Job role redunduncy

[Drfish]

Hi

*I've been informed today that my job role is being made redundant. However my contract is still for the original very different role that I originally joined the company on. That role is not being made redundant, so do I have a case where I can ask to return to the role that my contract states?

*

[luxardo]

No quick answer to this it depends on a lot of factors.
I assume your contract did not change or you did not get a new one when you changed roles ?
Did you get a pay rise or any significant change to your working practices ? eg different location, different hours, is the new role substantially different from the original one.
When did your role change ? How long have you been in new role ? how long were you in original role ?

[Drfish]

I received no pay rise when I changed role. I was hired as a Java developer and was working as such for 2 years. I then was asked to take a scrum master role, but have no record of it. I have contributed still to the technical code delivery of the team as I am still working with the same scrum Dev teams that I was a developer in. I have been doing the scrum master role for 2 years now but was asking last year if I could or should do more development work as I wanted to as my scrum master role did not fill my week fully, but was told that I should not.

[luxardo]

I have no idea what a scrum master is, I assume it has nothing to do with rugby ? A sort of team leader I assume ?
I believe you would have a case for wrongful dismissal if they made you redundant by claiming it was your position that was redundant.
The reason I think this is because :-

a) you didn't get a new contract or job description
b) your role is within the same team and area of the business
c) the scrum master role is not a position, it's just a description of what you do eg you have simply been asked to take on more responsibility.
d) I'm guessing here but I bet they have never taken on a scrum master by recruiting directly for that specific role with that specific job title from outside ?

However ..... they have the right to make one (or more) of the team redundant on any number of grounds. Downturn in business, new practices or technology meaning less staff required etc etc
It just has to be a fair process on how and who they choose and there are many, many ways to do this.

[Drfish]

Yeah you're right about the rugby Scrum master is someone who helps Dev team rather than leads team. They work for the team to help them understand how to work in an agile/scrum way, to help them continuous improve. We did employ one other person directly as a scrum master and his contract will state that but it is not uncommon for team members in companies to be asked to be a scrum master as extra responsibility as you describe.

[luxardo]

In that case I stand by what I previously stated. Good luck