Hello Fellow HR Professionals,
Your input, advice on this matter is welcomed.

In summary, I have been seven years employed as an Exec Assistant for a QUANGO while also studying HR/Management with an agreement/understanding that my role would be expanded within the organisation at the completion of my studies (imminent.)

I was offered this new position (keeping it light on the details to avoid identifying myself) over the 'phone just recently - precisely the role that had been discussed and agreed on - and I said I was interested in the role. This was at the end of the week and by Monday another employee was sitting at my desk, doing my job! Turns out CEO had ultra-rapidly issued a contract FOR MY JOB to the other person, who signed and agreed to it - not realising that I had not relinquished my position, nor agreed to be replaced. The new worker has signed a contract for 4.1 to do the job I was doing at 3.4!

I go to see the CEO who presents me with a much watered-down job offer, several levels beneath the stature of the pre-agreed role, and presents me with a minimally-defined job description with a low level. I reject the offer. CEO goes ballistic and tries gaslighting me as if I'm not competent to do anything and in essence I should be grateful for anything. Very insulting. I was aghast, and lost for words. I get told to go off and write my own job description/ work plan and to justify my position. All very confrontational and negative.

Naturally, all of this clumsy malfeasance on the part of the CEO has created a very strange situation whereby technically I am still employed as an EA at the firm, as is the new worker, while whatever my current role is - well it's in limbo - but I am using the time to indeed write my own projected job description/ work plan - which I have now completed. The situation now is that I will meet with the CEO on Monday and attempt to negotiate my position as per my submissions. If the CEO is still disagreeable; well obviously the state of limbo will still exist and it will be on the CEO to explain to the Board (they don't yet know of the fast and loose tricks the CEO has played) why he is paying my salary, what is my current role, why he gave away my job before my new role was formally offered/contracted/signed, and generally what kind of schoolboy errors led to this ridiculous situation.

I feel I need to seek legal advice before going in to discuss anything else with the CEO so I know what protections I have. As far as I am aware this is a unique situation whereby my role is in limbo, and this is the CEO's fault for 'jumping the gun.' If agreement is not reached at the next meeting then I need to know what are my options, and what kind of claim(s) I may be entitled to seek.

I mean I could go on all evening about the offences against 'best practice' that have gone down - even assigning the task of writing my own job description etc. is against transparency, etc etc etc.
But at this stage I would definitely appreciate any advice, ideas, even legal contacts.

Thank you for reading my (potted) story.