HR - Employment/Management Advice

[Downward]

Hi
I am on the committee for a charity.
The problem is in 2007/08 they spent about 50% more than their income which left the bank balance very small.

Anyway 2009 so far has been a struggle and a couple of staff didn't have their 1 year contract renewed. Anyway in July the other 3 committee members all resigned leaving me as the last man standing so I took over as Chair

The local Council fund us and they were contacted in April for some extra cash to pay the salaraies for 2 months.

Anyway they now want to implement changed via myself which involve cutting staff pay and hours.

We pay a company to look after our HR issues and unfortunately they have not been contacted to change all the staff contracts.

A new member of staff has been employed to undertake the managers role.

But now as Chair and the only member it's left to me to undertake all the changes with pressure from the council.

I have spoke to our HR advisor's and they want to know the changes and be involved else we are on our own.

How do I tell the council to back off until I get it all firmed with the HR co.

I have had E-Mails from the council which are pretty much saying implement change or rethink your future funding.

I feel proper dumped in the doo'doos as lets face it Chair is a volunteers role and the staff are pretty much sending me grievances left right and centre.

 

[marinyork]

You have to go with whatever your responsibilities as the member of a charity committee member are. Remember your commitments may well be spelt out and backed by law so you may have your hands tied more than you think. You're best off checking with the charity commission/someone that knows and reading through your own charter. There won't be too much risk of offending the council, if they are trying on something that they shouldn't be able to get away with and you give a robust response they'll know.

My tips would be to double check your own procedures/charter and ignore all the noise until you've done so. Then having discovered what the situation is then delegate out to HR/Manager whatever. It may not actually even be your job to deal with all this crap directly.

P.S. are you sure constitutionally you took over as chair? What does your charter say on the matter?

 

[Downward]

You have to go with whatever your responsibilities as the member of a charity committee member are. Remember your commitments may well be spelt out and backed by law so you may have your hands tied more than you think. You're best off checking with the charity commission/someone that knows and reading through your own charter. There won't be too much risk of offending the council, if they are trying on something that they shouldn't be able to get away with and you give a robust response they'll know.

My tips would be to double check your own procedures/charter and ignore all the noise until you've done so. Then having discovered what the situation is then delegate out to HR/Manager whatever. It may not actually even be your job to deal with all this crap directly.

P.S. are you sure constitutionally you took over as chair? What does your charter say on the matter?

Yes voted in in July by the 3 resigning members.

Now I can see why the Chair resigned because the Council were really putting the thumb screws on her.

It just doesn't make sense for them to be pushing when they have funded us a fair few K as any Legal action taken will be against the charity and thus would wipe it out completly.

Working in Contracts I know damn well that any contracts need to be watertight and you just can't change someones contract. They say business needs but this will mean f all to a hungry solicitor.

The thing is I know what to do for the best but feel that there is no-one to support me in this.

 

[marinyork]

Yes voted in in July by the 3 resigning members.

Now I can see why the Chair resigned because the Council were really putting the thumb screws on her.

The thing is I know what to do for the best but feel that there is no-one to support me in this.

That is the way of things. If you already know the answers to what I've outlined then you can either resign or enact it. If you do what is best for the charity you very much have my respect, having seen two charities undergo violent mauls where people were trying it on on constitutional matters. In the short term you will most certainly upset someone or everybody, these are merely people trying it on/tactics/upset. In the medium term, things will be all right.

 

[Downward]

I don't see why the Council though trying to enforce contracts when surely they must have some idea of Contracts

The law says

An employee who is faced with an employer who makes unilateral changes to the contract of employment is effectively left with three options:

a) Accept the change; or

Continue to work but make this clear it is under protest; or

c) Resign and claim that they have been constructively dismissed.

Thus any of the above are possible, with obviously ( or (c) ending in an employment tribunal claim.

Whether the employee is successful will depend on factors including, but not limited to,

1) The reason for the change
2) How many employees accepted the change
3) Exactly what did change
4) The length of time the employee has done the job, and if previous changes have been made
5) Whether any consultation took place and the outcome of that

 

[accountantpete]

Have you drawn up a budget for the current and future years?

Otherwise you are going to be in the same situation next year.

 

[marinyork]

Have you drawn up a budget for the current and future years?

Otherwise you are going to be in the same situation next year.

Many charities have seen very large dips in income in this recession. I know someone who worked for one and him and five of his colleagues were made redundant because of the drop in income couple with financial incompetence as a secondary reason. Nor presumably is it downward's job to do so.

 

[accountantpete]

Many charities have seen very large dips in income in this recession. I know someone who worked for one and him and five of his colleagues were made redundant because of the drop in income couple with financial incompetence as a secondary reason. Nor presumably is it downward's job to do so.

A recession is even more reason to establish a budget and check regularly that the actual figures are falling within the estimates.

All I can say, Downward, is that virtually every business has a budget.This is a list of estimated income and expenditure for the forthcoming year - perhaps to could approach a local accountant or someone in the council accounts staff to get one drawn up.

 

[marinyork]

A recession is even more reason to establish a budget and check regularly that the actual figures are falling within the estimates.

All I can say, Downward, is that virtually every business has a budget.This is a list of estimated income and expenditure for the forthcoming year - perhaps to could approach a local accountant or someone in the council accounts staff to get one drawn up.

He may actually be blocked from taking on such duties. The issue is not about budgets it is about charity charters. Also your suggestions might be seen as somewhat patronising as any tom, dick or harry could do what you suggested, getting a definite revenue stream for a charity is a big problem.

 

[Downward]

They have a set income based on numbers.
We have "lost" 2 staff though whose contracts ended.