Have I been replaced by an intern?

Shinaynay

I have to keep details to a minimum here as my work is quite specialised, and am just looking to see if anyone has any advice or has experienced the same?

I work 3/4 days a week for a company since September 2013. Things, according to my boss, 'went quiet' in June, and my hours were cut, either two or one and a half days a week.
At the same time, an unpaid intern was taken on. We are now both doing the same type of work (me with more responsibility out on the field, them doing more office based research) and both doing two days a week. My wages have been slashed in half and I'm not really sure how to approach this with my boss. I don't feel I can survive on the pittance I have gotten the last two months and have been told to expect the same till October.

I feel like if the intern wasn't there I would be doing all of the office based research, for two days and thus my hours wouldn't have been slashed.

Just wondering what other peoples opinions are- have I been replaced? I would be better off on the dole at this point, can I ask my boss to just let me go?

(on a side note, I have read over my contract and my boss has covered themselves in terms of my minimum hours)

CIARAN_BOYLE

Just a thought but are you claiming social welfare. I forget the name but there is a payment available for those working less than 20 hours and less than 3 days a week.

Shinaynay

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Just a thought but are you claiming social welfare. I forget the name but there is a payment available for those working less than 20 hours and less than 3 days a week.

No, I started my own (very small) business on the side about two years ago which hasn't taken off as I had hoped but still working at it, meaning I can't sign on. When I started working for said employer I was earning €1000 a month which was grand, now I am getting €450 which is basically my rent.

micosoft

It's a tough one but essentially yes, you have been half replaced and your boss has halved the cost of having you.

The key question is whether he replaces the intern with another intern. Also, how is the business doing? Is it struggling? I'm always amazed at how many employees are entirely indifferent to the state of a business (I've had people looking for raises after a round of redundancies) so getting this line in before the usual suspects of "all business owners want to screw their employees brigade". I'm not suggesting you have not thought about this but just be aware.

Firstly the only person that can answer it is your boss. Being cognizant of the state of the business ask him straight out. He/she may be evasive but you have every right to ask about the future of your role in the firm. State you are aware of the difficult economic situation but that you have a minimum salary you need to survive on and that you can't continue on your current short hours. All he can do is either give you an expectation when you move back to full time or say that he can't in the foreseeable future. That being the case you need to start looking elsewhere I'm afraid.

Secondly you need to reflect on why your office duties can be done by an intern. All companies base the value of employees very simply on how essential they are and how difficult to replace the employee. If you are doing a lot of "low value" work that can be replaced by someone with little training e.g. the Intern, I'd start thinking about how I could add more value or upskill myself. That's the only real protection against being made redundant.