What are my rights?

[cjbrew]

I work in New York state, for the same employer -- a Fortune 500 company -- for more than 18 years. My work performance and annual evaluations have always been outstanding.

Until a little over 2 months ago, my position was a M-F, 9a-5p job with very little supervision and a great deal of freedom to complete my projects on my schedule, as long as they were done on time and to everyone's satisfaction. I did this job for nearly 6 years until I was informed that I was being transferred to another department, doing the same job but under different guidelines and for a boss with whom I'd had job-related conflicts in the past. My salary wasn't cut, but the change in jobs cost me about 10% of my annual pay due to loss of commissions and bonuses.

I spent the next month trying to fit in under the new system and new rules, even though it added more work to my schedule and gave me less time to do it (I went from salaried to non-salaried). Except for 1 documented case, where the supervisor assumed something he thought I did and wrote a written warning ignoring my side of the story, I was never told that there was anything wrong with my performance.

Three weeks ago, I was told that things "weren't working out," that there were "problems with my job performance" and that I was being transferred yet again, to a department where I would be working nights. My salary again wasn't cut, but because it is a desk job, I lose my income from mileage checks.

In addition to the problems this has created with the job, it also completely screws up a just-signed custody agreement between me and my soon-to-be ex-wife. I was supposed to have custody two nights a week in addition to every Sunday and every other Saturday, and now this is impossible with me working night hours.

In both job switches, I was put on a 90-day new-job evaluation which is standard for the company.

Long story short -- under these circumstances, if I were to quit my job, would I be eligible for unemployment in New York? And shift to dramatically different work hours has affected my custody, would I be enititled to any kind of compensation from the company?

[cbg]

I very much doubt that transferring you for the second time in two months would be considered sufficient reason to quit and receive UI, particularly when your salary has not changed. It is next to impossible to get UI if you quit unless you have been subjected to some form of illegal treatment, which is not the case here.

Your custody arrangements have nothing to do with the company and they have no obligation to arrange your schedule to suit your custody needs. You would be due no compensation over that issue.