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Subject:Re: no degree equals demotion From:Tothscribe -at- aol -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 07 Dec 2001 09:12:53 EST
> She told me that because I don't have a bachelors
> degree, I am being demoted to a Junior Technical Writer.
Let me repeat this to make sure I understand the facts.
1) You were already promoted from whatever to "Technical Writer." ("...three and a half of those years...")
2) They are now going to downgrade your title and skip you over for a company-wide salary increase, not because they are unhappy with your performance, but because you do not have a degree.
3) You have been working on this degree for at least three of the three and a half years you've held this position ("I am a junior").
That's a 'tute screw if ever I heard one!
Riding into HR with verbal shotguns blazing would be emotionally satisfying but admittedly suicidal in this economical climate.
However, I do think you should go straight to your manager and point out that:
- your work (and presumably reviews) have been good, yet you are still being "punished" for something beyond your control
- you have been steadily working towards the goal that they have set (the degree)
- that it seems unfair in the extreme that you have been doing as good a job as possible AND you have been working to fulfill the degree requirement AND they knew that you didn't have the degree when they promoted you in the first place, yet STILL they are rescinding a decision that is almost 4 years old.
If your manager has any spine at all, this should be the part where she says that she will fight for you. Give her this chance to see that you know you're getting shafted and you're not going to let it pass without comment.
And if she doesn't fight, or claims she can't? I echo the other advice already given - get another job ASAP, and make sure your current company knows without a doubt why you are taking your knowledge, the work they had previously liked, and your shiny new degree somewhere where they will all be appreciated.
And make copies of everything - every review, every compliment, every managerial & HR decision - and take them home. While it's up to you to decide if a lawsuit is worth the effort (probably not) it can't but help if the company is aware that you have all the evidence required to take that option.
----! It's enough to make me agree with the "we need a TW Union" folks!
Linnea Dodson
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