How to chase up a promised raise

[flyingcloud]

I was asked to take on an additional role in July, which I accepted immediately. In a subsequent meeting outlining my additional duties I was told my pay would be adjusted to reflect the additional work.

It is now December and despite several telephone calls and emails raising this matter is a fairly discreet and polite manner, I have not had a pay rise or been given an answer on this. I sent an email last week saying that my current role remained my priority until this was resolved (too pushy?) and have had no reply to this.

My issue is that I have a very busy job - I work a huge amount of overtime as it is and taking on additional work is going to put a strain on me. I have been assured administrative support if the extra work is too much (I don't work at head office, work on my own, from home with a lot of travelling) but as I have specialist knowledge of this topic and as my working location is the best suited to this type of work then I am the ideal person to 'lead' it.

How pushy can I get regarding the promised raise? How can I word my next email/discussion with management?

Are you likely to be going to head office anytime soon? Can't beat turning up at someone's door and asking direct if you get the chance.

If you've not had anything back by e-mail, have another go on the phone (as they may simply not reply to more e-mails). Something on the 'have you had a chance to progress that raise yet?'

Will it be backdated to when you took on the extra role?

Thanks deepfriedcupcake.

Well I have stated that my current role remains my priority so in practice I have done little towards my new role (it's a more seasonal thing, getting busy now). Whenever I speak to the director of this particular department he says it is in the hands of the MD and whenever I speak to the MD he seems to be totally uninformed. Past experience would tell me the Department director is fobbing me off...

No plans to go to head office until the New Year although they are supposed to be coming to my region to meet me and discuss strategy (this trip has been postponed a couple of times).

Was a figure or a proposed figure communicated to you? What is the director saying the problem is? Has he recommended a figure to the MD and is awaiting authorisation, for example? I think you need to establish exactly what stage this is at.

Thanks Flowery.

No figure mentioned - just a vague assurance that salary would be looked at and reflect the additional work (yes I do appreciate how easy it might be to go back on such a vague assurance).

The director keeps telling me that it is in hand and he just needs to speak to a few more people and they haven't forgotten about me.

I had a chat with the Director's no.2 who is a good friend of mine (and aware of all discussions that have taken place) and in a recent meeting with the director he (no.2) brought this up and had been assured that the matter had been dealt with to everyone's satisfaction. In our discussion yesterday he said told me not to press on the matter until the New Year as clearly something is stalling the process that he is not aware of.

Hi, back to this subject.

I had a chat with the director today who said I need to get on with the work pronto. He said that there would be no pay rise and no admin support (although he did concede later in the conversation that if I didn't take on the work they would have to hire someone to do it). He said I need to restructure my current role myself to take on more work. I basically have no choice in the matter.

I don't want to sound spoilt but I am gutted. I have worked so bloody hard over the last year, cutting short my maternity leave etc and the work I do now gives me a lot of pleasure and satisfaction (although it is bloody, bloody difficult at times). Taking on a pretty basic admin role is not what I want to do, especially without any incentive whatsoever.

Is this all making sense?

To top it all I am having a totally shitty week. I have to take some time off work to go and care for my mother who has broken her hip. This means that the long awaited holiday DH and I were supposed to take is going to have to be put on hold for another year.

I also want to have another baby but I have been made to feel so shit about my being a mother already and it is clear that it will be a massive inconvenience to everyone should I get pregnant again and take the meagre 8 weeks ml that I took last time.

Sorry I am feeling so frustrated and really upset about this.

what an arse - are you working in HE or local government perchance~?

Yes, what an arse about sums it up for me too!

No, I don't work for either HE or local govt. I work for a big private company that employs 350 in the UK and about 2000 world wide (not one single woman at director level throughout the world, I can't help feeling that the fact I am a child-bearing woman is the problem here - I know and have been made aware of discrimatory practices in the past).

That sounds crap.

As they are changing your duties + extra responsibitilies, I think you have grounds to negotiate the change in contract.

Perhaps write an email along the lines of "in light of the extra duties I have been asked to take on, I require a £x increase in salary etc.

And have another baby and take maximum ML

Is there someone you can talk to, eg solicitor, your union or CAB?