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Pugna · Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Former employee loses project funding but finds more during the weeks notice preceeding her layoff, gets offered a contract instead of her job back.

I work for an NGO that is struggling financially. My particular program has a staff of two, traditionally the profits from the programme has payed two and a half people which worked directly on the project and up to five staff that do other unrelated things.

Sadly, after three years the main project was discontinued by our funders and my attempts to recoup the loss over the past year didn't amount to much. There were layoffs and feeling bad I decided not to apply for the remaining position in my program in order to cede my place to someone else who might be better than me in finding funding given the difficult context.

I was given my six weeks notice. However in the six weeks I had left, new funders who were referred by a friend of mine at the office approached us and I negotiated a project over one and a half years that pays the equivalent of four full time salaries for the duration of the period.

Instead of keeping me as permanent staff, my employers have offered to keep me as a contractual employee, and the contract ends in thee and a half months (after which there is a gap in activiities in the project, a pause between 'phase 2' and 'phase 3' between December to April). My salary stays the same, I don't know what happens with my benefits. To add to the confusion, me and my project are being transferred to the International version of my NGO.

Given that I do not particularly trust my employers I am going to legal advice to ensure the legality of the proceedings, but on a personal level, I interpret the contact as saying 'thank you and goodbye'.
Am I right or is this kind of contract normal and does it lead to other things?

Thank you for reading to the end Smile

I would really appreciate any feedback, especially from and employer's perspective.

Pauloz · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:58 am Post subject:

Pugna

I understand and agree with your reservations. However, the name of the game here is "contract". The terms and conditions are what you're stuck with until that period expires, unless you opt out.

The good news, such as it is, is that you have the opportunity to look at possibilities. They've been less than transparent with you, and the situation regarding your benefits should really have been obvious. There's nothing secret about things like that.

The "goodbye" effect may well be just that. From the look of it, though, you were necessary, and this is a pretty cheapskate approach they've taken.

Normality, with contracts, unfortunately, is a thing of the past, and it's what's in the contract that's going to do any damage.

The only thing it can lead to is another contract, unless, which would seem out of character, they offer a position.

However- The international version of the NGO may not operate like this. My suggestion would be to be "receptive" to the new organization, but keep your lawyer handy, and make it clear you were put off by the previous contractual arrangement.

You need room to maneuver, if you want to negotiate in future. Given the performance to date, I'd say you're within reasonable parameters of negotiation to appear a bit hesitant to continue a pretty shoddy situation on the same terms.

Pugna · Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Thanks for the input, Paul.

V.

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