, this should have been made clear in the advert/job spec etc. my DS1 has NVQ3 we were told by college, his course was equivalent to two A levels. Hope you manage to get this resolved.

What is the Hiring Manager doing? Talk to her. Does she have the strength to negotiate with HR?

https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels

HR are being ridiculous.

You don’t think there has been some sort of negative informal reference from your current job? And the qualification thing is being used as an excuse?

In my organisation this would just need someone senior in your recruiting area to talk to someone senior in HR.

If your recruiting manager wants to recruit you, then they just need to keep escalating it up the chain on her side to a senior enough level that the person can ring the head of HR and go "this is absurd, please resolve this".

What are then consequences of OP having served notice in her current role? Could she argue for compensation or (because it's an internal role change) constructive dismissal considering that she quit her job with the understanding she was going to a new one?

I know op says she wanted to leave anyway but presumably her employers don't know that.

Hi OP,
I wonder if there is another candidate the HR is more keen to employ hence why they have changed the goal post?

Unfortunately, both in the NHS and universities I have seen some shady recruitment practices (regardless what the law says, there are many loopholes)! I have also sat on interview panels and when a candidate wasn’t suitable for the role, I have observed other panel members increase scores just to employ that person (for whatever reason e.g., wishing to employ more males as it is a female heavy profession). They would argue that the person is suitable for xyz reason but it is so clear the person is not suited for the role. It is hard to argue with them as the interview process is very subjective.

In your case, I would definitely pursue this further as especially the manager is keen to have you on board!

Never forget the strong possibility of a fuck up.

In practice, the grunt work of NHS HR compliance checking is carried out by junior staff and errors are not uncommon. It is entirely possible that a junior has not understood the NVQ issue and this will all be smoothed out once someone senior is back in the office.

On the other hand, if the role requires a specific NVQ and it got missed from the advert, that is not OP's fault and the trust will need to dig themselves out of their hole.

@deflatedbirthday use the union rep - they'll know where all the bodies are buried in HR and if this "new rule" has been applied inconsistently and can fight your corner.

Employees on their own without union reps or employment solicitors rarely get traction as HR knows (if only representing self) that you may complain and you may be right but you're unlikely, if you've not union rep etc, to take it any further and it'll all be forgotten in time even if you were in the right. Not fair but I see it everyday.

Cock up not conspiracy is one of my favourite phrases.

Still no update unfortunately. I'm either being ghosted by HR or no one is in between Christmas and new year. I'm on a bank shift on Tuesday so will be going in person should they not respond.

Hoping you have heard something today about the job?

Only that I have meeting on Thursday with HR. At my insistence I might add!

Well that's good progress OP, I hope they sort themselves out.

Hopefully you're taking your union rep to this HR meeting OP.

Hope your meeting goes well today OP. They have behaved truly bizarrely, usually if you have a higher qualification, eg a degree, then lesser ones don't matter anyway.

Hope the meeting went okay @deflatedbirthday . It sounds like a nightmare.