Question for all

[lexin]

I've also asked around the managers of my office about this, but this came up in my union work recently and I thought I'd find out what everyone thinks.

Poll #7675 Reasonable ad-hoc tasks

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 57

You employ a person whose normal job is to do post opening, stamping, preparation of papers, scanning - adminstrative tasks, in other words. Would you regard it as reasonable for them to be asked to do "sweeping out the filthy basement" as an ad-hoc task?

Yes
3 (5.3%)

No
9 (15.8%)

In the context of an office move or "tidy friday" when everyone's mucking in, but not otherwise
44 (77.2%)

Something else I will tell you about in comments
1 (1.8%)

Comments

[lexin]

Not exactly. The office still had cleaners, but they weren't prepared to vary the contract with the cleaners sufficiently to get the job done.

[tazlet]

Sounds skeevy. Is someone is trying to get rid of that admin? The Great Satan has a clause in its contracts that says "And other duties as assigned" but those duties are supposed to be in line with the position--unless one is trying to send an un-subtle hint that your services are no longer appreciated.

[lexin]

Yes, someone was trying to get rid of him and inventing reasons for it. This was one of the attempts, but not the successful one.

[julesjones]

Someone needs to be introduced to the phrase "constructive dismissal", and the potential penalties thereof.

(I am only too aware that sometimes there is a legitimate reason for wanting to get rid of someone without having an actual legal reason to do so, but...)