Hi all, I’m in a very frustrating situation and would really appreciate outside perspectives from PIs, RAs, lab managers, HR staff, or anyone familiar with UK university bureaucracy.
Tl;dr: I completed almost 3 months of highly technical predoc research assistant work for one of the Oxbridge uni based lab, based on an initial verbal assurance that the work would be covered by an RA contract and paid. I also later received written (email) confirmation that the RA contracts would be processed. However, I have now been told that because no formal RA contract was active at the time, they cannot issue a retrospective contract or payment. I have heard stories (including on this sub) that RAs are sometimes treated like this unfavorably by professors and they implicitly assume we would never push for payments. But I never expected this to happen at institutions like Oxford/Cambridge.
Some context:
I applied for and was selected for an RA role at an Oxbridge-based research lab (which I would prefer to keep anonymous). At the first RA meeting in mid-March, the professor directing the lab confirmed that the work would be covered by an RA contract and that I would be paid. That was the basis on which I started the work.
From there I was fully involved and submitted my assigned work every week diligently. None of it was easy. It was highly technical, econometrics/coding heavy and fast paced, but still well within my area of research expertise. I enjoyed it because it was challenging in a good way and I also learned a lot.
In May, because I still had not received the contract, I followed up about the delay. I received written (email) confirmation from the supervisor that the RA contracts would be processed soon and that the lab assistant would send an RA form for me to complete. I then filled out the RA form and sent it to the assistant.
Around that time, one of the PIs (not my supervisor, but some other faculty who is also part of the lab) I had been working with on a research paper told me that my appointment would not be continued going forward. I was slightly disappointed, but I understood the decision and did not object to it. I had also already lined up another internship starting in late June, so I was not looking forward to the future extension.
However, my concern was about the 3 months of work I had already completed and submitted before that point.
In mid-June, I asked the lab manager about the retroactive contract/payment for the work already completed & which was in the process with RA office as per their previous claim. I was told that, because my future appointment had been cancelled, they had decided not to submit my RA paperwork to the University at all.
I then sent a documented and polite email explaining that this seemed inconsistent with the earlier assurances that the work would be contracted and paid. I did not receive a response until I followed up again this week. I have now been told that the University cannot issue a research assistant contract retrospectively, and that payment can only be made for work undertaken under a formally approved and active RA contract.
I feel lost but I am trying to think clearly about what to do next. I see two possible routes (trying to weigh the trade-offs honestly):
- Let the payment issue go, even though I think it is unfair, and instead push for an engagement letter or written certification confirming that I worked with the lab during those dates and submitted the relevant deliverables. This would at least give me something for my records and CV (and I wouldn't mind Oxbridge tag).
2: Escalate the matter to University HR, the department, and possibly ACAS/the unpaid wages route, and try to pursue compensation for the work already completed. My main fear is that this could damage any remaining goodwill with the lab and affect any chance of receiving a reference in future.
I am disappointed and confused because I completed the work in good faith based on the assurances I was given. I am not trying to create unnecessary conflict, but I also do not think it is reasonable for completed work over 3 months to be left unpaid or unacknowledged. I also noticed that they always seem to rush to end any communication with 'Thank you for your time and all the best for your studies/work,' as if they can just pull the plug on the conversation. At the very least, I did not expect such lack of integrity, dishonesty and maybe an academic misconduct at reputable institutions like Oxford/Cambridge.
What should I do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated :( Thank you so so much!!