Change Of Contract At Work

[bond]

In a private company does a change of contract only become valid on the signing of that new contract by law, or can the company make its own decisions? I have a new contract in my work since I was forced to move to a different department but I have not signed the new contract, there is no suggestion that the existing one is invalid right now. I don't agree with the new contract and HR don't appear to be chasing me up on the new contract.

[Old_Geezer]

No expert but in my personal experience the company does whatever it wants. There's always some excuse why they can do it legally. And they don't need to chase you, since you tacitly agree by conmtinuing to be employed.

But I could be corrected by a legal expert, and suspect this thread might be better in the legal forum.

[woofgang]

What do your terms and conditions of employment say?

[factor-fiction]

I've just posted this reply on your other thread but then noticed that you already have replies on here so thought it would be better to keep everything together in one thread.

Can you give an example of the sort of changes to terms you are talking about- hours? pay? job description?
If they gave you the required notice and you appear to have accepted them by working in accordance with the new terms you may well find you have effectively accepted them

[EDDIE51]

You do not have to sign the new contract, you can either leave or continue working. By continuing to work you have accepted the new contract even though you did not sign it.

[buildersmate]

Contracts of employment don't (normally) mention job description but your job title should be shown.
As per Factor, what changes have occurred in what you required to do?
Merely shifting from one department to another doesn't normally require a new contract - unless:
1) your normal place of work has changed
2) the number of your hours of work have changed, or your shift pattern has significantly changed
3) your employer is different (say, another company in the same group)

However changes in points 1) and 2) above may be already covered by your existing contract, as woofgang alludes to.

What is it about the change that you object to?

[bond]

My objections are that instead of 9.15 to 17.30 mon to thu and 9.15 to 4.15 fri (which all my colleagues are contracted to) I am now 9.00 to 17.30 mon to fri, and all my colleagues have 27 days annual leave + birthday leave, I now have 25 full stop. I have been told verbally I can have the same as my colleagues, but why just "verbally". They say they are standardising new contracts, but why not standardise everyone's, I have been in the company 12 years, but just moved departments (not my choice). My manager who agreed the verbal bit has now moved on, so I am left with completely different t&cs to my colleagues.

[boxtops]

That certainly doesn't sound right. Do you have an HR department/officer you can talk to? If not, talk to ACAS, their helpline is on their website and they are both knowledgeable and helpful.