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Lolwat,
This sounds fucking bizarre.
Sounds like a no brainer tbh,
Simply state what is on your contract, and if they want you to do more duties, ask for the equivalent pay. Your current pay + junior java developer pay.
Also ask for a new contract that includes your new job title as well as new rates + outlining exactly what it is you do.
Look, if they hired you for a sysadmin and are now asking you to do dev work. Tell them to fuck themselves. -
Since the development doesn’t fall under a sys admin role (I dare say your contract says sysadmin) then they can’t do much.
Just turn it around and point out you are a sysadmin for the company and not a developer, any development will need a contract re-negotiation.
Sometimes I wish my contract was more specific then “software developer” 😂
Oh, welcome to devRant 😊 -
@D--M
I shall do exactly this.
I am just worried that I might lose my job if I tell them that I am not going to do it.
I suppose they cannot, as it sounds illegal as heck. -
@C0D4
I had to fight for a year to get my title from IT Techician to Systems Administrator.
I would give my left testicle to go into software, I am pursuing it as we talk (although I am sure that it has its fair share of stresses) -
@BloatWhere pursue it, it has its moments of hell, but that’s part of the job I guess 😂
Just don’t let them abuse your working relationship. Also (not sure of local laws for SA) but dev isn’t in your contract so I don’t see how they would be able to directly fire you for not doing it. -
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@Brosyl I don't believe that this would work.
Okay let's say employee sends this "threatening" e-mail to his employer as well as everyone else in the hierarchy as CC. That might be considered as extremely rude and aggressive.
Employees are replacable, if employer will want to fire you he will find a bullshit reason which will be somewhat legitimate and that's it.
Typical employee has no time and energy to involve themselves in such dramas. -
All good advice. Was a nice read ++
@BloatWhere my advice would be to think of the worst most probable option. Quitting.
Then pursue your dream of becoming a developer.
Think about the option, it's not that frightening once you gain back your liberty to unlock your full potential. You will be able to enjoy your work and get paid lots to do it. Imagine the joy!
Now I don't say you should quit.
But rather take confidence from knowing what you will do if you find yourself in that position (before exhausting all other available options) -
First of all: papertrail! Document every thing! Especially threads like messing with your salary. Every (normal) country has some laws protecting workers pay, so if they do, go to the union/authorities.
Second. Send a mail to him but also include his boss, the involved two directors and hr and tell them the story from your side, kind of you suggested to branch into development but where turned down. Now he wants you to do development, which you are not qualified for, so recommend to get yourself training for it (on company time!), While being fully paid for it, as otherwise you can't promis them good code. Also give them the options you see:
A) have an external entity develop the app (with a PM within your company)
B) you develop the app (but they'll have to provide training), during working hours, meaning you won't have your sys admin dutys (also highlight what that would mean)
C) nothing happens
Third of all make a formal complaint at HR about the thread and produce evidence for it. -
@bioDan
Your words resonate in my head like a bell being struck.
There are a lot of atrocities that occur within the office space, but one tends to turn a blind eye to the trepidation.
I'm talking to HR tomrorow, and seeing how this pans out.
Thanks for the subtle advice and support. -
@Wack
I have thought prior of the paper trail. I have kept everything documented.
I read through your points, and you make a lot of cohesive and precise logical points.
I appreciate you taking the time to answer, and I'll definitely take what you said into serious consideration. -
@BloatWhere one more thing! Always remember HR isn't your friend. HR is hired to protect the company! If HR feels you're a problem to the company, they will probably fire you. Not sure how it's at your place, that's just what I saw during my career (they never fired me so far but coleagues).
No mater how this will turn out, probably workimg there will be prety toxic. My next piece of advice would be to start looking for a job now.
Case 1: you find a better job and switch no mater what happens
Case 2: they fire you, then you have an advantage, since you are already looking
Case 3: nothing happens, you've spent some hours looking for a job, which isn't a bad thing. -
So, as an update -
I spoke to the relevant parties as mentioned here, and the director has basically laid it out to me like this:
Either you do the app by Friday (which is building a fully fledged application that would take me about two weeks to finish), or "you are going to be sorry".
I am currently speaking to a few friends this side, and I shall have new employment within the next two months as a Junior Dev.
Going to be quite a change from Sys Admin to Junior dev (responsibilities changing, stress differences). Will likely be something that will take some time to get used to, but it will be worth it. -
@BloatWhere good.. By Friday you can already tell him "I'm already sorry but im leaving. Now. Right now. And there is nothing you can do about it you fucking dictator. Go bully some other youngster"
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@Brosyl
I built most of the servers the company uses. It would hurt me so badly to have them compromised.
Although, Citrix app servers does get a little wonky when the licensing services registry keys are chsnged. And citrix has a pretty bad logging system.
Evil maniacal laugh.
Seriously though. I took a moral oath to myself that I would first hurt the person, then what would have been the servers I administered.
The director told me there was no money for a raise a while ago, and then went about bought himself a Jag and hired two irrelevant employees. If I was a worse person, I would do some horrible things.
But I'm too good and don't burn Bridges. I build them and then walk over them. -
@bioDan
The fucking dictator part would be no word of a lie.
I'll gently remind them that I have 35 days of leave due to them not letting me take leave as well.
Thank you for the continuous support and advice. -
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@BloatWhere welcome to the Developer side 😎
Related Rants
Stackoverflow.
First rant here, and it's going to be a query to the more professional and experienced members of society (most of you).
I am currently a Sys Admin for a major company, and I develop at night. My primary employment at the moment is the sys admin job (and I code for extra money at nights).
I wanted to start a development department at the company that I am working at, but it was turned turned down. It was stated that we are not branching in development, and that we should stick to our server implementation and support. This was a prompt to me wanting to start studying officially (I wanted to get qualified in JAVA, so that I had some paper behind my name when I looked for another job). HR and my directors outright denied me the ability to study through them (they pay for studies for employees) and I was more than fine with this.
I took a loan and paid for the studies myself. Can't crush a dream, you know?
The director caught wind of me studying, and now has demanded that I develop him a mobile application for the company. I told him that I am not a mobile developer, and that it didn't fall into my key performance areas.
Note, I do my coding on own time, on my own device, and never at work. It's fully my intellectual property. It also in no way interferes with my work during the day, and has NO conflict with my contract this side.
He sent an email yesterday, this is after two months. He is now stating that I WILL do the application, and he has CCd HR and two directors.
I don't want to do the app for this company, I spoke to HR previously about this, and she said that I should try and quote it under my own company name (which I did, but it was denied as it was "too expensive").
Now I am being forced to do something that is COMPLETELY out of my roles and responsibilities, something that this company has ABSOLUTELY no desire to go into further on, and he is basically letting me know that if I don't do it, he is going to start messing with my pay.
I really don't want to do this, and I cannot afford to make my secondary job my primary at the moment. The problem is, too, that I don't have the time during the day to develop AND do my sys admin tasks (I manage more than 300 servers, and 5000 devices).
What can I do in this instance? Or what would you guys recommend, in your experience?
Sorry for the noob question, but I don't know what to do.
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