Downbanding without employee's awareness in UK

[sheriffo]

Hi Everyone

My first post here.

Some time ago I started a role at band 6 on a temporary basis. The agreement was then extended once, after which I got a confirmation from my line manager that I had been moved to his team (rather complicated though not uncommon: originally, he was my LM, whereas I was in a different department). There was no mention of the role change, but recently it has turned out my role was changed in the payroll system to a lower one, which LM explains by the absence of the agreed onene in his team. The role ID has not changed... Even worse, the new, low role overwrote my original role...

My main concern is that although the salary is the same, the lower role may reflect I have been moved to a lower band.

Is it legal for the employer to lower the employee's band without the latter's explicit consent?

Thank you.

[ULA]

Has there been any change to your salary?
Are you a permanent or temporary worker?
You mention the band 6 level was on a temporary basis which was then extended, how long was it extended for?
Do bands overlap in terms of salary ranges?

[sheriffo]

Has there been any change to your salary?
Are you a permanent or temporary worker?
You mention the band 6 level was on a temporary basis which was then extended, how long was it extended for?
Do bands overlap in terms of salary ranges?

Thank you for your answer.

There has been no change to my salary.
I am temporary.
First it was 6 months, then extended by 3 months, then twice more.
The bands do overlap for these two roles, or so I was told ( how could one know, actually)?

Legally, can the role name on the system be different than the one agreed verbally? What can one do about this in the future? I have been before in a situation that my former employer was bought and my line manager was no longer there to confirm the role. Unfortunately, for some reason the role got changed, not sure how come. The difference was slight: Office Technician was replaced with Secretary but in this case it is a matter of being an autonomous employee vs a helper. Also, one's credibility is at risk. When my line manager leaves or retires, my claims may no longer be substantiated.

[sheriffo]

I wonder if the answer is implicit in the questions you have asked. So if the money remains the same, they can call the role any other thing than agreed? If the 'selling point' was the quality of tasks and these tasks were not even handed over, is the employee helpless?

[ULA]

What job title was in your original contract and have all the terms and conditions of that contract been carried across when your temporary position has been extended? Have your duties changed or remained the same? Maybe to justify extending your contract they have had to call the role something different but kept you on the same terms and conditions and grade as your original contract?

Strictly speaking your employer cannot make any changes to your contract without your approval. However, in your case all that has changed is the title - your duties are the same, everything is the same, but the job title. This is unlikely to be seen as a fundamental breach of contract. You can of course talk to your employer to voice your concerns about the change and if necessary raise a grievance but in my opinion that is as far as it goes unfortunately.

[sheriffo]

I can see what you mean with regards to the role title alone, however, the pay band could not be changed without my knowledge, could it?

When discussing the contract extension half a year ago, I made it totally plain I was not goint to accept the lower job title - I wonder if this makes a difference. My concern is that this has now been violated - and one change for the worse lays foundation for another.


I have yet to find out how to check the pay band because the line manager is evading such questions. I ask in writing and he raises this in the open space and digresses immediately.

I prefer not to reveal the job title to keep my privacy because google search will instantly make it searchable.