zero signatures, zero consent
Hi ya party people,
It's Friday, which means t-minus 8 hours until we can be left alone for 48 uninterrupted hours!!
That Friday morning feeling of knowing you can put a quick ⏸️ on the circus at work is pretty much unmatched.
I know some of you all have a different schedule though, and if that’s you, hang in there and I hope you get a break soon. <3
For this week's Q&A, we've got someone who showed up to work one day and essentially got a whole new job without being asked, and with a title change apparently incoming whether they like it or not.
And then we have a nice roundtable discussion about PTO policy preferences.
Almost seems like a tame week??
Let's discuss, and if you have questions of your own to submit, submit them here!
ASK AWAY
🤔 policies & rolesCopy anchor linkCopied
✍🏽 I work for a large institution and was hired into one department with a specific role. After many years of working in this position, the institutional leadership moved me to a completely different department under new leadership with an entirely new team. I'm still doing part of my original job, but much of my work has changed. Is it typical or permissible for an employer to reassign someone like this without their formal consent (I haven't signed anything), especially when the role and department are significantly different but pay/title remain the same (for now - I've been told my title will change)?
Context: N/A
📣 Gabriella Chatman, People Operations Manager @ Ygrene Energy Fund:
Situations like this can arise during organizational restructuring when there is still uncertainty about the most appropriate role for an employee. In some cases, it may also occur when an organization is considering termination but has not yet gathered sufficient documentation to support that decision.
Typically, HR will initiate a conversation with the employee and formally document the discussion. This documentation often includes various factors, such as the employee’s response to change, overall attitude, and adaptability during the transition period.
Additionally, the proposed change may be classified as a lateral move, meaning the employee’s title or responsibilities may change without a corresponding adjustment in compensation.
For additional context, it is helpful to understand whether the organization has recently undergone changes such as an acquisition, whether there have been any prior informal or formal performance-related write-ups, and whether this transition is part of a structured career development plan.
📣 Melissa Stough, HR Coordinator at Project Genesis:
I think the answer will vary depending on where you live. It's certainly allowable in many places for leadership to reorganize and restructure companies, moving individuals and entire departments, as it works for company goals and agendas. They don't need the employee's or department's permission to do that. They also don't need their permission to change job titles.
That being said, if you are not happy with these changes, you can try opening dialogue with your supervisors or HR about it. The worst that can happen is that nothing changes internally, and you know what to expect going forward. If that's the case, it may be time to move on to a new company.
📣 Alex White, Regional Director, HR @ Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club:
What you’re describing is more common than people realize, especially in larger organizations where restructuring, business needs, or leadership changes drive decisions.
From a legal and operational standpoint, in most cases an employer can reassign an employee to a different department or adjust responsibilities without formal consent - particularly if:
Your pay hasn’t been reduced
Your core employment status hasn’t fundamentally changed
There’s no specific contract limiting role changes
That said… “permissible” and “best practice” are not always the same thing.
A significant shift in responsibilities, leadership, and team - especially after years in a role - should ideally come with:
Clear communication about the why behind the change
A conversation (not just a notification)
Updated job expectations
Alignment on title, growth path, and long-term impact
If that hasn’t happened, it’s completely reasonable to seek clarity. You might consider asking:
What does success look like in this new structure?
Is this a temporary transition or a permanent role change?
When will the title and responsibilities formally align?
How does this impact my career progression?
At the end of the day, organizations need flexibility, but employees deserve transparency and alignment. This is less about whether they can do it, and more about how thoughtfully they’re doing it.
Safe Space members can join this discussion here. Not a member yet? Apply to join here.
✍🏽 I am wondering what companies are offering new employees for starting time off please.
Context: We offer two weeks after a year. 5 days after six months.
📣 Kathryn Pardo, Director of Operations @ Public News Service:
We offer 20 days of PTO to start (increasing with tenure), but they begin accruing at a specific rate per pay period after the first 3 months.
We offer 6 days of sick leave available immediately, as well as 9 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays, and 24 hours of volunteer leave.
📣 Lynn Grimes, Director, HR @ Wellworks For You:
We offer 15 from the start, plus 13 paid holidays, a day off on their birthday and a day off to volunteer.
📣 Ben Madden, Owner at HR Action:
So I think it truly depends on the organization and industry that you are in. I have clients that start most people with 12 days plus holidays and then I have others that start at 3 weeks.
While it is good to understand what else is out there, I would recommend looking at competitors and others in your industry to see what makes sense. A lot of the answers below are comparing Apples and Oranges more so than Apples to Apples.
Service organizations (trades etc...) vs. Professional Services (consulting etc..) have a wider range of profit margin and ability to absorb time off differently.
Safe Space members can join this discussion here. Not a member yet? Apply to join here.
🚨 ON YOUR RADAR
🎧 Sometimes you do everything right in a serious performance situation, and it still doesn't go the way it was supposed to. I got together with Stacey Norville to break down the emotional toll of the gray areas nobody puts in the job description. Check it out on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
🗣️ Five generations in one workplace, all with different expectations around feedback. What could go wrong? On May 20th, HR Therapy is all about what good feedback looks like day-to-day, how to adapt your approach for every person on your team. Join us!
♥️ From ‘I Hate it Here’ to ‘I Love it Here’: Your Culture Transformation Roadmap. HR can influence culture change in any organization, and this course teaches you how. Join the Safe Space community to access it!
💸 Your employees don't think their pay is fair and deep down, you already know it. Salary.com surveyed 525 HR and comp folks across 23 industries and found a 31-point confidence gap that explains exactly why. Register for their webinar on May 14th to unpack what's breaking and how to fix it!*
*This one is brought to you by one of my amazing brand partners
📝 RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
Each week I feature a resource I love from the Safe Space library that I believe would be relatable to this week's newsletter topic.
This week, we’re revisiting levels and job architecture. Check it out HERE ⬇️
FRIDAY FUN
😂 hey so this is wild... Copy anchor linkCopied
Sooooo raise your hand if you're being bombarded left and right with candidate fraud.
BECAUSE I AM DEALING WITH IT!!!!!
I'm not pleased about it...
That's all for this week! I hope you enjoyed! If you have any thoughts, please let me know. I'm allll ears.
Reminder: Today is FRIDAY. 🙏
