Transfer from Accounts to Stores Department

I am working as an Accounts Manager for the past 19 years. My role involved progressive accounting, finalization of accounts, Balance sheet, Audit, MIS reports, Debtors and creditors reconciliation, preparing and reconciliation of cash and bank books, levy various states and central taxes, its reconciliation, and filing of returns, etc.

Can my employer shift my nature of work to a totally unknown territory like Inventory and Store Management? In this case, what can I do? Please elaborate on how I can take it up legally.

Dear friend,

All along, you have been working in the Accounts Department. Your mind and body were conditioned to working in a certain environment. This unexpected transfer has made you lose your composure. Therefore, now you are exploring legal options to protect the territory that you are accustomed to. However, the situation merits analyzing. Let us do it.

You need to understand the intentions of the management as to why they have made this transfer. Did any scam take place in the Inventory and Stores Department? Has any shady deal come to light? In that case, the intentions of the management could be noble, and possibly they wanted to transfer you so that you can overhaul the systems and processes of that department.

On the contrary, your transfer to a strange department could be a ploy to make you distraught. Out of this distraughtness, your management could be expecting you to relinquish yourself from the company. Even if you hold on, when a person is mentally or emotionally unstable, his/her chances of committing errors could still be higher. These errors create grounds to initiate disciplinary action!

There is one more possibility. Has any problem taken place in the Accounts Department? Instead of transferring you directly, is this an indirect way of punishing you? We, the members of this forum, cannot assess answers to these questions.

Whatever the intention of the management behind the transfer might be, there is a scope to excel in the new department. In case you streamline the systems and processes and reduce the Ordering Cost and Inventory Carrying Cost of the raw materials, your transfer could be a boon to you as well as your company. Nevertheless, to do this, you need to master the basics of purchase and inventory management. You need to learn ratios associated with this department. But then, to reinvent oneself, one has to learn something new!

Look at the CEOs of the company. They deal with the HOD of each department. They not only deal but also provide guidance. Why do they acquire this competence? Of course, they spend time learning about each department.

Lastly, your question is about legally challenging your transfer. It depends on the clauses mentioned in the Industrial Standing Orders as well as your appointment letter. Many companies explicitly mention that the management reserves the right to transfer the employee from one department to another, one location to another, one SBU to another, etc. If these conditions are mentioned precisely and clearly, then the transfer cannot be challenged, legally or otherwise.

All the best!

Dinesh Divekar

Dear Anonymous,

You can request the management to consider your case as your experience and exposure are completely different. At most, they can appoint another Head of Department for inventory and stores instead of affecting your psyche or morale.

Also, as suggested by our senior, Mr. Dinesh, please review the merits in the new department, including the standing orders clauses, etc. If you are not interested in the new department, then you can make a decision accordingly.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dinesh ji, for your answer.

Yes, there is some problem in the accounts department, and I have exposed the CFO regarding it to the top management. There are many email correspondences related to it.

Now, the CFO has started to harass me and wants to transfer me to another department so that I can be easily cornered. In this case, what can I do? It's a ploy where the CFO, along with a few others, wants to emotionally and professionally break me down.

Dear friend,

I hope this is a negative strategy by the CFO to demotivate you because you have exposed him. Why not try to approach a person above his level to get clearance on this matter? Otherwise, weigh the pros and cons of handling the situation yourself before things worsen.

Hi,

I guess it's clearly an internal politics - an indirect one, I suppose. As you said, you have exposed your superior, so if your top management trusts you, then they should support you in that matter. As I can see, your CFO is trying to change the course of the situation he is in. Instead of finding out more about him, he makes a move to transfer you to another department to demotivate you and divert your attention to a different field rather than gaining more information about his/your department.

Here are my suggestions:

1. Ask for the reason for the transfer - there may or may not be standing orders, but still, you need to ask. If the reasons are justifiable, think of it as a positive boost in your career to learn something new. Besides, inventory control is not as easy as it seems. It requires sustainability, quarterly reports, and remember that all the money is stored in the stores/warehouse.

2. Inform the top management about the case of your transfer, since I guess they know what you have exposed, they could at least check/verify if those were true.

3. In the worst case, if there is no support from the top or no valid reasons for the transfer, you might consider getting a new job. This should be a last resort.

Best of luck, mate!

Dear Friend, please understand that change is the only permanent thing in life. Take this change of responsibility as an opportunity and demonstrate your skills in a new area too. Do not bother too much about the so-called internal politics; it is always present in all organizations. Think of it as grooming you for a much bigger role in the future.

Dear Friend,

This situation may be unnerving you, being removed from your core competency and put in an area where there is very little limelight or no light even. You could rightfully feel hurt, humiliated, or insulted; your colleagues and peers would be adding to your misery. Now, the legal options which you have sought and available to you are:

1) What does your appointment order say? Have you been appointed for only this specific work viz progressive accounting, finalization of accounts, Balance sheet, Audit, MIS reports, Debtors and creditors reconciliation, preparing and reconciliation of cash and bank books, levy various states and central taxes, its reconciliation, and filing of return, etc.? In that case, you can have a case that the transfer is against the terms of your appointment.

2) As a result of transfer, has your status changed adversely, in terms of your position as HOD/HOS, or your salary, or the eligibility for promotion, etc.? By transfer, your service conditions cannot be changed adversely.

3) You have mentioned the transfer to be motivated or out of malice and have pointed out the prejudice of CFO, but do you have sufficient material to prove the same in a court of law, which requires evidence. Mind you, bias and prejudice could be easily alleged, but proving it is rather difficult.

4) The legal principle is that transfer is an incident of service, and the courts are reluctant to interfere in them unless malice or malafides are clearly proved and the onus to prove it on the party alleging it. The balance lies against the petitioner in most of the cases.

You may evaluate your chances against the aforesaid principles, and if you feel you have a very good case, then you may approach a competent advocate and try your chance. Further word of caution, if you are in the private sector, litigation is not suggested in the matter.

Otherwise, take this opportunity as a challenge and show your capability and enthusiasm to work harder and prove your mettle. Or you may look for greener pastures elsewhere; looking at your job profile, you have high value. In any case, there shall be no regrets later.

Dear Friend,

It appears that you have been targeted by the CFO of your establishment. You have been moved from your current position to a new department with which you are not familiar. There is a concern that the CFO may take action against you for non-performance in this new assignment or department. This situation is not a good sign.

It is important for you to take charge of the new assignment until you find a more suitable engagement elsewhere. It is necessary for you to seek a new environment at this time, although I understand it may not be an easy task. Please remember that the person you exposed for malpractice has not faced any consequences.

Kind regards, [Your Name]

Hi,

If you have confidence in your will and skill, suggest taking a step to move out. Corporate leadership is difficult to fight back against if you are not in the management team. It takes lots of effort and time to prove your point. Under the shadow of a poor relationship, it is better to quit.