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Strange situation could really use some advice.

21 replies

SilkySuky · 01/03/2021 15:54

Am pretty annoyed with my husband's work but don't know if I'm just not getting something and am being unreasonable.
Hubby works in IT end user support for a large company made up of lots of different smaller companies, none of which use the same software so support can be difficult for him and the team, about 10 people. Company has been rapidly expanding and buying other companies over the last year.
10 people is nowhere near enough and the fact that they got everyone working from home, about 2000 users last march with 2 weeks notice was hard work but they did it.
In August the team leader left. He was burnt out and sick of the lack of support from the directors.
My DH was asked to 'step up' for the 3 weeks' gap in-between old Team leader leaving and new one starting. DH not invited to apply for the job. New TL backs out.of the job the Friday before starting on the following Monday.
DH told over the phone that it would be appreciated if he could continue to step up until new candidate found and that he would be remembered come annual bonus time.

So. No bonus, no pay rise and no new Team Leader. DH taking calls at 9pm and at weekends and is paid less than some of the other team members. Told by section director last month that he is invited to apply for TL job.
Job description is that of TL but also many other responsibilities. In total about 3 people's worth of work.
DH interviews for it by zoom, told he will hear in 3 days. 2 weeks go by, he gets a call on Friday night saying he didn't get the job new guy starts in 4 weeks time.
We are furious, he has been led up the garden path for 6 months in a highly stressful job he isn't getting paid for.
DH has been on calls today and has said to a few people that going forward others will need to find out who to escalate issues to as it isn't him as of today.

His boss has just emailed saying that DH needs to continue in step up TL unpaid role until new guy starts in 4 weeks.

DH has never had any contract variation or anything from HR about step up role, it's all been done verbally and in my view unofficially.

I've said DH needs to get advice from HR but don't know if I'm over reacting?

Why should he continue to do a job when his bosses have given it to someone else?
It feels like they are taking the piss frankly, and his good will is now long gone.

If it was me I would have resigned this morning but DH has decided to give himself some time to think about what to do next. Possibly just keep taking team member wage and responsibilities while training and getting certified in a related field.

Sorry it's so long didn't want to drop feed.

Any advice?

OP posts:
LunaHeather · 01/03/2021 15:57

OP "DH taking calls at 9pm and at weekends and is paid less than some of the other team members."

Sorry but his first mistake was stepping up with no extra pay.

Are you think he might get made redundant or something if he stops the extra work?

SilkySuky · 01/03/2021 16:05

Thank you Lina. Yes I agree mistake was stepping up with nothing in writing but a huge deal was made of 'everyone needs to pitch in and help' sort of mentality if that makes sense.

Don't think he will be made redundant as his official job role is very much in demand. There are not enough in the team as it is.

Basically he wants to return to original role and responsibilities until he makes a decision as to what to do next but director is saying he has to continue as TL ......surely he does not have to do this?

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LunaHeather · 01/03/2021 16:58

I'm sure he can say no, back to my original role

But not sure, hopefully someone will see this who knows the law...

BlueSoop · 01/03/2021 17:05

They are taking the piss. As others have said, it was ok to step up for 3 weeks as a goodwill gesture, but as soon as it became a longer term arrangement he should have requested a formal pay increase or bonus offer in writing.

At this point there’s not much he can do but express his displeasure and cease stepping up. If he has it in writing that he’ll be “remembered” when bonuses are handed out then he could pursue that with HR. Otherwise he needs to stop doing the extra work immediately and look for a new job.

flowery · 01/03/2021 18:46

When was “bonus time”? Was he ever led to believe he would get the job?

SilkySuky · 01/03/2021 18:47

I agree with you. We've spoken more about it and he's going to speak to someone he knows in HR tomorrow.
DH still hasn't responded to the cheeky fucker email saying the team needs consistency and director is expecting that DH continues to act as TL. Ending with "cheers mate"

The absolute nerve.

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SilkySuky · 01/03/2021 18:48

Flowery yes he was very much led to believe he would get the job. Nothing in writing though.

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LunaHeather · 01/03/2021 18:52

So what's the worst that can happen if he says "no more"? I know some companies can be incredibly nasty but it sounds like they do need him.

SilkySuky · 01/03/2021 18:57

Yes I think he is going to say he will be returning to his official role. What threw me a bit was that a couple of the management have seemingly been shocked that he wants to do this.

I just wanted reassurance really that he can't be forced to continue with no contract variation or even an email. It's all just been assumed that he will carry on.

He's actually had a lunch break today and finished on time so that's been good.

Will see what HR says tomorrow.

OP posts:
LunaHeather · 01/03/2021 19:01

Silky "What threw me a bit was that a couple of the management have seemingly been shocked that he wants to do this"

I think partly they act that way because they are workaholics and partly it's a way of pressuring people.

But would you be better posting on the legal board?

flowery · 01/03/2021 19:24

”But would you be better posting on the legal board?”

Would be a bit hit and miss whether an employment law expert would see it there.

flowery · 01/03/2021 19:27

”What threw me a bit was that a couple of the management have seemingly been shocked that he wants to do this.”

If he didn’t ask for a temp increase at the beginning, or when it became longer-term, or make a fuss when the promised bonus was not forthcoming, that’s why they’re surprised he’s got a problem now tbh.

”I just wanted reassurance really that he can't be forced to continue with no contract variation or even an email. It's all just been assumed that he will carry on.”

It doesn’t sound like anyone’s ever said or done anything to indicate that this now is his permanent role- it’s always been clear that it is temporary, and they asked him rather than told him, so he’s fine to refuse.

SilkySuky · 01/03/2021 19:39

Thank you all, will see what HR says tomorrow.

It's a case of they need him more than he needs them if you know what I mean.

There are a few jobs being advertised in his area and with lots of people working from home IT support is in demand, so we are thankfully not worried.

We are very lucky in that if he wants to walk he can do and we would be fine for a while until he finds something else.

One thing this past year has taught us is that life is far too bloody short to be miserable!

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VeganCow · 01/03/2021 22:21

Op if it's no bother atm if he walks, then it's no bother that he digs his heels in from now and tells them that as he never received his bonus for stepping up, and wasn't offered the job when he applied for it, he will now back down to his original role.

What can they do? If they get rid of him, he was going to walk anyway, if they don't, he loses the stress and can take time looking forward a new job.

Schoolchoicesucks · 01/03/2021 22:41

If he can afford to walk, then there is no issue in him saying "Nope, I've stepped up for the last 7 months with no reward and I've had enough, I'm going back to my contracted role".

He should have insisted on a stepping up pay increase when he was first asked, and failing that when the new hire backed out. They now have him down as a useful sucker.

If he needs the job, I would be more cautious and be pushing for a retrospective payment to continue with the stepping up. If he doesn't - screw them.

daisychain01 · 02/03/2021 05:18

This is going to sound negative OP, but since when has anyone needed to be "invited" to apply for a job? Your DH should have been knocking on the decision maker's door (figuratively speaking) waving his CV and saying how he's the right person and when can he be interviewed.

Waiting around to be invited to apply for a job means he missed the boat on about 2 or 3 occasions. They probably don't see him as team leader material and just a stop gap until someone new can take over.

Plus he shouldn't work through lunch breaks, do overtime, answer support calls after hours and then feel aggrieved about it. He should have been raising these issues with his manager before they turned into a crisis. Those are the things that make a person management material. Sorry I know it sounds harsh, but your OP highlighted a lot of issues.

Toilenstripes · 02/03/2021 05:38

@daisychain01

This is going to sound negative OP, but since when has anyone needed to be "invited" to apply for a job? Your DH should have been knocking on the decision maker's door (figuratively speaking) waving his CV and saying how he's the right person and when can he be interviewed.

Waiting around to be invited to apply for a job means he missed the boat on about 2 or 3 occasions. They probably don't see him as team leader material and just a stop gap until someone new can take over.

Plus he shouldn't work through lunch breaks, do overtime, answer support calls after hours and then feel aggrieved about it. He should have been raising these issues with his manager before they turned into a crisis. Those are the things that make a person management material. Sorry I know it sounds harsh, but your OP highlighted a lot of issues.

I actually agree with this. A manager would have been proactive, and he doesn’t appear to have been.
BrownFootStool · 02/03/2021 06:41

Similar happened to a girl I work with. She was asked to step up to a manager role and was promised-but-not-explicitly-promised/pressured through teamwork speeches to do it. She excelled at it and eventually demanded pay for her time which she got. However a few months later she was told she had to step up again, that there would be no pay this time but it would be 'remembered'.

A few months after that they told her not only was she being dropped back two grades but that she would have to either reapply for her own original job or be made redundant.

They used her and led her on with suggestions and promises. She was absolutely brilliant in the higher role too.

She won't be that naive again.

SilkySuky · 02/03/2021 07:16

The job was not advertised either time in the usual way, a special link to the page was sent to a couple of employees. That's what I meant by invited to apply. This process in itself seems highly unusual to me.

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daisychain01 · 02/03/2021 13:15

Sorry that sounds very far-fetched, OP, and maybe it's what your husband has led you to believe. If he knows there's a vacancy, then him expecting it to fall on his lap, "special link" or otherwise, was his bad - he could have tried a bit harder to be considered for the vacancy he knew was there (because he was the one being worked into the ground!).

It's admirable you're fighting your DHs corner, but I expect there's more to this than meets the eye.

If you want to help him, you could suggest he takes out a grievance to formally complain about his employer's lack of transparency in their recruitment process, but I expect the ship has sailed now.

SilkySuky · 02/03/2021 13:31

Ok daisy, thanks for your input. I'm not here to argue on the internet. I fully believe my DH.
It's very hard to condense 6 months of conversations in to a few paragraphs as I'm sure you will appreciate.
Demanding recognition , praise and pay from employers is rarely simple.

Have a lovely day.

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