What would you do?

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Originally Posted by elsiegee40

You could always try and put a positive spin on this... think of it as Career Development. It's an opportunity to stretch your wings, try out something in a new environment and maybe learn a few new skills that will be handy for the CV and your next job application! :)

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this was the reason i accepted it as a "reasonable request" and didn't push for a change in wage. we are now looking at taking on yet more schools, and therefore a technician to cover all visits. meaning i'm not doing any. and it's no longer part of my job role, so is no longer a positive thing or able to be added to the CV.

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in summary, push for the extra if you can manage it. i wasn't responsible for all aspects of it, decision making was done above me, so i can see the point that it is a reasonable request. still would have been nice though, even if it was a token amount extra in the wage slip.....

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Originally Posted by Easy_506

Hi all,

I'm pretty new here, don't post often, but always glean lots of valuable information from this forum, so thanks to all you regulars who contribute!

I have a little conundrum and thought i'd get the opinions of those who know exactly what i'm talking about. To avoid complications, I won't go into exact specifics.

Basically, i'm an IT Technician, employed in an inner-city secondary for the last three years. I've been told by our head that as of April i'm being sub-contracted out to a local primary school for one day per week. I asked what was in this for me, and I was told - nothing (no big surprise there).

Having now been to look at the primary, i've seen that they essentially need a network manager. I can do the work required, but i'm a little annoyed that i've not been given a choice in the matter and i'm going to remain on the same (quite poor) technician's salary for continuing that role 4 days per week, and taking on the responsibility of another school.

What does everybody think?

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Not meaning to sound harsh but in the present employment market if you don't do it someone else will!

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Originally Posted by sly888

Not meaning to sound harsh but in the present employment market if you don't do it someone else will!

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It's ok, I don't think that's harsh...it's true, and if there's someone out there who wants to take on what I do for one school, then take on a second school, and stay on the same wage that just barely covers my outgoings each month....fair play to them!

But I don't believe i'm in a position where if I said 'no' they could then get rid of me for someone more willing. And if they tried to i'd have a decent case in my favour.

From my experience you will possibly find that your employment contract says you are employed by the LA/County Council and work at School X but can be directed by the School Governors to work elsewhere.

The other thing is are you going there one day per week for the whole day, and not going there ad hoc? If this is the case then technically you would not need Business Insurance as you will be driving to you place of work for that day, the primary school. If you go to your normal school then have to drive to the primary this would be classed as business use, would need business insurance, and be reasonable to expect business mileage reimbursement at HMRC recommended rates.

Is there really a change to your job role? You are a technician in a school and they want you to be a technician in a different school for one day a week. In what way do you think the job description has changed? I am not saying I am right, but want you to think about what will actually change.

If something will change and it is substantial then I would contact your LA/CC HR department and ask them on the process for changing a person's job description. They will probably have a proceedure for doing it which includes assessing the new job description to see if a wage increase is due.

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Originally Posted by jayemm

The other thing is are you going there one day per week for the whole day, and not going there ad hoc? If this is the case then technically you would not need Business Insurance as you will be driving to you place of work for that day, the primary school. If you go to your normal school then have to drive to the primary this would be classed as business use, would need business insurance, and be reasonable to expect business mileage reimbursement at HMRC recommended rates.

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insurance states that commuting is to "1 single place of work" therefore even if he was to commute to a different place of work 1 day a week, surely this would be business? and it's also time which that school is paying for as part of a contract, therefore he is being hired out as part of a business agreement, meaning that he would have a hard job arguing it.

travel expenses are designed to cover the costs of business insurance, and it doesn't cost a lot. I took business insurance at 18, it cost me £10-£15. worth it for saving the hassle.

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Originally Posted by tbutcher

insurance states that commuting is to "1 single place of work" therefore even if he was to commute to a different place of work 1 day a week, surely this would be business? and it's also time which that school is paying for as part of a contract, therefore he is being hired out as part of a business agreement, meaning that he would have a hard job arguing it.

travel expenses are designed to cover the costs of business insurance, and it doesn't cost a lot. I took business insurance at 18, it cost me £10-£15. worth it for saving the hassle.

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I think OP needs to read his insurance policy carefully, they will all be different. So many people have more than one job, or offices on split sites that I'm sure that insurance is achievable.

I have to pay for business insurance - I have two COMPLETELY separate jobs but because they are both paid by the same LA they consider me 'on business' when I drive from one to the other, or even if I just go to one one day and the other the next. This would be your situation as well, I think

If you claim travel expenses for anything ... going on a course, going to BETT etc then you need business insurance. Some companies do it for free, an ex colleague of mine was quoted £300 which the school ended up paying for.

I wouldn't be happy and would feel like I am being taken for a ride if I'm honest. You would be taking on more of a workload and have nothing to show for it.

Join a union and seek their advice (anyone that works in a school should be in a union.)

Ok .. a few things to say about what the difference can be between primary and secondary schools and your work there.

You may not be expected to be the primary equivalent of the NM. You may simply be a peripatetic technician who comes in to fix problems, not design the infrastructure etc. you might be expected to advise about the kit but not do the leg work getting quotes or putting orders in. It can vary so much about what you will be expected to do it is unbelievable ... but secondary schools vary so much between each other as well.

So ... don't get too worried about being expected to work 1 day a week in a primary school. As long as you are willing to listen to their needs and not force them to think like a secondary school then you will do well and learn a heck of a lot. You need to make sure that your workload at the secondary school is reduced accordingly. Folk in IT may be miracle workers but we get into trouble if we have to magic up more hours in the day! Apparently Aslan likes the way the world works right now!

Traveling ... if you are going there one day a week and not going into your main school then you can reasonably claim for the difference in travel. (ie it is 6 miles to your main school but 8 miles to your primary school, so you can claim 2 miles. You cannot claim for the travel from the secondary to the primary and back unless you have been to the secondary school that day for work purposes.)

Insurance ... often you are told you don't need to sort this since if you are just going to a different place of work and nowhere else then no change is needed, but there will be times you have to dash from one to another so make sure you get it. Most insurers can stick it on for you cheaply (I got mine free) but as already mentioned, if you ever claim any mileage expense then you are traveling on work time and/or business so you *have* to have business cover anyway. You will find in many schools that this is a requirement of your contract. At the LA I have to bring my licence, MOT, Tax and insurance each year for a check to make sure I am ok otherwise I cannot claim mileage. This can apply in schools too. The same way you are expected in some schools to wear certain attire (shirt & tie, etc) then having business insurance on your car insurance is a reasonable expectation.

If it is a change to your contract then unions may get involved, but many will just shrug their shoulders and wonder why you are moaning (to paraphrase one union rep I saw dressing down an LSA at a local event).

If you can try to get the primary school set up on whichever helpdesk you use. That way all your work can be tracked and if you are having to do a lot of the managerial stuff then it is documented and clear. It also means that should you be ill, be on holiday, leave the job or win the lottery (I prefer that to saying knocked down by a bus ... I like to think I am an optimist!) then your colleagues can see what is going on and fill in the blanks / deal with the backlog.

If you have not already got 'manager' in your title somewhere then this is also a brilliant chance for you to show that you can do the job and build up your CV. Many people do a bit extra to build up their CV / portfolio / experience without wanting more money. I am not saying that this is the case with you, but it is pretty normal. You do mention, however, that you have taken on extra things in the past. Now ... if these have been to replace things that have changed or, due to things running more efficiently, you have available time to take these things on then it is perfectly reasonable for the school to get you to do so. If they require more complex skills, greater specialist knowledge or involve more responsibility (either through managing people, budget responsibility, risk, or outside partners) then yes ... you have good grounds for saying it is unfair. Otherwise they are just moving things around and should it go all the way with a complaint the school can say they are taking reasonable action to make sure you have work to do, are giving you something of a similar level as to what you cover at the moment ... otherwise they would have too many staff for what they presently need and they will let you go.

How Ken (and a few other Northants Schools) are looking after primary schools is a pretty good model, it can be a good opportunity for the school and you as an individual. As long as you are not out of pocket then give it a whirl, give plenty of feedback to your line manager and to SLT (in both schools) and don't be scared to ask for more time or support if there are major pieces of work needed to be done.