My UK employer has teamed up with a large well-known charity, and over the last few years undertaking voluntary work for this charity has become a core part of our performance objectives.
If we don't do this work, then our performance is marked down which can result in a lower performance grade if other areas of our work is lacking. This in turn could place an employee in a category where their job is at risk as they are judged as being an underperformer, and similary if this voluntary work is not completed it can prevent an employee reaching a higher grade.
The performance grade also has a direct link to salary increases and bonus.
The voluntary work is with children, and although I have children myself I do not feel comfortable in a school setting. In short, I do not want to do this.
Yes, it is admirable that our company has paired up with this charity, but as you can probably infer I am not happy being forced to take part, or that my overall work performance is judged on whether I do this 'voluntary' work.
So to my question. Is what they are doing legal?