Verbal Agreement - Retracted, any advice appreciated.

Hi

I was wondering if anyone is able to give me some advice. I started work for a company on a Fixed Term Contract, which run out on 15th December 06. This was origionally covering maternity leave. In October the company found out that the lady infact on maternity leave would not be coming back and I was offered the job. About 3 weeks later I questioned when I would be recieving my permanant contract and was told that it was normal for the company to take some time in issuing these.

Whilst all this was going on the company lost a contract and had lead to quite a few redundancies for people working on that contract - This was not a contract I have been any part off at any time during my employment with the company.

When I questioned again where my employment contract was I was told that due to what was happeing with the company, they were now unable to take me on. Yet 2 months earlier I was told the job was mine.

The company say they are doing there best to keep me on and that they have had to send all paperwork relating to my fixed term contract off to HR to be looked at. As mentioned above this run out 15th December so I am currently working without a contract.

My position will be advertised and any person who are to be made redundant will be able to apply, but they are saying there is a chance I wont because I am not permanant.

I have read that a contract of employment can be either written or verbal therefore isn't this job mine already?

Bit confusing but if anyone could give me some advice I would appreciate it. I find out my fate on Monday.

Thanks

hli1980

So what if they offered you a permanent job? Unless you are there for at least 12 months, they can let you go anyway. And then they could make you redundant anyway on the grounds of last in first out.

It's tough, but their circumstances changed and they are not obliged to give you a job for life.

Brendan

For more info check this link
http://www.entemp.ie/publications/employment/2003/protectionofemployees_booklet.pdf

Can you be more specific about what happened when you were 'offered the job'? Who made this offer? Was there any discussion about salary or starting dates? Do you have any written record of this meeting, or any emails which explicitly refer to the offer of a permanent position?

It sounds like an over-enthusiastic line manager may well have overstepped their authority and made an offer with having confirmed things with HR. I guess you could possibly 'go legal' on the matter, but it sounds like this could be expensive, time-consuming and possibly fruitless.

Can you push the company to give you a shot at the interview, and/or extend your contract by a few months to compensate you?

A verbal agreement isn';t worth the paper it's written on ??

bridget1 said:

A verbal agreement isn';t worth the paper it's written on ??

Click to expand...

That is a phrase made famous incorrectly, a vebal contract is enforceable.
Its just that is can be difficult to enforce as one would imagine.

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