Just had a project taken away from me because I'm part time.

[HerdingSquirrels]

I'm livid. I work 4 days a week, senior role. The project has been given to someone else on my team as it's closer to what they are already working on (fair enough, no problem) but also because I work part time (4 days a week, inc Fridays to ensure I am around for problems that crop up at the end of the week) and they are concerned I wouldn't be available when needed, running up to the project launch. They didn't bother to ask me how I would ensure cover was in place if I kept the project. I'm gobsmacked.

Yes, I've been managing projects for several years, part time for the last year. Projects rarely require 24/7 cover, I've always been flexible with my hours/days when necessary, arrange cover when required and deliver. My colleague who was also working on the project part time has been told the same - she's as taken aback as I am. THere are plenty of people in the company that work part time (men included), nobody ever bats an eyelid.

Ensuring adequate cover is a valid concern, but it's been handled very badly. It's the assumption that a part-timer can't be flexible with their hours, whereas a full time employee can. I think it's come from my American boss. Different culture, but at odds with our company culture.

As it happens, I've too much on my plate to take on the project without dropping something else, but i'm more concerned my boss thinks 'part-timers can't be flexible/aren't good enough', effectively written off for the decent projects. How many opportunities am I going to be denied if that's the case? I will raise it when we next meet.

You're right to be angry. I would be too. Are you going to take it up with your boss/HR?

This may be useful m.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1576

But it isn't just about flexibility, is it? It's about total capacity. You yourself say you can't take in this prone t without dropping something else . Maybe you could if you had an extra 20% each week.

In the end, part time is part time and it isn't the same as full time. Usually the converse is true: people work .8 but find themselves protesting that their workload hasn't really decreased from f/t. Maybe your boss is recognizing a fairer reality!

"maybe your boss is recognizing a fairer reality" - I'd like to think this is the case. Unfortunately the reason I heard was because they were concerned about cover leading up to the launch. Nothing about workloads and capacity. The colleague who is taking on the project is stretched as it is, and has had to offload some work.

Thanks for the link Villekulla, I will speak to HR too. I don't want to kick up too much of a stink, but I do want it addressed; it worries me that this attitude exists (and is clearly accepted as no one challenged it) at such a senior level within a company that otherwise prides itself in being very fair.

I'm back with an update and to ask advice. Please :)

I raised the issue with my boss, saying that I'm always willing to consider being flexible with my days/hours (giving a recent example), would have liked to have been consulted and asked her not to assume that because I'm part time that I'm not able to adapt if the situation calls for it.

Her response floored me even more than the first one. She said "Jim and Bob wanted a strong project manager, so Fred was asked to take it on" (Jim and Bob are best mates. Fred of course is a bloke). Eh, isn't that implying that I'm not a strong project manager?! And neither is my part time colleague? Despite having successfully delivered some key projects in the company and stopped it falling flat on its face on several occasions? We all have opinions of how good people are at their jobs, but this just smacks of nepotism. And tactless delivery by my boss.

I was speechless.

So, if I put it in writing to HR, does that automatically make it a Grievance? I don't want to raise one, well not yet (small company, it will just look like I'm being obstructive, which I don't want to be) but would rather find a way that this is taken back to the senior management as a learning point and improved. What's the best way to do that (bearing in mind that all those involved are senior, it's just that us mums/part-timers have been sidelined to the grotty projects)?