May have been given the wrong contract

[IKantbelieveit]

My (public sector) employer funded me and 2 colleagues to go complete a postgrad diploma for a professional qualification. We were all paid at our original pay grade for the duration of the course, with the agreement we would accept pay for 1 year at the grade below the professional qualification usually commands and remain with our employer for 3 years. The course has nearly finished and we've all been allocated posts in different teams within the same department.

Due to a bereavement, I've started my new post a bit later than the others. My contract came through today and it's for the grade of the professional qualification. My colleagues have been given contracts at the agreed grade 1 tier below.

Can my employer change my contract now it has been issued? Newly qualified staff who self fund are paid at the rate I am now receiving.

Also, would you tell colleagues that you are paid differently?

I wouldn't tell your colleagues however I would raise it with whoever has been dealing with the process. I'm assuming there was some agreement in writing about what the requirement of the funded course would be? If it comes out down the line they could potentially ask for the money back and if not it wouldn't look great from an integrity standpoint. Contracts can be changed.

Thanks, that helps. They're reviewing the funded policy so there's a chance it's correct. It's not a huge difference in pay and as nice as the wee bit extra would be, the thought that I'm being paid erroneously is too much of a worry to keep schtum