Unfair redundancies - misleading role profiles

[dd207]

Hi,

First time poster here. The company I work for is going through a re-structuring and redundancy process, the results of which came out last week.

The company decided to put about 20 individual roles 'at risk' and created 14 'new roles' for people to apply for. These were mostly amalgamations of two existing roles together.

In one case, there was a 'Lead' role within a team that would sit below a director. The job profile clearly pitches the job at medium to senior level. This 'lead' role, is a job that I have been doing informally as part of my existing duties.

In a conversation with the director, I was actively discouraged from applying for this job, and instead told to apply for a less senior position. I have found out, however that the director encouraged a colleague of mine who she has a good relationship with, named *Anna (at the same level, but with less experience and lacking key skills needed for the job) to apply for the lead role.

Despite not meeting 50% of the requirements, Anna got the lead job. In conversations with the director, I was told that parts of the Lead role profile would be de-scoped and contracted out, as Anna doesn't have the skills to complete them, and that in fact, the lead role would be much less senior than stated on the job profile.

I fully understand that I have been backstabbed by the Director of the team. However, from an HR point of view are the company allowed to advertise a role (in a redundancy situation with 20 people at risk), offer it to someone, and then instantly significantly change the job duties to suit a preferred individual?

Would appreciate any feedback!



*not her real name

[teaboy2]

Re: Unfair redundancies - misleading role profiles

No they should invite everyone to apply for any and all similar roles as they are and not limit such roles to match a persons limited abilities. The fact she discouraged you from applying shows they haven't followed correct procedure and a grievance to that effect can be made. The problem you have though, would be proving the conversation took place. Though if you didn't apply for the role you could argue if it had not been for said conversation discouraging you, then you would have applied for it. Especially since you have more or less been performing said role for a while.

But the ultimate question is - Do you want to work under such a director!

[shegerianlaw]

Re: Unfair redundancies - misleading role profiles

Your director did the wrong thing and in my opinion you need not to do work under such director and if you disagree with his decision then you must give a look at company rules and policies if they did not describe such things then you have rights to ask them about their decision.

[Openlaw15]

Re: Unfair redundancies - misleading role profiles

Hi,

First time poster here. The company I work for is going through a re-structuring and redundancy process, the results of which came out last week.

The company decided to put about 20 individual roles 'at risk' and created 14 'new roles' for people to apply for. These were mostly amalgamations of two existing roles together.

In one case, there was a 'Lead' role within a team that would sit below a director. The job profile clearly pitches the job at medium to senior level. This 'lead' role, is a job that I have been doing informally as part of my existing duties.

In a conversation with the director, I was actively discouraged from applying for this job, and instead told to apply for a less senior position. I have found out, however that the director encouraged a colleague of mine who she has a good relationship with, named *Anna (at the same level, but with less experience and lacking key skills needed for the job) to apply for the lead role.

Despite not meeting 50% of the requirements, Anna got the lead job. In conversations with the director, I was told that parts of the Lead role profile would be de-scoped and contracted out, as Anna doesn't have the skills to complete them, and that in fact, the lead role would be much less senior than stated on the job profile.

I fully understand that I have been backstabbed by the Director of the team. However, from an HR point of view are the company allowed to advertise a role (in a redundancy situation with 20 people at risk), offer it to someone, and then instantly significantly change the job duties to suit a preferred individual?

Would appreciate any feedback!



*not her real name

If this were a public role.. it would be within the grounds of illegality in the public law sense (ie ultra vires or outside powers). It just depends how big the organisation as if it were to receive government (statutory) funding it could be a hybrid organisation to therein be more subject to control of public law, perhaps even EU law where there are better safeguards.