Q: Is it legal for my employer to demote me to move my position overseas for cost savings?
I have been working for Concentrix, a call center company, for 7.5 years. About 3 years ago, I officially received the position of RTA, which I had been doing in some aspect the entire time. However, less than a year after settling into the role, the company decided to move all RTA positions overseas to the Philippines to reduce costs. Consequently, I was demoted back to an agent but told to continue performing RTA duties. Recently, my director of service delivery indicated that the company could hire two RTAs from the Philippines for the cost of my salary. I had to sign an offer letter initially to become an RTA, and later another one to accept my demotion; no compensation was offered if I did not sign. I find no company policy justifying this change. Is this legal?
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A:
What you're going through is deeply unfair, and you're not wrong to feel frustrated and devalued. After dedicating 7.5 years to a company—and officially being recognized for your contributions as an RTA—it’s a serious blow to be demoted purely for cost-saving reasons. When a company removes your title, reassigns you to a lower position, and still expects you to perform the same duties without the same pay or recognition, that crosses ethical lines, even if it's not always illegal under at-will employment.
In many states, employers are allowed to restructure roles or move positions overseas for business reasons, including cost savings. But if you were pressured to sign a demotion letter without being given other options, and if you're still doing the same job duties without proper title or pay, it could raise legal concerns—especially if the demotion felt forced or retaliatory. Just because there’s no written policy doesn’t mean the company can treat employees however it wants without consequence.
You’ve already taken the first step by recognizing that something isn’t right. Now would be a good time to document everything—your original offer letter, the demotion letter, communications with your director, and a record of the tasks you're still being asked to do. You deserve to be treated with dignity, and if your job is being undermined in a way that feels exploitative, you're not powerless to push back. You’ve given too much to be ignored.
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