Job offer, sounding board request
Discussion
This is not for me, but asking on behalf of another. Genuinely. Asking for views.
Person mid 30s, good degree, has been offered a new job which involves a move from public sector adjacent to private sector. Currently been with them 8 years, likes job, likes people, but looking for progression which may be a possibility in existing place, no guarantees, but well thought of in organisation and definitely operates at a level above the pay grade, but, you know, most do these days. Not yet formally handed notice in.
New job is a decent % increase in pay, definitely underpaid in current post to my eyes, but new total is in my opinion nothing especially earth shattering, and some conditions are a reduction, eg holidays, pension but swings roundabouts etc.
Two issues crop up once background checks satisfactory and detailed contract offered. Would like comments on these issues as new ones on me. Some years since I packed in, and not seen previously.
Sick pay. Currently has 6 months full pay, 6 months 50% pay, but the organisation has a known history of looking after people on long term sick.
New place, only SSP after first 3 days. Nothing else.
Clause which categorically states that if they are sick or absent due to the actions or deficiencies of a 3rd party that any SSP paid by the company then becomes a loan and is expected to be repayable and employee expected to recover this by suing the 3rd party for loss of earnings.
Wait, what now? Is this normal these days? Never encountered this but then old school.
Pension. Currently on a Local Govt Pension Scheme. Not final salary but career average, accrual 1/49ths, accrued years are also increased by some formula.
New place, has a pension, DC, 5% and matched employer contribution but firm will not give any other details until the start of the employee induction.
No information or answers forthcoming on what seem to be reasonable questions on relatively minor clarifications needed around the contract, again official response is will tell you when you start.
Again, thoughts please.
Red flags or not? I know my opinion but will not influence feedback on that.
A personal observation, whoever drafted this contract is a semi literate moron, not a comma in sight. PH punctuation and grammar police here would go into meltdown.
Person mid 30s, good degree, has been offered a new job which involves a move from public sector adjacent to private sector. Currently been with them 8 years, likes job, likes people, but looking for progression which may be a possibility in existing place, no guarantees, but well thought of in organisation and definitely operates at a level above the pay grade, but, you know, most do these days. Not yet formally handed notice in.
New job is a decent % increase in pay, definitely underpaid in current post to my eyes, but new total is in my opinion nothing especially earth shattering, and some conditions are a reduction, eg holidays, pension but swings roundabouts etc.
Two issues crop up once background checks satisfactory and detailed contract offered. Would like comments on these issues as new ones on me. Some years since I packed in, and not seen previously.
Sick pay. Currently has 6 months full pay, 6 months 50% pay, but the organisation has a known history of looking after people on long term sick.
New place, only SSP after first 3 days. Nothing else.
Clause which categorically states that if they are sick or absent due to the actions or deficiencies of a 3rd party that any SSP paid by the company then becomes a loan and is expected to be repayable and employee expected to recover this by suing the 3rd party for loss of earnings.
Wait, what now? Is this normal these days? Never encountered this but then old school.
Pension. Currently on a Local Govt Pension Scheme. Not final salary but career average, accrual 1/49ths, accrued years are also increased by some formula.
New place, has a pension, DC, 5% and matched employer contribution but firm will not give any other details until the start of the employee induction.
No information or answers forthcoming on what seem to be reasonable questions on relatively minor clarifications needed around the contract, again official response is will tell you when you start.
Again, thoughts please.
Red flags or not? I know my opinion but will not influence feedback on that.
A personal observation, whoever drafted this contract is a semi literate moron, not a comma in sight. PH punctuation and grammar police here would go into meltdown.
Thank you to all who have replied with comments. Many of you have aired issues and advice that we have already discussed between ourselves and essentially very much in line with our feelings.
The reason for putting up the thread to act as a sounding board for opinion is because sometimes when there's a situation where one might think is there something that doesn't feel right, there's also an accompanying worry whether it's just that might be personally out of step. Experience in many areas has taught me that if something doesn't look or feel right, there's usually something that genuinely isn't right behind it, might not know exactly what 'that' is yet.
On balance you've really confirmed my original unstated opinion that this is a pass. Plenty more fish in the sea, especially as this would almost certainly not be a genuine stepping stone move. Clearly one can never predict what opportunities might arise hence has been considered carefully.
Once again, thank you.
The reason for putting up the thread to act as a sounding board for opinion is because sometimes when there's a situation where one might think is there something that doesn't feel right, there's also an accompanying worry whether it's just that might be personally out of step. Experience in many areas has taught me that if something doesn't look or feel right, there's usually something that genuinely isn't right behind it, might not know exactly what 'that' is yet.
On balance you've really confirmed my original unstated opinion that this is a pass. Plenty more fish in the sea, especially as this would almost certainly not be a genuine stepping stone move. Clearly one can never predict what opportunities might arise hence has been considered carefully.
Once again, thank you.
Just to update and close out the original question and secondly to provide a comment to question raised by latest poster on the subject of returning to an old employer.
The new job has been turned down, and in part as a result of improved salary offer from existing employer. Equally some of the questions were answered by the prospective employer but there was still a lot of what was not said rather than the actual words. Anyway decision made, move on.
Re: returning to an old employer. During the above process the usual type of pro - vs - con for each option was listed. One on the pro side for the old employer was there's a definite track record of colleagues leaving for pastures new, both into private and public sector, and returning sometimes with a pay cut with stories of "hated it" and worse, then settled back in really happily.
Hope that helps
The new job has been turned down, and in part as a result of improved salary offer from existing employer. Equally some of the questions were answered by the prospective employer but there was still a lot of what was not said rather than the actual words. Anyway decision made, move on.
Re: returning to an old employer. During the above process the usual type of pro - vs - con for each option was listed. One on the pro side for the old employer was there's a definite track record of colleagues leaving for pastures new, both into private and public sector, and returning sometimes with a pay cut with stories of "hated it" and worse, then settled back in really happily.
Hope that helps
On the sick pay issue at first they say they do pay it in the attempt to proviide reassurance, but it's at their discretion. Which is probably not unusual for SME to be fair.
Then it gets dropped out that the HR director looks at sickness records company wide every month and " decides what to do."
Then there's some other stuff which just all adds up to maybe reinforce that not much of a stuff is given, not to mention work life balance questions. Emails at 3am for example and not down to significant time zone differences either.
As above decision made.
Then it gets dropped out that the HR director looks at sickness records company wide every month and " decides what to do."
Then there's some other stuff which just all adds up to maybe reinforce that not much of a stuff is given, not to mention work life balance questions. Emails at 3am for example and not down to significant time zone differences either.
As above decision made.
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