Job Discrimination

hi, i am a full-time teachers assistant that has been recently demoted to part-time assistant. i did not receive any verbal, written warnings prior to this. I am known as a reliable and dedicated teacher by my co-workers. At work when they observed and inspected my classes, they all gave me positive written comments. The director of the school told me that they were reforming the department and they need a more experienced person and that is why i am being demoted. but the coordinator of my department, told me sincerely, that my demotion came as a result of the school trying to cut back on cost, since less students are going to enroll in school the following term. in addition, since i was the newest teacher in that department, the demotion fell on me . I feel that i am being discriminated upon...i am able to fulfill the role and all the requirements of a full-time teacher assistant, i passed my probation period in school, i am a qualified teacher with a masters degree who is perusing her phd.
Please help, Thanks, Sandra

[msg]

It is not illegal unless you have a contract. Do you have a union?

But you could view it as a firing and collect unemployment if you wish to leave.

thanks for your reply, msg.
Yes, i do have a work contract with the school for 1yr.
I don't have a union.
I am a bit hesitant to go down the unemployment road since the school is paying the teachers a bit weird. Meaning, they pay us (salary) half in cash and half by bank deposit. So my monthly pay slip actually shows only half of my real salary; and if i collect unemployment they might give me far less due to this. The school did this i think, so the government can taxes the them or the teachers less.
Today the school told me i have 2 options either accept the demotion or leave the school. I told them that i would get back to them...i really dont know what to do now? I was thinking of filing an Appeal of Demotion, or Grievance since they did not give me the 3-step procedure before demoting me, just to prolong things a bit.
Do you have any advise?
thanks, Sandra

hi msg, i also wanted to add, the reason that i posted the 1st thread as job discrimination was due to the fact that i work in a British school and 95% of teachers their are British; i am Portuguese. as you know the school demoted for the lack of money in their budget. yet other British teachers that started the same time as me didn't get demoted, like me. In addition, the school hired a new teacher to fill in my full time position. now if they did not have the budget to keep me full time, how do they have the budget to hire a new teacher (British) to fill in my position. I feel a bit discriminated upon...i don't know if what i feel has some truth to it, or am i just pulling the race card, to digest the whole situation.
please help, thanks, sandra

I would be more worried about the consequences of tax evasion than I would about reduced unemployment benefits becasue of cash wages.

That payment method indeed is odd. Probably not correct.

You may want to have a lawyer look at that as well.