Hi all, an explanation as why I was sacked - Any comments?Lost my job 21st Dec 2001 because I could not and had to refuse my MD's request at 8:10 one morning to visit a Building site 15 miles away by 9:00 am to meet up with an Electrician to explain how the controls systems on a heating system our company had designed and were supposed to work.1. I was just on my way to the toilet when he asked me.2. I did not know anything about that particular job - had never seen any of the drawings.3. Did not know how to get to the site. AND it was rush hour.4. He carried on writing a map out for me while I was discreetly trying to tell him that I could not go.5. After going to the toilet, I managed to get a quiet chat with him in his office. I reminded him that before I started with the company, I had IBS and it would restrict me from travelling in rush hour. That is why 2 months previous, when he took me on, he agreed that I could start at 7:30 in the morning ( gave my my own set of keys!) and finish at 4:00pm so that I could miss all the rush hour traffic. However he was desperate for some-one to go to this meeting for him. when I said I could make the meeting for 10:00am once the traffic had died down, he said that my employment with the company was not going to work out - and sacked me on the spot.I did enjoy the job up until then, it was very often highly pressurised and stressful work, but it never seemed to bother me because I new there was a toilet just down the corridor. It was probably one of the best jobs I have had in years.In conclusion, I think he did this on purpose because he knew that I would not be able to cope with it. - The reason? they were moving to new smaller offices in Mid Jan 2002, I accidently saw the plans and saw there was no office with my name on it! If only he just had the courage to say sorry Dave, youv'e been a great help to me sorting out all my backlog of work, but you have done it now and I no longer need your services, I could have coped with that rejection.
Why I got the sack!
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Blimey Dave, im sorry to hear your bad news.Dont forget though, that to sack someone because of an illness can be unfair dismissal/discrimination. You may want to consult a solicitor or Citizens Advice and get some legal advice on the subject.If you feel that this decision was pre-determined (you saw the plans with no name for you or an office) than you think they may have 'invented' the situation because they know you could not do it, then this is another thing you need to discuss with someone.
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Oh Dave - i don't know what to say. I don't suppose you got anything in writing did you? Not sure what your status was or whether or not he acted lawfully but my heart goes out to you. I've been fairly lucky in that my line of work allows me a reasonable amount of flexibility - eg - I can scedule appointments to suit me, usually, and can work from home sometimes which is useful during flare-ups. My last boss knew about my IBS and was sympathetic on the surface but I think it just doesn't stay in people's heads. So, for instance, she'd schedule something in for me which meant an early start or a long tube journey. I got sick of reminding her and also putting up with quips from other people("off sick again?"). This just sucks sometimes.And i do think we are discriminated agoinst in a lot of ways. it's like M.E - a lot of people think it's "not a real illness".I wish you more luck in your future job-hunting.hugsliz
Oh Dave - i don't know what to say. I don't suppose you got anything in writing did you? Not sure what your status was or whether or not he acted lawfully but my heart goes out to you. I've been fairly lucky in that my line of work allows me a reasonable amount of flexibility - eg - I can scedule appointments to suit me, usually, and can work from home sometimes which is useful during flare-ups. My last boss knew about my IBS and was sympathetic on the surface but I think it just doesn't stay in people's heads. So, for instance, she'd schedule something in for me which meant an early start or a long tube journey. I got sick of reminding her and also putting up with quips from other people("off sick again?"). This just sucks sometimes.And i do think we are discriminated agoinst in a lot of ways. it's like M.E - a lot of people think it's "not a real illness".I wish you more luck in your future job-hunting.hugsliz
Blimey Dave, im sorry to hear your bad news.Dont forget though, that to sack someone because of an illness can be unfair dismissal/discrimination. You may want to consult a solicitor or Citizens Advice and get some legal advice on the subject.If you feel that this decision was pre-determined (you saw the plans with no name for you or an office) than you think they may have 'invented' the situation because they know you could not do it, then this is another thing you need to discuss with someone.
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Thanks Vikki-Lou and Lizbec for you replies.Unfortunately, I believe that under English Law, unless you have worked for a company for at least 2 years you cannot claim for Unfair Dismissal. If anyone knows any different, I would be glad to hear from them! I was, unfortunately employed on a "trial basis" of 4 weeks but this was never discussed when that period was up so I just kept working there. I have little in writing so doubt if I will have any grounds whatsover.I just wanted to post the treatment that I had been given and would be interested to hear from anyone who has been treated the same.Thanks for all your help.Dave-G
Thanks Vikki-Lou and Lizbec for you replies.Unfortunately, I believe that under English Law, unless you have worked for a company for at least 2 years you cannot claim for Unfair Dismissal. If anyone knows any different, I would be glad to hear from them! I was, unfortunately employed on a "trial basis" of 4 weeks but this was never discussed when that period was up so I just kept working there. I have little in writing so doubt if I will have any grounds whatsover.I just wanted to post the treatment that I had been given and would be interested to hear from anyone who has been treated the same.Thanks for all your help.Dave-G
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I've been sacked for other reasons. This is very painful.If yu are reinstated after a long and bitter fight you will still feel poorly with the old boss. So suppress your emotion and look for another job. I don't regret that I left my woderful job , full time professorship, and moved on. I wish you to find a great job with good people. Hugs, Tanya.
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I've been sacked for other reasons. This is very painful.If yu are reinstated after a long and bitter fight you will still feel poorly with the old boss. So suppress your emotion and look for another job. I don't regret that I left my woderful job , full time professorship, and moved on. I wish you to find a great job with good people. Hugs, Tanya.
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Dave-G:Sounds like they were just looking for an excuse when honesty is always a better policy.
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Dave-G:Sounds like they were just looking for an excuse when honesty is always a better policy.
I'm sorry to hear that did that to you. I unfortunately know how that feels all too well.I don't know the English law system, but if you lived in the U.S., I'd tell you to get a lawyer! And regardless of the law, that is not a good way to handle employees.I lost my job, and I was given a letter with complete BS reasons why. They waited for something to go wrong one day which was not my fault, and then without talking to me about it, to hear my side of the situation (something I was eager to do, to talk about what could be done in the future to avoid similar miscommunications, which occurred on many levels and added up to a bit of a mess but we'd weathered far worse SNAFUs). Anyhow, they waited for something to go wrong one day, then cited that when they gave me the axe. I applied for unemployment compensation here, and you can't get it if you're fired and deserved it, but they investigated the claim and found that my actions didn't warrant a termination.Sometimes my IBS interfered with my job. I did all that I could to keep its interference to a minimum. I was told some things would change, but they never did.I understand that a salary needed to be cut, and for various reasons it made more sense for them to cut me than some other people. But just tell me you have to make cutbacks, don't try to give me this BS and "fire" me. And it came out of the blue for me, and was quite a blow to the ego. Since then I understand the grand scheme of things at that company more, and in some ways they did me a favor, because I didn't have to put up with their #### anymore and got unemployment compensation while looking for another job, but I'm still understandably bitter about the whole thing...in case you couldn't tell
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Anyhow, investigate your legal options...and good luck!!
I'm sorry to hear that did that to you. I unfortunately know how that feels all too well.I don't know the English law system, but if you lived in the U.S., I'd tell you to get a lawyer! And regardless of the law, that is not a good way to handle employees.I lost my job, and I was given a letter with complete BS reasons why. They waited for something to go wrong one day which was not my fault, and then without talking to me about it, to hear my side of the situation (something I was eager to do, to talk about what could be done in the future to avoid similar miscommunications, which occurred on many levels and added up to a bit of a mess but we'd weathered far worse SNAFUs). Anyhow, they waited for something to go wrong one day, then cited that when they gave me the axe. I applied for unemployment compensation here, and you can't get it if you're fired and deserved it, but they investigated the claim and found that my actions didn't warrant a termination.Sometimes my IBS interfered with my job. I did all that I could to keep its interference to a minimum. I was told some things would change, but they never did.I understand that a salary needed to be cut, and for various reasons it made more sense for them to cut me than some other people. But just tell me you have to make cutbacks, don't try to give me this BS and "fire" me. And it came out of the blue for me, and was quite a blow to the ego. Since then I understand the grand scheme of things at that company more, and in some ways they did me a favor, because I didn't have to put up with their #### anymore and got unemployment compensation while looking for another job, but I'm still understandably bitter about the whole thing...in case you couldn't tell
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Anyhow, investigate your legal options...and good luck!!
I agree w/ silver spring. Plus you don't burn brigdes. I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. Sounds like it's time to get the feelers out for something new. If your on unemployment, maybe theres a way you could take a class or two, you know, take advantage. Best of luck!
I agree w/ silver spring. Plus you don't burn brigdes. I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. Sounds like it's time to get the feelers out for something new. If your on unemployment, maybe theres a way you could take a class or two, you know, take advantage. Best of luck!
The timing of this post is rather strange.I had a dream about a job dismissal (haven't worked in 7 years because of IBS)).Here it goes:I was in a room being accused of copying a DVD on to my office computer's hard drive and thus comitting a copyright violation. That was reason for dismissal from the job.I pointed out the following.I was on vacation the entire month before.The Info center had worked on my computer during my vacation.The computer had neither a DVD drive, CDROM , network connection, modem nor internet connection. How could it possibly get there?What was I going to do with it? Copy it to floppy drives?I suggested the real reason was that I was a messenger for some bad news a few months ago and they were shooting the messenger.It didn't matter. I was canned.
The timing of this post is rather strange.I had a dream about a job dismissal (haven't worked in 7 years because of IBS)).Here it goes:I was in a room being accused of copying a DVD on to my office computer's hard drive and thus comitting a copyright violation. That was reason for dismissal from the job.I pointed out the following.I was on vacation the entire month before.The Info center had worked on my computer during my vacation.The computer had neither a DVD drive, CDROM , network connection, modem nor internet connection. How could it possibly get there?What was I going to do with it? Copy it to floppy drives?I suggested the real reason was that I was a messenger for some bad news a few months ago and they were shooting the messenger.It didn't matter. I was canned.
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DAVE!!!I wish I knew the labor law in the U.K. I would go after this for you myself. In many states in the USA you could not do much usually during this time frame as most employers have a probationary-hire clause. During the probation period you can be dismissed without "cause" if it has been disclosed that this is a condition of employment in writing in the mployee manual or a searate doucment you sign, thus agreeing to the policy as a condition of employment.After that, however, except under circumstances where "employment at will" takes precedent, many employers are restricted from firing without "cause". Usually they have a progressive discipline policy that must be followed except for specific circumstances which have to be defined whereby immediate dismissal is legitimate.I have no CLUE about UK labor law, so I think the suggestion you seek Counsel at this time is an excellent one, before the case goes cold...regardless of what the "general conception" is about this. The law may have a special-circumstance this falls under, or one might say that under British law an oral contract had been reached, even a covenenant, who knows, depending upon the specifics that transpired between you and the employer at date of hire.On the other hand employment at will may be a universal code in the UK for all I know and you are, politely, screwed. But one never knows for sure until one seeks counsel.Find out if you have any rights and stand up for them! "We're IBSer's, hear our bowels roar!!" An oppressed minority!!!Mad as hell MikeNL
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DAVE!!!I wish I knew the labor law in the U.K. I would go after this for you myself. In many states in the USA you could not do much usually during this time frame as most employers have a probationary-hire clause. During the probation period you can be dismissed without "cause" if it has been disclosed that this is a condition of employment in writing in the mployee manual or a searate doucment you sign, thus agreeing to the policy as a condition of employment.After that, however, except under circumstances where "employment at will" takes precedent, many employers are restricted from firing without "cause". Usually they have a progressive discipline policy that must be followed except for specific circumstances which have to be defined whereby immediate dismissal is legitimate.I have no CLUE about UK labor law, so I think the suggestion you seek Counsel at this time is an excellent one, before the case goes cold...regardless of what the "general conception" is about this. The law may have a special-circumstance this falls under, or one might say that under British law an oral contract had been reached, even a covenenant, who knows, depending upon the specifics that transpired between you and the employer at date of hire.On the other hand employment at will may be a universal code in the UK for all I know and you are, politely, screwed. But one never knows for sure until one seeks counsel.Find out if you have any rights and stand up for them! "We're IBSer's, hear our bowels roar!!" An oppressed minority!!!Mad as hell MikeNL
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Mike NiLomotil and all others:Thanks very much for your support and help. I have researched my status on my problem and have found that because I did not ask for, or sign a written contract after the four weeks trial period, I do not have a leg to stand on!Thanks again for all your replies and I hope It has given some people caution for thought when they join a new company, which was my objective.I think it's time to put this one to bed and concentrate on other members problemsMy very best regards to you all.Dave-G
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