Employment rights for a 2 year+ secondment

[mummystrolling]

I have been in seconded roles for 26 months, promoted twice and am now 4 grades higher than my substantive role. My organisation are restructuring. They are closing the substantive role and are offering me a role they feel is similar to that (even though it is substantially different), on the same pay as my substantive role. Do I have any legal rights, that having been over 2 years on secondment and with a significant pay and grade increase, this isn’t right? Why was I given development opportunities that would last for over two years if that development and the last 26 months is now invalid within a restructure?

It's bad practice to have you temporarily covering for 2 years, but i don't think you'd have any rights outside of what is in your contract.

Also, not the point, just an observation - but 4 grades in 2 years?! None of which are permanent? I work in the public sector and never heard of anyone going higher than one grade above their substantive role on temporary promotion.

Your promotion was temporary. I don't think that gives you any rights to a permanent higher rate. Annoying for you though if you expected it to lead to a permanent promotion.