Excluded from team meeting

[Cogsun]

I'm unsure what to do about this. We have a regular team meeting which is held face to face in London. I'm on a contract rather than employed but my role is unique and considered integral to the team. I've been in role for three years, and I pre-date my line manager. My counterparts in other teams across the country (we have regional offices and a national team overseeing) are also included in team meetings and this is the model in the organisation, which is not for profit. We usually get an agenda in advance and it's also attached to the calendar invitation.

Two days before our last team meeting I received an email from a member of the SLT telling me the team meeting has been downgraded from a day to a half day, focussing solely on an upcoming event and that I was not needed to attend. This event is annual and last year I was fully involved in organising it and was a speaker. This year I haven't been included regularly but have attended some meetings about it as one of the areas it looks at is my unique specialist area and my input was needed.

I was surprised but obviously didn't attend. The impression given was that it was a last meeting to finalise minor details. There was no agenda on email or the calendar.

Then after the meeting on our team WhatsApp a more senior member of the SLT posted what a great meeting it had been and about having had rich discussions on all the topics.

I was confused and posted that if there was anything for me to action/follow up then to let me know and I was told notes would follow.

The notes arrived and there was a full agenda looking at some really important topics which I would reasonably expect them to need my input on. With that agenda it's not acceptable within our organisation for them to have excluded my role. There would be an expectation from our national team that I would be in those discussions.

I had not been sent an agenda and there is not one attached to the calendar invitation.

I messaged a colleague who is also a friend (as in we go out together out of work, discuss our personal lives etc) just asking if she had been sent an agenda and if it had included those items as I wanted to check if I'd missed something. I thought it was possible the topics had come up organically and were then discussed, but that it hasn't been planned.

She replied in a really odd way, saying she didn't want to reply on her personal mobile and would pick it up at work next week but that she had received the agenda a few days before ie at the same time I was uninvited, but couldn't remember what was on it. This is very unlike her, she's very organised and remembers everything. I think she didn't want to tell me so I backed off and wished her a good weekend.

There's background that I've been experiencing verbal bullying from my line manager for months now and was signed off sick with stress earlier year due to this.

I don't know how best to handle this with SLT. I'm obviously not going to ask my friend any more, I can see she feels awkward and I suspect she knows something she can't tell me. And ultimately she will prioritise her job over me of course.

Do I email my line manager? Or do I just note this down as another example of bullying and continue to plan my exit?

We do have HR but they are not helpful with contractors (or anything to be honest!) and we don't have a culture of involving HR in things.

I have a meeting with my manager booked soon anyway, as part of our regular meetings schedule, so I could bring it up then, or not.

I am planning to leave anyway, and I have posted about my issues in this role before under other names (I'm trying to stay anonymous).

You're a contractor and you're being paid LESS than employees?! That's nuts. Definitely the wrong way round.

It's very common for contractors not to be included in certain meetings. Bizarre that you think you have a right to demand to be included when you're not an employee

If I were you I'd start looking for another job asap. Given what you've said and particularly because you e been off sick, I would expect that your contract will not be extended.

if you feel there is bullying why you still work there? do they pay your sick pay?

Frankly they sound like an awful employer all around.

As someone who has worked for charities for a while it always surprises me how awful so many of them are to staff and volunteers...

I would assume that they are making plans to get rid of your role and I would start looking for something else.

I would also have a chat with ACAS to check whether the way they have been using you as a contractor is actually legal by the way.

sorry i misread that you had been on sick leave.

seems like actions speak louder than words op

Have they already found a replacement who attended the meeting during the handover phase (that you're not currently aware of)?

Op you maybe side stepped the contract question , which was is there an end date to your contract. The poster didn’t ask if they were going to extend it

this is the key question. You are not an employee. You are a contractor. When does the contract end.

Why on earth are you paid less than everyone else, you realise contractors should be paid significantly more right?

They are obviously not including you because you're on your way out. So having a plan and a different role lined up is definitely what you need.

Agree, it’s not bullying , and the key point of when this contract ends is vitally important. It’s obvious they are not renewing when it ends. So the op is leaving.

You're a contractor. You are being pushed out. This is nigh on over.

But, you are Not an employee. Do you work for anyone else? Then you aren't really a contractor anyway are you?
Is it probable that your contact won't be renewed. Looks like it. Start looking for something new.

You wouldn’t gain employment rights after any time on a contracting arrangement (you invoicing them), only if you were employed on a fixed term contract (4 years on which would make you permanent by default).

I suspect they're replacing you at the end of this contract, not going to do another 12 months like they've told you, and they're either openly discussing this in the meeting or your replacement was there - hence caginess from the friend.

The sad truth is as a contractor once you make an accusation of bullying to management, even if true, and then go off with stress. It is nearly always going to be the case they will simply stop using you and as soon as possible. It was game over when that happened.

i think you behave like an employee, and maybe haven’t fully appreciated the implications. You are not part of the company. The overseeing folks won’t haven an expectation you attend, it will be down to the manager, just as it is on whether they make the role employed or not

your friend is awkward as she knows you are about to be no longer used as a contractor. Maybe even knows who is now doing the work. But she can’t tell you. And she also likely knows you were looking to weaponise the agenda timing as well, so didn’t wish to provide.

Are you the poster who posted about your husband not being supportive of you losing your job in a year’s time (ie when your contract runs out). If so, if I recall, it sounded like there were other issues with your workplace and this is therefore the latest issue, which suggests that they’ve decided they no longer need your services and are sidelining.

I know nothing about the legalities of that unfortunately.

As pp, you’re being managed out.

I wouldn't, but I have worked in organisations where contractors are treated like second class citizens. I refused to go to a Christmas event once as my whole team could not go due to contractors being excluded.

I guess there is an element of separation of new things from contractors who are known to be leaving, but I find it much better to assume that people have professional standards.

You need to find a new contract, OP. This is only going one way and you’re the only one it will impact. Take back some control.

Op, you need to ask about your future contract with your manager, this isnt about th4 meeting forget that. Ask if they intend to use your services for much longer.

people can’t advise as you’re not engaging on your contractual terms, ie expiration, min contracted days etc.

and I’m suspecting there is a reason for that. Either there is no min contractual requirement or it’s already expired or about to.

instead of kicking off further, simply ask the question on their need for your services going forward, I understand you maybe scared to, but it has to be done.

amd as others said, find another job, as this is the end with this organisation.

As a former long term contractor, my advice to you is get your head down and concentrate on getting the job done. Don't query why you are being left out. Don't discuss your worries about anything with anyone.

The fact of the matter is you are on your way out. It could be the complaint and time off or it could just be a business decision. Accept that you will probably never know. Companies keep their cards very close to their chest and this is what you need to do now as well.

Your contract will have an end date. What is it? Your contract will also have a notice period. What is that?

Be fully prepared for your contract to finish the end date in your contract. Also be prepared to be terminated early. It happened to me and quite a few other people I worked with. They won't need to give you a reason.

In the meantime, focus all your energy on finding a new job. Leave before your contract finishes if you can. Don't worry about leaving them in the lurch. Talk positively at work if anyone mentions staying on for another contract. DO NOT MENTION THE JOB SEARCH TO ANYONE. You cannot trust anyone I'm afraid. Your aim is to get through and leave with a positive reference.

Evading the contract renewal is all smoke and mirrors I'm afraid. They want you for as long as it is convenient for them. The only way to deal with this is to take back control.