whats my rights !!?

Question

does anyone know if my employer can do this , i am due to return to work later this month has a receptionist at a well know hotel after having a year off due to having a baby , i went to discuss my new rota and they have told me has well has doing my normal job , i will also have to do the cleaining in the rooms where the guest stay , they said that everyone who works on the front desk does this also, what im trying to say is i was employed has a receptionist and not a cleaner !

Answer 1

look at your contract, if it doesn't state anything about cleaning then you don't have to do it

Answer 2

I'll bet there is a clause in your contract that says that you are expected to do "Any other reasonable tasks". A reasonable task, such as cleaning a room, is anything legal, safe, and possible.

If you don't want to do it, get out the trade. A hotel is a very hands on environment, you need to roll up your sleeves sometimes.

There was a time, while ago now, that on a fully booked night, a toilet was blocked. 10pm at night, so a plumber was not really an option, and no freedom for bookouts as the city was jumping.

The result was that I had to roll up my sleeves, stick my hand down the pan and wiggle the blockage free (It was a nappy that someone flushed).

Since then, My career has lept and bounded up to my former position of Hotel Front office Managers in 3 & 4 Star hotels. My current position of Hotel Consultant means I now tell other people how to run a hotel.

If you don't want to do it, then don't anticipate quick promotion.

Oh, and the last line of your question should read:
I was employed AS a Receptionist and not a cleaner!

Answer 3

I don't know about the legality, but it sounds like they aren't thinking too clearly if you are then only one who answers the phone and does reservations.Unless you meant something along the lines of one week you are a receptionist and one week you are a maid. If there has been a downsizing at the hotel and maids were fired and your replacement at the desk did it while you were gone, you may have to if you wish to continue working there. Under the circumstances I'd start looking for another job, I don't clean for anyone but my family.

Answer 4

Do you even have an employment contract? If so, do you have paperwork indicating that you were allowed a year off and would be returned to a position comparable to what you left? If not, you are out of luck unless your state has some specific rules (I know that California has a lot more protection).

During the time you were off, the duties of that position changed and I think you either need to deal with it or move on.

Answer 5

That's a strange one to me......there is a bit of a difference between a receptionist and a cleaner. I haven't heard of anything like this before and if I was you I would point out that you had been employed as a receptionist and not a cleaner. If you have a union it may be worth speaking to your union rep.

Answer 6

Well if you signed a contract with it clearly stating in your job description unfortunately then yes you will have too.

If it does not then you will not have too.

there may be a slight problem as you have been off work for a reasonable amount off time due to personal circumstances and they have changed rules and regulations then you can bring this to their attention. however, do be aware that in your job description, there might be a section which states....
you must comply with any tasks which is required to help business functioning.

your best bet Is to get your contract and job description and go through this thoroughly before making any decisions or comments.

unfortunately you have been caught up in company politics.

hope you resolve this problem and congrats with the new bundle off joy!!!

Answer 7

dont know if you are in the uk or not. If you are then this site is really good for information on returning to work from maternity leave: http://www.direct.gov.uk/Parents/Employment/EmploymentArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10039742&chk=t9vPtr

It says that you have the right to return to the same job as you were doing before you took maternity leave. With the same terms and conditions. I would think that they would have to draw up new contracts if they wanted to alter your job discription.

Answer 8

was this part of your job description? If not I would definitley look into this and try to contact someone in the company and complain. It sounds like to me there either bitter that you were gone for that long or short on staff. however I am a Executive Assistant and i know that cleaning up for peopl is not in my job description, and itshouldn't be in your's either!... You definitely need to do something about this!

Answer 9

hi
you will probably find in your contract a little sentence that says
and any other duties required which could include cleaning
check your employment contract
if you don't like what he is doing tell him so and if he wont change go get another job
Personally if i did not like what he offered i would leave
you cant work for someone and hate what you are doing each day

Answer 10

unless you have a contract specifying your duties, your employer can direct you to do pretty much whatever he wants.

Matt had a year off to have a baby? Hmmm
I would have thought you'd be in Ripley's Believe it or Not!

Answer 11

refer to your contract. if your contract states your job is as a receptionist then thats ur job but if that was the position they put u in and ur contract says that ur job can change and that wouldnt breach ur contract then you clean rooms or find another job