I'm planning on calling the Dept. of Labor tomorrow, but until then, maybe someone here has some experience with this situation....
I was talking to some friends tonight, and they are convinced that what my DH's company did to him is "illegal".
My DH was laid off two months ago. His previous employer called him back from lay-off last week. They told him that they couldn't take him back for the same position, but a lower one. They also told him that his hourly rate would be $6 an hour lower than what he made two months ago. They did say that when they move him back to his old position, he'd go back to his old pay rate. No, he didn't get it in writing....
That night, he received an email from the HR person. She said that they were able to squeak out another $2 an hour to start. So now he's making $4 an hour less than he did two months ago.
The following day, he gets another email from the head of operations, who told him that the hourly rate they now have him at will be PERMANENT, even if they move him to his old position. He will have rate increases based on performance reviews but will start at this lower rate. So, basically, they want him to do his former job but for $4 less per hour than what he was making previously.
As far as he knows, nobody else in the company has taken a pay-cut. They did hire another person back on the same day, and he was given his old job back with his original salary. He did the same job as my DH, but he had a year or so more time with the company.
The HR person specifically told my DH that his performance was not a factor AT ALL. My DH is a very good employee and always gives 110%, and has always had very good reviews.
Everything we've read and have been told is that he HAD to take the position or he'd lose his unemployment benefits. My question is....do you REALLY have to take a lesser job at a lower wage? Are you really bound to take a crap job?? Is there any protection for employees?? Is the employer the only one who wins in this situation??
My DH accepted the job because he felt he had no choice. We did not know our rights, if any, and he pretty much had to make the decision on the spot.
I feel like he was royally screwed. And before anyone on this thread tells us to be thankful for the job...we are thankful. I don't think though, that we have to be happy about being abused.
I was talking to some friends tonight, and they are convinced that what my DH's company did to him is "illegal".
My DH was laid off two months ago. His previous employer called him back from lay-off last week. They told him that they couldn't take him back for the same position, but a lower one. They also told him that his hourly rate would be $6 an hour lower than what he made two months ago. They did say that when they move him back to his old position, he'd go back to his old pay rate. No, he didn't get it in writing....
That night, he received an email from the HR person. She said that they were able to squeak out another $2 an hour to start. So now he's making $4 an hour less than he did two months ago.
The following day, he gets another email from the head of operations, who told him that the hourly rate they now have him at will be PERMANENT, even if they move him to his old position. He will have rate increases based on performance reviews but will start at this lower rate. So, basically, they want him to do his former job but for $4 less per hour than what he was making previously.
As far as he knows, nobody else in the company has taken a pay-cut. They did hire another person back on the same day, and he was given his old job back with his original salary. He did the same job as my DH, but he had a year or so more time with the company.
The HR person specifically told my DH that his performance was not a factor AT ALL. My DH is a very good employee and always gives 110%, and has always had very good reviews.
Everything we've read and have been told is that he HAD to take the position or he'd lose his unemployment benefits. My question is....do you REALLY have to take a lesser job at a lower wage? Are you really bound to take a crap job?? Is there any protection for employees?? Is the employer the only one who wins in this situation??
My DH accepted the job because he felt he had no choice. We did not know our rights, if any, and he pretty much had to make the decision on the spot.
I feel like he was royally screwed. And before anyone on this thread tells us to be thankful for the job...we are thankful. I don't think though, that we have to be happy about being abused.
