Employment issue, advise please.

[sidimmu]

Hi Everyone!

Long time lurker here, looking back now I should have sorted my account out ages ago and got posting, feel like a bit of a **** now for not doing so earlier.
Big fan of the project logs and GD!

I am looking for advise regarding my current job as I am in a bit of bother and running out of patience and sanity.

September 2012, I was hired as a Support technician for a web host and cloud provider, started off as a level 1 guy and by march 2013 I had been promoted to "quality manager" due to my experience in ITIL, no new contract was signed with this.

The company I am working for is tiny, there is me and 3/4 other people on a daily basis.
Now over the past couple of years as quality manager, I have got the company accredited in ISO 27001 and a number of other things, but also having my responsibilities added each and every week, I am now also doing a number of accountant related jobs weekly).

At the start of 2016, I was promised a christmas bonus (late already by that point, i have this in writing) and I was spoken to by the CEO to which he said I am underpaid and they are working to pay me more and backdate my pay for at least 1 year, this was all verbal.

We are now in June, the CEO has stepped down and is just the majority share holder now, the new CEO has never run a web host or cloud provider, I have not had a single pay review since my initial promotion in 2013, our accountant left due to disagreements with new CEO and I have picked up all his work minus the bookkeeping, with none of his wage coming my way.

I have also spoken to the CEO and my manager about all of this and just keep getting the promises of "its coming, its coming" etc etc and I am running out of patience and savings to keep my head out of the water, they know all of this but are insistent on not helping or rewarding.

The new CEO already has established to me that he is not a nice person, he has belittled me a number of times and called me a "big baby" within our team chats (i have proof of this), this has not been raised in to a complaint yet as I do not wish to shoot my self in the foot on the possibility that any of this money is actually coming to me.

I am already applying for other jobs, mainly so I can get a job offer to force them in to giving me what was promised or leave them and finally get the money I feel I should be paid for the level of work I am doing.

Just here asking for any friendly advise and tips/suggestions, as I am at my wits end, as of next month my mrs will no longer be getting any income (**** you Jeremy Hunt) and I will be running in to debt every month until I will have to move out, these are all things my employer knows and does not wish to help me with.

I am sorry my first proper post here is a crappy one, I will be more and more active moving forward, I thank all of you for your responses in advance.

 

[sidimmu]

That money is never coming, get out now. Also fully star all your swear words or your account may be short lived!

thank you, yeah I am already under the impression its not coming, I am applying like a mad man for everything else to get out as soon as possible, just having no luck currently.

Since I have all of this in writing, no way I can claim it back from them as it was basically assigned to me already.

also cheers for the sweary's, edited that so hopefully my account will forever go on!

 

[sidimmu]

The main reason for staying as long as I have done as this is my first proper job outside of uni, I have been building as much experience as possible within this company, but I have also had the opportunity to work from home a lot to save on expensive travel in to london on a daily basis.

 

[sidimmu]

Simple thing to do.

Pull out original contract (the one they have on file that you were hired for)

Then do what it says your job role is.

Wait for the work to pile up and then say "What do you want me to do? I'm doing my job as stipulated in my contract, if you would like me to do this other work i will but you will need to create a new contract with the correct pay scale".

if they refuse... leave. You will have to FORCE them

you see I would love to do this, but I cant leave without another job waiting, doing so will basically make me and my GF homeless and well I cannot allow for that as she has her own career she is working towards currently.

 

[sidimmu]

cheers for the words all, I have already been applying to other jobs for around 6 weeks now, need to dedicate more time to it though.

Yes they have certainly been taking the micky out of me for a little while, something clicked beginning of this year and ive not let it go since but nothing ever moved.

Thanks for the stories and kind words!

 

[sidimmu]

I'm in a similar position.
Promised the earth and nothing comes of it.
Looking for new jobs at the moment, something will come along eventually.

Sounds like you have done a good job where you are and that experience will get you into something better.
Sometimes if you start in a more Junior position you will always be viewed that way.

Get out as soon as possible, people who treat there staff badly never change.
You have to get another job.

Just stick at it and most importantly keep looking for something else.
It's even worth taking a days holiday to job search if you struggle to find the time.

Good luck.

cheers again everyone, I would drop them in it now if I could, but have nothing to fall back on which limits my options.

Sorry to hear you are in a similar position buddy.
To everyone that is, keep your chin up, thats what I am trying to do, knowing I am better than this.
More applications being sent out this afternoon!

 

[sidimmu]

*UPDATE*

Hey all!

Waves been moving this side, firstly work has not improved, I have been given a formal warning for few reasons, mainly for how low my morale has been lately due to all of this. They tried to be friendly about it and asked me what was wrong and what they can do to help, listed my suggestions and got shot down on all of them. The new CEO then stated also that another penny above my wage will not come to me for at least 12 months given if I met his criteria (confirming my fear of past achievements being ignored).

So you can imagine how my morale was feeling after that.

Good news though, I have secured two interviews over the next few weeks, so I am looking forward to that and it has got me excited, motivated and hungry again!

 

[sidimmu]

How can they give you a formal warning for low morale? As long as you're doing the job you're paid to do, working the hours you are supposed to work I don't see how there can be any basis for that. I doubt its in your contract that you have to be sunshine and rainbows.

The new guy sounds like a complete asshat. I'd be looking at doing everything I can to give him the shaft.

The warning contained a few other issues which I do not believe to be serious enough to give a warning.
After a follow up meeting today in regards to how I operate within my job, they have set me a number of objectives to meet ion 3 months time, to which then I will be given another job role with more objectives to meet over a year, then I will get a pay rise...completely ignoring the past 3 and half years of work and accomplishments and met objectives.

Also inquired about my xmas bonus which has still yet to be seen (even though I have confirmation of it coming), which they now say we do not have the money to allocate an xmas bonus (questionable in truth), but will be resolved eventually. (no eta or when to expect it, even though it was meant to be delivered end of january.)

But on the upside, I had an interview last week which I thought was very successful, hoping to hear next week if ive gone through to the next stage (i believe I will given on my experience during the interview, they seemed far too interested to not invite me back)

 

[sidimmu]

You're a pushover.

There, I said it. You've let them walk over you, and instead of being pro-active in getting the money you are owed, have continued to let them walk over you while you "wait for xyz to happen".

Grats, you have a new job lined up (or hopefully will). How do you think the "i want my money or im leaving" line is going to go?

They'll open the door and slam it behind you.

Work to rule. If you don't have the bottle to do it, then don't expect any of that money you are owed.

thanks for all the words as always to all commenters!
I do feel as your comment regarding me being a pushover pretty harsh and uncalled for though.
I have let them know a number of times how unhappy all of this is and that their broken promises do nothing but drop morale further. At the same time I cant tell them to just stick it up their bum without anything lined up.
If they open the door and slam it behind me, who am I to care anyway with a new job with the wage bracket I deserve.

Your work to rule comment does not help what so ever if you had followed the thread also.
My current contract is donkeys years old and really does not apply to my role anymore, but they wont re-write a new contract at the same time.
So if you have any suggestions on how to go around this sensibly rather than attacking, that would be great, thanks.

 

[sidimmu]

Sounds like you've been taken for a ride, but also there is clearly more to this - you suggested the new CEO isn't for you; I imagine you aren't for him either. From his position if he Doesn't rate you enough to give a warning you have zero chance of sorting any pay rise or bonus for the foreseeable.

You don't say where you are based. I work for a large cloud & hosting provider and we are always recruiting. Where are you and what do you want to do ?

You are right, there is some more to the story which I cannot share, yes the new CEO and I have not seen eye to eye, we could work together and get along, but unfortunately that boat has sailed off in to the distance due to his neglect and lack of initial care.

I am currently based in Essex (south essex) can drive and on a train line so London and Kent are possible among others!
I do a number of roles for the company currently that range from support to accounting to ISO coordinator.
Looking to further my career in Compliance and Information Security, although I am open to other roles.

 

[sidimmu]

Thought I would throw an update in here.

My self and work are getting along a bit better now, but damage has been done.
Damage was done with the formal warning months ago, which I am still waiting for a resolution and confirmed that the formal warning period is over. Also during this period, I had a disagreement with said manager again, who then said since I am on probation I should be doing better, of course you can imagine the stink this kicked up as
1, I never agreed to be put back on to probation
2, im not having him threaten me as such

But more importantly, I have had interviews since and have actually refused some job offers due to it would not put me in on better place.
Had an interview in September for a company who I wanted to join so badly, went to the interview, smashed it but they gave me the bad news of they didnt think I was best for the role.
Go home, move forward with current work, being told that im now doing amazing (nothing in terms of my work ethic or schedule has changed), then get a call out of blue from said company (over 2 months after our interview date) offering me a similar role and letting me know they are not going to go through application process again, they want me for it.

Notice handed in very same day and I start a new job as of next month.
New boss of current company of course said some things that rubbed me up the wrong way, but it does not bother me anymore.
The rest of the company have been a pleasure and are people I am truly going to miss, not to mention a number of clients I will miss dealing with.

But basically, never give up people!
It will come through, got to show your heart and determination to get through to the other side though.

 

[sidimmu]

Great news. Take your ISO work with you then laugh as they scamble around when the external auditors turn up

Trust me I did think of this, but thought better of it, considering the people im leaving for is the people who audit the current company for their 27001.
Like I said there has been stresses and disagreements, but too do this wont impact the people who you would want it to, instead it would be throwing more work at my replacement and current colleagues (who I get on with incredibly well).