ASK HR: My employer is unfair, inconsiderate and unprofessional

Q. I work at a local bank in Nakuru and have been transferred to Mombasa, but not been paid any dues, such as transfer allowance to facilitate my moving. Nakuru and Mombasa are very different cities, so I had expected to get a salary increment but got none. I don’t know anyone in Mombasa, yet the company is reluctant to pay for my stay in a hotel as I house hunt. Our HR department is of no help. What should I do in such a case?

Your circumstances are quite unfortunate. It is wrong of employers to expect employees to use their own funds to facilitate work. Your employer requires you to move from your current station to another for work-related reasons and should therefore facilitate this.

Normally, a caring employer would facilitate employees in the easiest way possible so that they can concentrate on their work and be productive.

The employment law is elaborate on how to compensate short-term work assignments outside the country, but not so clear on local transfers. However, Collective Bargain Agreements (CBA) detail the role of both employer and employee during transfers. Your role is to accept to work at any station where your employer is based while the employer’s role is to get you to that station and settle you down as comfortably as possible. If you are a member of a union, you can raise a grievance through the approved process. Check and find out what internal policies and procedures state and further check how such policies have been applied in the past. If other transfer cases have been treated differently, you can point this out to your supervisor and ask for fair treatment.

Following the right channels to escalate a grievance is crucial, in this case you have your first level supervisor, whose opinion and recommendation in your case is very important. You have already concluded that the HR office will not help you and it appears you have not sought assistance. Your HR officer is there to find solutions for situations such as this one, and if they are not approachable, document your complaint. If they do not respond, escalate to someone who has authority, such as your departmental head, or HR’s supervisor. Making suggestions is also useful - you could for instance enquire if your employer can advance you money to meet all these needs, and allow you to pay back within an acceptable time frame. I know it is disappointing when employers seem not to care about employees’ welfare, but this is not a good reason to pack and leave, rather, an opportunity to speak out and create the change you desire to see at your workplace.