Change to work contract - reduced pay and told my position is no longer there.

Seriously Stressed

Arrived into work last week to be told that my pay is been reduced by 25% and that my position is no longer there, they are actually getting others to take over my role and do the job, so technically the work is still there but they are getting someone else to do it. (work still has to be done). I'm with the company 7 years. They are planning to implement immediately.

I've received nothing in writing and they are refusing to put it in writing which I know is illegal.

The pressure has been building up all week and I'm so stressed, I feel like I'm being forced out but don't know what to do, I'm dreading going back to work tomorrow.

I've seen the consequences of taking a case against an employer in the past when another family member took a case, the sad fact that it really does impact on your chances of getting another job in your own locality.

Gaillimh1976

Are they reducing your hours by 25% as well, or when you say your position is gone, are they letting you go completely after a while ?

You should be entitled to Statutory Redundancy if the latter - think its something like 2 weeks per yr of service plus 1 week (so you would get 15 weeks pay tax free on the day you leave)

If you're still in the company (i.e. not being let go) afaik they can't reduce your salary without putting it in writing and you signing that you agree to it

(By no means an expert though, would recommend you talk to solicitor if you have one)

Good luck with it either way

swanvill

Hi,

You need to talk to Citzen advice & get help. My view is that any changes in your conditions must be agreed with you & given in writting. When they pay you the reduce pay make sure to write to them and inform them that your pay is wrong & your gross pay was underpaid.

Under no circumstance quit your job, if you can keep going into your job & doing it to the best of your ability.

Keep the chin up & keeping going. if you feel very stressed go talk to your GP & get a sick cert if you need time out.

Remenber to document everything & keep a diary of all the events that happens to you.

Best of luck

LegacyUser

Seriously Stressed wrote: »

Arrived into work last week to be told that my pay is been reduced by 25% and that my position is no longer there, they are actually getting others to take over my role and do the job, so technically the work is still there but they are getting someone else to do it.

I have heard others talking about this in my line of work and some speculate that employers are laying off their permanent long term employees, in favour of "Job Bridge plus" which the government pay the employer €7500 to take somebody who is on the dole for over 1 year and €10000 for someone who is 2 years unemployed. With the added bonus of not paying them a cent.

And lets face it, the pool of educated people on the dole is enormous. I'm not saying that's what is happening to you, but you're saying your role still exists and they are in a hurry to get you out the door.

Seriously Stressed

Sorry for the delay in replying but to answer some of the questions:

It was only the rate of pay that was being reduced (so I was told in the meeting) there was no mention of hours being reduced.

I was the general manager and now I'm just demoted to regular staff the same as everyone else (someone else is now managing (family connection)?

There has been a turn of events I turned up for work as usual yesterday as it would be a day that I normally work and when I got there I was asked what I was doing in, turns out that the new management have changed the roster but did not notify me of any changes in any manner at all not only that they have now reduced down my hours by almost 50% and have made out the roster in such a way that over a 3 week period I'm now working everyday of the week so I can't get work elsewhere, they have put me on days this week that I have never worked in 7 years, and have just given the days to another staff member. It stinks of them trying to get rid of me. As I've mentioned already I've been there 7 years and have worked the same days for the past 6 years. To say that I was humiliated yesterday was an understatement.

Really don't know what to do. It is now costing me money to go to work.

Esoteric_

Seriously Stressed wrote: »

Sorry for the delay in replying but to answer some of the questions:

It was only the rate of pay that was being reduced (so I was told in the meeting) there was no mention of hours being reduced.

I was the general manager and now I'm just demoted to regular staff the same as everyone else (someone else is now managing (family connection)?

There has been a turn of events I turned up for work as usual yesterday as it would be a day that I normally work and when I got there I was asked what I was doing in, turns out that the new management have changed the roster but did not notify me of any changes in any manner at all not only that they have now reduced down my hours by almost 50% and have made out the roster in such a way that over a 3 week period I'm now working everyday of the week so I can't get work elsewhere, they have put me on days this week that I have never worked in 7 years, and have just given the days to another staff member. It stinks of them trying to get rid of me. As I've mentioned already I've been there 7 years and have worked the same days for the past 6 years. To say that I was humiliated yesterday was an understatement.

Really don't know what to do. It is now costing me money to go to work.

Go to www.workplacerelations.ie (formerly NERA) and email them, asking your entitlements/rights as an employee in this situation. Speak to Citizen's Information, and as a last resort, speak to a solicitor.

swanvill

Sorry to say the obvious they want you gone. They have reduced your pay rate & hours making it unviable for you too work there.

You have three choices stay and take it, change job or just quit. I don't see you staying there as the family have turned against you. You need to take as much money off them as you can. If it was me I would be talking to a solicitor about constructive dismissal and working out how much money you want off them.

I do hope you take professional advice from cab, NERA or a solicitor. It is very important you document everything & in turn write to them letting them know your grievances, after getting professional advice
Finally you sound stressed go to doctor & try and get a week off to recover from your stress.

Mrs OBumble

Seriously Stressed wrote: »

I was the general manager and now I'm just demoted to regular staff the same as everyone else (someone else is now managing (family connection)?

General manager? In which case you should be well familiar with the fact that you need good legal advice, and fast.

Or just the manager of the location? In which case you might not be so experienced - but you still need legal advice.

How well was the job going? It's very rare to just arrive in to news like this, is there more to the story, or were you totally missing the signals about what was going on?

Are you keeping a diary, with detailed notes of everything that has happened? You need to do this.

Also - given the current situation, you need to work out what you want to happen - and it has to be realistic, the new management most probably aren't going to go away by themselves. Maybe you wantjust want another job, maybe you want revenge or recompense (money, re-instatement, etc).

Quiet Girl

Sounds a bit like constructive dismissal to me, I would seek advice from citizens information or get legal advice

runawaybishop

Don't just quit and then seek advice on constructive dismissal. Seek advice first. You have to be seen to make an effort to resolve the issues.