conversation: User (Brad_Chanderson): "Background: I've been with my current employer for almost 4 years. I was hired as a service techinician (servicing/installing bank equipment - locks, safes, pneumatic tube systems, burg/fire alarms, cctv, etc) and was promoted to Service Manager Jan 1 2018.\n\nI'm the third person to take (and now lose) this job since I've worked there - It's a small company of 6 employees, and the boss is a hothead and very hard to please. I knew this going in, but I figured for the money it was worth an attempt.\n\nI was making $19/hr hourly working full time before, changed to $50k/yr salary once I took the manager job.\n\nToday, I had a pretty bullshit "6 month review" - He sat me down and basically said, "I don't think this is working, so I'm making you a tech again, I'll pay you $20/hr. Take the rest of today and tomorrow off, come Wednesday we'll get you rolling in the field again." He has his reasons, and I don't disagree that there were challenges in working together - but nothing was ever documented on paper, I would just have to sit through angry outbursts once in a while every time he didn't like the way I did something. Most critically, I just took a $9000 dollar pay cut - having just purchased a car, and this puts a huge crunch on my finances. I'm going to spend some time today redoing my budget, and I already don't like how it's going to turn out.\n\nHere are my thoughts. If I stay here, that management experience withers away, and loses effectiveness on my resume the longer I continue as a technician.\n\nGoing back to work there is going to be awkward. That much I can manage, but I see it causing some interpersonal drama now that I'm back working alongside 4 techs I was previously in charge of.\n\nLastly, would this qualify as constructive dismissal? I understand that my job duties are changing as well as my pay - but this is an 18% pay cut that was decided unilaterally. Would I be better served declining it and accepting dismissal, trying to survive off of unemployment while searching for something in the vain of what I was previously doing?\n\nThis is the first time something like this has happened to me, and while my head is spinning a little, I feel like I can make the best of the situation somehow - just need a little guidance.\n\nI appreciate in advance any advice you can offer - and if there are any questions you have for me I'm happy to answer them."
  Self: "start looking for a new job"
  CrispyMoDz (CrispyMoDz): "This 100%, update your resume too."
  dillonsrule (dillonsrule): "But, keep working there until you find a new job."
  DesmondKhane (DesmondKhane): "Give a 2 week notice if you’d like a reference"
  bitJericho (bitJericho): "That's going to be a great reference -- not. This bridge is already burned take a new job and start immediately."
  TheMysteriousMid (TheMysteriousMid): "In my experience people rarely give bad references unless you give them a reason to. \n\nThe boss gave him a couple days off and his wage is more than it originally was (I'm not saying this is a good thing, just pointing it out.) He likely see's this as a kindness, since he's keeping him on instead of outright firing OP. So I'd say the bridge isn't burned. No reason to quit while he's job searching."
  intenseskill (intenseskill): "In england i am pretty sure it is illegal to give a bad referance."
  CallousJoy (CallousJoy): "Yes, but there are still ways in the UK. You can decline to give a reference which says a lot or give only factual information like the start and end dates of employment, rather than a character reference / endorsement."
  