I got a new job in October and was put at a trial grade with the carrot that if i was fine in the job I’d go up a grade in three months. Well three months is up, and I’ve asked my boss about it all. Turns out HR are saying “No, it’s six months. It was always six months. It never has been three months ever.”
My boss is pissed off as he thinks he’s misled me. I’m annoyed as I was looking forward to a pay rise. (My performance has been good by all accounts!)

My offer letter (from HR) says “assign a trial grade for a period of up to 6 months expiring in 6 months from the agreed start date at the latest”

Which would suggest that the three months was certainly a possibility.

Where do i stand?

My offer letter (from HR) says “assign a trial grade for a period of up to 6 months expiring in 6 months from the agreed start date at the latest”
Which would suggest that the three months was certainly a possibility.

It suggest that you will wait 6 months nothing else, you have 2 options wait 3 months or threaten to quit.

Probably after 6 months youll not have your contract renewed as youll be sen as someone who causes trouble, that seems to be how offices work nowadays

Well, thanks to our leaders everyone’s trail period is, now for all intents and purposes, 2 years – so personally, unless I was burning the furniture to keep warm, I’d caulk it up to a misunderstanding and wait another 3 months.

I’m not about to kick off – I’m much more tolerant and patient than that. Just curious really as to what the actual rules are and annoyed that my looked-forward-to pay rise might yet be another three months off!

Which would suggest that the three months was certainly a possibility.

True, but the key word there is ‘possibility.’

All it says is that it cannot be longer than six months, there’s nothing to suggest that a shorter probation period would be likely. I’d guess the wording of that is intended to give them an option to end the probationary salary early should they suddenly want to start paying you more (eg, they wanted to keep you and you’d got a better offer somewhere else three months later).

If your boss is annoyed, presumably he’s onside with you. Do HR set salaries? If your boss knows he’s made a mistake (ie, you don’t have to prove anything), isn’t he able give you a pay rise earlier?

Whatever anyone says the letter tells you… I’d always think of promising 3 months then blaming hr for it being 6…