Can my employer make me switch roles on Monday without asking me

[fashu]

I work in a job that is all about wellbeing of staff and making employees comfortable. I have always felt secure in my job. I work hard and this is usually recognised.
During the pandemic I agreed to volunteer in a different department. I have worked extremely hard all throughout lock-down, working many hours sometimes late into the night, whilst looking after my 2 year old as my husband is a key worker who couldn't work from home.
Things have calmed down now and our team has expanded, there are only 2 people left from the original team. I have been told I am going to be given a higher rate of pay because I am working at a higher level than I am employed at even though this has not been confirmed. This morning I got a message from my Line manager to call her as soon as I logged on. I wanted to go through my emails and read the intranet for any news, but she called me anyway. She told me that from Monday I will be moving to a new completely different role. I asked if I could have some time to finalise my work and I was basically told no, you are no longer needed in this team and you go to your new team on Monday.
I am pregnant and my hormones are everywhere so I may be overreacting, but I just feel like my employer has to give me notice. I agreed to volunteer there based on the work I was doing, I could easily go back to my home team and I am really tempted to do that now. I just feel like my feelings have not been taken into consideration.
I will add that they have employed new people to work on this team, that is why i am being asked to leave.

They are a shit employer then but can they do it? Maybe. Check your contract!!! If it has any variation of: slave, you shall be deployed at the drop of a hat as and when and wherever we tell you' then i'm afraid you have to do it.

@Tittiana, agree with what you are saying, but I am basically on loan to them from volunteering to help out. I will check my home team contract because that will still apply to me until the end of November.

Most contracts these days say that you can be deployed to carry out whatever tasks your employer requires according to the need of the business.

@Comefromaway yes totally agree, but as I would have to give them notice to leave, don't they have to give me notice to move me? Because I have been employed for a long time it would be the maximum of 4 weeks if I was to leave. they are basically giving me a weekend. Being a little socially awkward I am stressing out about not knowing anything about the new role and not having anytime to research or let myself process it.

They dont owe you a notice period. Its an extra if they are nice and they put it in contract but there is no statutory employment rights to be given notice to be deployed to a different department. Employers often exploit employees like that .. they call it being 'flexible'. Wankers.

Even if it was you who kindly volunteered to step in. They would have a clause in your contract to take any duties as asked by manager and as pp said would justify it as a business decision. In the future if you get a diffrrent job you could negotiate a notice period if you are to switch roles...bit again im sure employers would find a way around it. Unfortunately the scales tip heavily in favour of employers in england.

When you say move you are you being asked to work at a different location? That could be seen as a material change to your contract depending on location. But moving department would not be.

It will depend whether it constitutes a change to your terms and conditions, and whether this is provided for in your contract of employment.

When you say you are tempted to go back to your home team - is that an option? If they are giving you the option of either changing to this new role or reverting to your original role, and you'd prefer the original one, why not do that?

They aren't giving me the option to go back, but since I have volunteered to help out, I could just say, you aren't treating me fairly i'm giving my notice to return to home team. My home team can also say they need me back now and I would have to go back since that's my permanent job.
I have now spoken to my managers manager, who apologised so much that I had been treated this way. I am going to do a transitioned move onto the new team and have regular chats with senior management. He has advised my new LM has much better people skills.

sucks that we can't just say when our job isn't working that we want a new role but its ok the other way around! But I think i may have dodged a bullet getting a new line manager and the work actually seems more interesting.
Thanks for all your replies

OP, you seem very anxious about the change and being able to transition/have warning.

Reminds me of my dd at college who needs warning of any changes of routine etc and has social anxiety. She has an asd. It's good you have spoken to them about your concerns & a solution is being proposed.

@Comefromaway yes, i have always suspected I have some kind of social anxiety. My family think I'm just a miserable person and that I don't want to see anyone and they laugh at me saying lock-down is my ideal environment, but it is probably something I could get help with. I suppose I feel a little bit old to be going to my doctors with something that is usually diagnosed younger!
I am feeling a bit better after speaking to the senior manager, but still worried about meeting my new team!