Can’t apply for the job role I’m already doing

[Gardenfence22]

Hi looking for some advice for my partner, currently working on secondment basis until the end of the September as an area manager, before that was supervisor.

sadly due to changes in the buisness the role is now coming to an end and previous role as supervisor is no longer available.

the current role he’s in as area manager he has done amazing for the business and has been told by regional director that aswell.

however we are now worried , basically other area managers are allowed to go for this new role but because my partner hasn’t been doing the role long enough he’s been told he can’t apply? Seems really unfair when 4/5 of these other area managers have had nothing but complaints, constant work outstanding. My partner has worked his butt off and his area is the top area nationally to the point where they have extended his area

I think the main thing is we’re not sure what happens in this situation, he has worked his way up in 2 years from being on the tools to area manager and it’s been commented on numerous times that it’s unheard of and even took him to road shows as “poster boy” for the company to show how you can progress. Another concern is the huge drop in wages going from just shy of £65,000 a year back down to £38,000 a year if he goes back to being on the tools.

his manager has said there could be other management roles but the not knowing where we stand is awful and he’s really feeling it after working so hard his manager wants him to have the secondment role permanently but apparently higher up (I’m guessing head office) have said only managers that have been int he roll the longest can apply.

If he has been there over two years he has employment rights and should be entitled to priority to move into another similar role (to his original post) or redundancy.

If there’s a minimum experience term on the area manager role, does that mean every other person in that role had that level of previous experience? Is it in the job description? It seems unfair others could go for that role when he could lose his job.

is he in a union? If not he could call acas?

Thankyou yes he’s been there 2 years and a few months. He’s been on secondment 5 months and by the sounds of it, from meetings and emails he’s shown me he’s doing amazing! Seems totally unfair he can’t apply for the role on a full time basis when he’s been doing it so well.

yes he’s with a union

Every other manager has been doing the role for longer, there’s 2 slots available but he can’t apply for them 2 slots so is going back to being on the tools.

even though the other area managers have had nothing but complaints, jobs that are years old outstanding my other half has stepped up dealt with all the everyday work plus sorted all the other area managers complaints and either got operatives on outstanding jobs or got them booked in.

If he is seconded into the role and the others are permanent, they would be ringfenced for it in a redundancy situation and he wouldn't.

It's nothing to do with the quality of his work or theirs, unfortunately. Obviously if they fail to get the posts, a vacancy may arise and he might qualify.

It sounds as if the company value him and may try hard to keep him. If he can avoid taking this phase personally and keep his professional image as impressive as it is now, I wouldn't be surprised if they find a slot for him as soon as they can. Hope things go well for him.

Is he going back to the job he was in before he was seconded?

What do you mean when you say the previous role of supervisor is not available what happened to the role ?

thankyou, I’ve shown him this and after speaking to his manager he feels more positive so fingers crossed.

yes so basically he was supervisor but when he moved up to area manager, he actually had to recruit someone to take that supervisor place

He should arrange a meeting with his manager and a member of head office to sit and discuss his career at the company. He can point out his achievements and explain that while he is aware he cannot apply this time around, what does he need to do to insure his progression within the organisation. He can ask what they have in mind for him.

Surely if he was a supervisor prior to this secondment, the company have a legal obligation to find him a role that equivalent from the one he came from ? So he wouldn't be dropping back to tools but to his supervisory role. That's how it should work. Maybe worth him asking his manager again about what equivalent roles will be in the off-ing. If not there should still be some salary protection at least for a time.

Time for him to start putting out feelers for a new company...

The supervisor who replaced him should have been temporary if this was a secondment.

But don't take that personally. The most likely explanation is that they really were expecting a permanent role to open up for him and have got in a legal tangle. Definitely suggest he has a chat with them. He can always take firmer action later, but he can start by assuming everyone's on the same page. They want to keep him - how are they going to do it. He should start conferring with his union if he has one too