Is this age discrimination discrimination, and can they make me go back FT?

[Floofydawg]

I work in financial services in a mid senior role. Mid 50's. Two years ago it was agreed for me to work 4 days (80%) as a stepping stone to retirement. I was still coping with a FT workload as I had a member of support staff who reported to me.

In the last month I've lost this support person and they have not been replaced, so I've been struggling with workload and have been quite stressed. I arranged a meeting with my manager to discuss this, and it became a conversation about the fact (in his mind) that I should really go back FT. I feel like I'm being pushed out and that he doesn't want a PT person doing my role. Things he has said to me:

I don't know how you manage to do that job in 4 days
Do you want my job eventually? (To which I said no, I want to retire in the next 3 or 4 years so why would I take a step up). He felt that this was a problem as he needs someone who is eager to get promoted.

So my question is around where I stand and whether I can be forced to go back FT?

It sounds more like OP is on the go fast and they would probably need two people to replace her.

If I'm employed for 80% I would do 80% and not try and do 100% in 80% of the time. If there is work not done - tough, not your problem. They decided to get rid of someone and not replace them.

🤣 no I was trying to look at both sides. I’m sure a lot of us have known colleagues who have announced retirements plans a few years ahead so then do the minimum they can. Or they have run out of spark and have ended up jaded.

Only you know if that is the case or you are still work efficiently.

I don’t like the term work below my pay grade as it makes you sound elitist - “I’m too important to do photocopying “ rather than (as I think you mean) “it isn’t a good use of my working time and expertise.

What about the other person your support was working for too? Could you speak to them? Is their manager telling them to suck up the extra workload so they don’t need to hire another person?

Except the OP isn’t ’scaling back and slowing down’. She’s being told she has to work more because another member of staff has left.
Your insinuation that people in their mid 50s who are looking to retire in a few years become lazy and work shy is the very epitome of age discrimination.

I haven’t known anyone who fits your description of older colleagues - but I’ve found plenty of fresh out owning colleagues who need a week off with anxiety if they’re asked to do a task that’s not exactly in the job description!
The only person I’ve come across who said ‘that’s not my job’ was a 23 year old woman who wouldn’t assist me to change a disabled child’s nappy, in front of the child, and walked away. The child’s TA was off sick that day so I was acting as her TA. In that instance, myself (a senior leader) and the Headteacher (who fortunately was passing and heard the convo) changed the child.

It's complicated. Other person in my role went on maternity leave and support person is stepping up to do that role, which is why I've lost the support.

Interesting. It sounds like your manager doesn’t want to hire a replacement for them. Even so 2.5 days of support time does not go into an extra day (if you wanted to work FT which you don’t).

@OhBeAFineGuyKissMe you put it better than me - I'm not elitist at all. But when my manger tells me I'm not working on 'strategy', it's because I have no time for it because of all the bau.

OP I'm quite confused by the hierarchy - was maternity leave woman FT or PT?

FT. But we shared the support person, who is now doing her job until she returns.

Surely if the support person is taking on the maternity cover then someone needs to be recruited in their role? Temporary maternity contract.

Especially since the support person is stepping up and will probably need support as well!

@OhBeAFineGuyKissMe well yeah, you'd think! But not happening.

I know it’s easier said than done but I would neglect the BAU tasks that your support did and stick to the strategic. There needs to be a vacuum so management realise they need to hire someone even if on a contract for a few months. Otherwise this will become a permanent situation.

@StepsInTime the problem with that is my role is externally facing, and if essential bau tasks don't get done, I get it in the neck from my clients.

I have Monday dread 🙁

Op, even you think your job can’t be done on 4 days, it’s not age discrimination to want a full time person. He’d clearly be happy if you did it.

the fact he wants someone who wishes to progress is also not age discrimation, plenty of people your age wish to progress.

@JJathome he agreed for me to go PT in the first place, and it was manageable with a support person to help with workload. But that person has been withdrawn and manager has turned it into a narrative about how I should work FT and he needs someone who wants his job. That's my issue.