Redundancy & Demotion

[A1Mikey]

I have worked in a middle management role as a marketing executive for 7 years. The company has announcned that due to the recession, all middle management positions will be lost but all employees will be offered alternative jobs. I have been offered a secretarial position in the same department with the promise of promotion just as soon as the economy picks up again (which I will have to accept just to pay the bills even though it means a dramatic reduction in pay) but the other marketing executive who i work(ed) with has been promoted to Associate Marketing Director. I accept she is better qualified than me (she has a degree and I don\'t) but she has worked for the company for only 3 years and is younger than me. Can they do this? Do I have a case for discrimination?

[buildersmate]

Almost certainly you do not have a case for discrimination. Age, length of service with a company and academic qualifications are not overriding factors in promotion decisions. However it is rather odd that you say every middle management position position is being lost and yet one person is being promoted at this time - I would have expected the people who are currently on the same job level as 'Associate Marketing Director' (whatever that means) and who are maybe being demoted might have the most to complain about.
Suggest you take the 'promise' of being promoted again when the economy picks up with a pinch of salt. Thousands upon thousands of people each year get promises of promotion yet it doesn't happen. Ask them to put it in writing - in the same letter as the confirmation of your 'new' demoted role. Use the explanation, if you are willing to say it, surely you can put it in writing. Should create a bit of a squirming action.