Work Issue-LONG

[1HotBoss70]

A little background...I work for a company that has a franchise like arrangement with owners of the stores...the stores are corporate but the stores are considered individually owned...

I have working for this owner for 1 yr and half...he owns two stores with 3 full time workers including myself (full time is considered 28 hrs)...I was pulling 40 plus hours a week, another FT 40 hrs, another FT 28-33 hrs and the rest where being done by the owner and contract workers.... one of the contract workers is a friend of the owner for over 30 yrs who has a FT position with the same company but another franchise owner...

Recently my owner posted a "managers" position for one of his stores...stating that he does not have time to be at both locations so store A needs a manager to help him out with corporate issues and customer issues...well he hired someone for this position...and my hours have now been cut to 28...with the new manager getting 40...and the other two FT continuing with their hours and his friend still contracting his 8 hrs a week and the owner still pulling his hours....

Well the kicker here is that I have just found out from a recent schedule posting the new hire is not only working a store A he is also working at store B and that this new hire is his brother who was working for another corporate store...

So my issue is that the owner needed some help with hours, he posted a FT position which could be a min. of 28 hrs..once his brother showed interest in the position he made it a managers position for store A...giving his brother the 40 plus hours and reducing my hours to the 28 instead of vice-versa, and still keeping this contract friend of his...and now I am stuck looking for a job elsewhere...

Anything I could do legally?

Thanks

[Dr.Brian]

Sorry to hear about your job.
It doesn't sound like you have any legal recourse. It's a privately owned business, nepotism and the Old Boys Club aren't illegal. It's poor form, but that's about it. There could be "big corporate" guidelines against this behavior, but based on what you wrote, he could simply argue realignment. It sounds like you didn't apply for the management position anyway. If I were you, I'd be glad to still have a "full time" job with benefits, etc. while you are looking for a new one.
Several of our good friends have lost their jobs in the last 6 months. It's really hard for mid career senior people to find a good job, and unemployment is really not helpful at all for a higher income earner. I know one executive out of work for over a year now, living on savings. He sold his house and had to move to a less expensive area where his wife found work. She had a poorly performing consulting company and closed up shop. It's more important than ever to have at least 6 months of expenses saved up and downsizing plan. The likelihood of me being fired from my cushy academic medicine job is very low, but I've still got a big emergency fund and a plan.
Good luck.

[BarkMaster]

This is not uncommon. Sometimes it's just a matter of people surrounded themselves with known resources... other times it can be nepotism. There seems to be a lot of people wanting to sue these days... I don't get the "lawsuit" part at all...

Regardless, your options are to grin and bear it or move on as far as I see.

[DoxaDavid]

Welcome to the real world. From the information you have given, I would say there is nothing to sue about and why would you? It's a free economy so your options are to find another job or work what is available at your current one.

My friend owns a large company (100+employees) and let his CFO go because his brother-in-law, also a former CFO of another company was out of work so he hired him instead. Did his last CFO deserve to be fired? I would say no but it's my friends company and if he wants to take care of his family it's his prerogative and while it sucks for the one being let go or in your case, diminished hours, there is nothing illegal about it. Lots of things in life may not seem fair to one party but in business, the old saying "Blood is thicker than water" is true more often than not.

As previously mentioned, given the state of economies all over the globe, one should be fortunate to be employed so I wouldn't chirp to loud at work about it or your employer may find your position redundant and decide to eliminate it.

Sorry about your plight but not much can be done about it.

[spuds]

I've just had my over-time cut & it's effectively reduced my nett income by 20%.


I'm not happy about it but in the present dire economic climate I consider myself lucky to be in full-time employment.




In other words I feel your pain OP but i wouldn't kick up too much if I were you.

[seand442]

It sounds like you may be getting the royal screw but unfortunately, life ain't fair. If it ticks you off that much, start looking for something new. If not, suck it up and don't bring it up at work. Worse things could come.

[colpol]

If full time is considered 28 hours & thats what your now doing then nothing legal I'd say

I'd say head down, work hard & look for another job. Your still pulling in a full time job\ wages plus should get a good reference when you move on & leave on good terms.

Good luck in getting a new job

[KirkWilfred]

Look for another job- your better than this.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by KirkWilfred

Look for another job- your better than this.

x2. You are better than this and your loyalty should count for something, but alas, it apparently does not.

I wouldn't storm out the door, but with your hours cut, you'll be able to make a part time job of looking for other employment opportunities.

Tell your boss that you will of necessity be looking for other work.

Who knows? If your employer starts getting calls from other employers, he might just see the light and stop poking you where the sun don't shine.

I'd change jobs anyway, since your boss has already demonstrated a lack of ethics, which is probably very deeply ingrained and indicative of the business culture you can expect in the future.

[Cannop]

Very poor form from the owner - it would certainley p**s me off in your position. However as has been pointed out he has done nothing illegal. I would be so hacked off I would now be quietly looking for another position somewhere else.

[Chozn1]

Don't know how things are in Canada, but here in my state of Georgia, we are a "right to work" state. Basically, unless I sign a contract with an employee (and I never do), I can fire him\her for pretty much any reason I want short of civil rights violations. I can also cut their hours to the point of basically making them want to quit. I've never done that. I know other employers who have, though. 100% of the time it's been because they're tired of an employee and don't want them getting unemployment.

Ask yourself this, what if you walk in and quit tomorrow? Would you want him to have the right to sue you? According to your account, you're basically being treated like you're the weak link. I'd spend my time trying to make myself indispensable rather than exploring legal rights. It will serve you better in both this job, and any other you have down the road.

[sea-dweller]

That sucks, but I don't think there is recourse. Look for another job and move on.