Employment help please

[Stressed1011]

where I work, we have different departments, the one I’m in suits me perfectly. I enjoy it. The pay is fine, the hours what I need.. great. They have just started to move some of us to a different department to do an entirely different job. No notice of this, no communication of this whatsoever just went into work one day to be told oh you’re doing this today.

I do not want to do what they have put me down for, for a few reasons. It’s not a job I have ever wanted to do, I know I’ll be crap at it, it’s longer hours, and we will be on less money than the people already doing the job! We won’t get paid anymore! It’s not in my contract.

any advice?

is this manual? or admin/office?

Manual

If you're in a union what do they say?

ACAS is a good start point otherwise.

Not in a union. I can contact acas, but my next shift is tonight.. and I want to refuse to do this job but at same time I don’t want to obviously get the sack

you need to look at your contract OP before you refuse to do anything!!

I have done.

Is there a consultation on it? Are the job specifications the same? What is the alternative , is your current role being made redundant?

Is this retail work? Large organisation? A contract will have terms saying you maybe asked to work differently or across different departments so it really depends on what you are being asked to do. Changing your hours isn't usually possible without discussion and agreement but again it depends on what is being asked for.

Do you have a line manager?

Do you have the term “any other duties as reasonably required” or similar in your contract?

and……?

Well it doesn’t say much to be honest. No where does it say I have to do duties where required ect… just says my department and what it includes.. and this other job they are wanting us to do isn’t on it.

Your contract will not have your job title you need the job description to understand whether the duties you are being asked to do are outside the remit of the job you have been hired to do.

Department name is generally not relevant because it's the job role that you are hired to do.

If these duties fall within the remit of your role then your options will be limited and will rely on the good will of your employer to agree you not doing them.

It is open ended OP

i suspect they’re fine to do this and have solid business case as to why

I don’t have a job title on the contact. But I’ve just re read it and it says I have to do jobs required of me as discussed at my interview. Well I didn’t have an interview I was offered the job without one.

How long have you been there?

Does your company have an HR department? If so this is your first port of call. You should have the new arrangements in writing.

You cant he forced to do more than your contracted hours unless there is some wording in the contract that provides some flexibility.
If you have been there less than 2 years your options are limited so You have to think practically. How important to you is having a job? You don’t KNOW you can’t do the role until you try. If you are unhappy with how they have handled the changes you can raise a grievance but think about how this might impact you going forward.

Thanks for replies. Been there 3 years. I love the job, I love the people, I need the money ect… but I’d rather find something else if I have to do this particular job all the time. It’s a job I never ever would have considered doing, it’s just not for me. More frustrating that not everyone is expected to do it, some don’t have to!

really? they never met you and hired on the basis of just your CV?

why don’t you at least give it a chance?

It’s just something I know I won’t enjoy at all. Plus the hours are longer. Till 1am instead of a 10pm finish! I have young kids those hours will finish me off

Nope, I had worked there before 20 odd years ago.. knew the boss so she just asked one day if I fancied going back! I started the same day!