Part timer in an equal role but lower pay scale

[saladodger]

My situation is that I do an identical management job to others in the department, same job title, managing the same numbers, type/grade of staff- however I am the only part-time manager. There is no job share.

The equivalent (full time) managers are on the next pay scale up than me. I am more experienced than any of them and equally academically qualified. I fulfill the written job spec/criteria for the next pay band. My manager has talked about an upgrade for me since I took the job on, but I haven't pushed this as yet.

The pay upgrade was (after a couple of years and recent managerial restructuring) finally hopefully coming to fruition. However, there is a stumbling point in that one of the people involved in signing this off has asserted that I haven't achieved as much as one of the other managers. Actually I have achieved more in many areas but not as much 'obvious' high profile stuff. My line manager fully agrees with me and thinks she can successfully argue my pay upgrade on these other achievements, my greater experience and existing precedents. She has asked me to list all this along with a host of other 'proof'.

The other employee I am being compared with has been in this one particular job with an established team for many years, whereas I have had to build up a fledgling team from scratch, in a part time capacity over a far shorter time.

I suppose my question is, is it reasonable to expect me to achieve the stuff this other person has achieved? Bearing in mind a much shorter time frame while working part time with no job share? Btw, none of the other managers on the enhanced pay band in similar roles have achieved any equivalent to this 'high profile' stuff. Plus I fulfill the job spec.

Also, none of us have been given afforded the same opportunity to do the same high profile work as this person.

As there are clearly precedents for this pay upgrade I feel like I am being unfairly singled out here and being asked to 'prove my worth' by this one individual against what I feel are rather unfair criteria.

Any thoughts?

I think all that stuff about comparing specific achievements with one other member of staff is rubbish.

If you do the same job, same management responsibilities, same job title, managing same sort and numbers of staff and are equally experienced and qualified, then you should obviously be on the same scale. That's all the argument you need imo.

Things like that should be what defines what pay scale you are on, stuff like the individual achievements/performance levels in specific areas might have a bearing on the point within that scale that any given person is on, but you should all be on the same scale.

When you took this job on, why were you not on the right scale to start with? Was your predecessor also on the wrong scale or something? Or has the job changed to become equal to the others while you've been in it?

I think you need to push this hard and not worry about all the specific individual mentioned, just put together a document with details about the jobs of the people that 'match' with you. Not their individual skills and achievements particularly, but the details about the jobs. If those details all match, you need to be on the same scale. Don't allow them to cloud the issue with talk of specific achievements.

I don't know if you have reason to believe that your part time status is the reason you are being treated unfairly, but as you may know, you have legal protection against being treated less favourably because you are part time. You could mention that as well, in your written submission. You also need to make clear that you are entitled to back pay.

Thanks Flowery, that's really helpful. I thought the same but it's good to hear this from an independent party. There was no predecessor in my particular job, I was the first in post as th e team was new. These team manager roles are fairly new in the department, not sure why my pay upgrade has been so sluggish / not in place from the start, I will certainly question this. The only (sticking point)difference between their roles and mine that I can determine is holding a (small) budget. I have been promised a separate budget since day 1 though, it just hasn't been organised by my managers, despite reminders. Also, on the advice of my manager I was appraised last year at the higher pay band and passed, so I will be highlighting this also. Thanks again!