[Help] Unfair dismissal in first week

[SeagullinExile]

So would I. In my years running a big pub with I'd thought that I'd heard almost every excuse going. Without wishing to add insult to injury if I'd received that e-mail I too would have been furious that someone having just started work with me was now having a day off for his sister in law's health problems. Not even a particularly close relative. Perhaps I'm old fashioned but small businesses like mine expect employees to at least make a reasonable effort to show up for work. And I've never, ever had someone use e-mail to communicate their excuse.

As a licensee myself for many years, I too have heard every excuse in the book. I think it's because we tend to employ a lot of youngsters who just don't think it through.
As I said earlier in the thread, I except nothing but a phone call - Except if its from their mum, that cop out really winds me up.

Unless your in a coma you can pick up the phone!

 

[drew]

Can I email you my views on that?

Only after we've talked!

 

[timbha]

As a licensee myself for many years, I too have heard every excuse in the book. I think it's because we tend to employ a lot of youngsters who just don't think it through.
As I said earlier in the thread, I except nothing but a phone call - Except if its from their mum, that cop out really winds me up.

Unless your in a coma you can pick up the phone!

Thursday night stag night (in those days they were a piss up in Brighton 2 days before the wedding). Knew I wouldn’t be allowed to take the Friday off work so planned a sickie. Mum phoned up next morning with my excuses. Boss didn’t believe her but had to accept it. On Monday boss told me never to do that again. I thought he meant to take a sickie so I apologised. He meant not to get my mum to phone in.

I still feel guilty nearly 40 years later, learnt a great lesson and never did it again.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Deserved the bullet. Not related to the person at all who's ill, stated you were on the phone to the girlfriend not even with her and finally too tired, get a grip. Most parents have nights where they don't get much kip if they called in sick the country would come to a stand still.

What really gets me is the running to your union. You f@@ked up.

You're fired.........

 

[TSB]

Recently?

(I am a member of Unite btw)

Oof. Bad luck. They're absolutely useless.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Personally I don't believe anything the op has said. Seemed to leak bits of information after the first post ie: sister in law paralysed - found a new job straight away

 

[Justice]

Pathetic weak snowflake, I’ve worked plenty of nights then back in for the day. You say it’s your livelihood and then take a day off because poor little Timmy is tired.

 

[bhaseeer]

If you have commitments - work....do the following - council and help till 2am - then say "I have work tomorrow - i'm going to sleep."

But - I would fight it.

Your mistake was using a loose relative - you should have lied and said closer relative.

 

[Doonhamer7]

Remember if you decide to to take them to employment tribunal and are deemed to have had no case whatsoever the court may give the employer the chance counter claim for their expenses, as you have wasted their time. I know of one case was thrown out a day one, the employer was awarded over £50k. Turns out the employee was on third legal team (first two had said no case so don’t bother). He then tried to sue his legal team.

It may be discriminatory but a lot of companies fight ‘blue collared’ cases but settle ‘white collared’. Reason I was told was blue collared telll their mates, white collared keep it quiet. Considering the cost of a fight is part of remit, I went to court to defend my company, settled (white collar) just before start and paid out less in compensation than our legal fees and management team time.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Remember if you decide to to take them to employment tribunal and are deemed to have had no case whatsoever the court may give the employer the chance counter claim for their expenses, as you have wasted their time. I know of one case was thrown out a day one, the employer was awarded over £50k. Turns out the employee was on third legal team (first two had said no case so don’t bother). He then tried to sue his legal team.

It may be discriminatory but a lot of companies fight ‘blue collared’ cases but settle ‘white collared’. Reason I was told was blue collared telll their mates, white collared keep it quiet. Considering the cost of a fight is part of remit, I went to court to defend my company, settled (white collar) just before start and paid out less in compensation than our legal fees and management team time.

Presumably OP would have to take time off from his new job to have his day in court and tell them why. Could get messy.

 

[pearl]

Oof. Bad luck. They're absolutely useless.

Can't believe this thread is still rumbling on.

I was in the NGA until they amalgamated with SOGAT and became the GPMU .... and so on.

UNITE have been quite helpful, but I haven't required them to fight my corner (so to speak). When I was made redundant (twice) the GPMU were very good (although a bit bull in a china shop ... so to speak).

 

[colinz]

I haven't read all the thread but it looks more of a Human Rights issue.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Any news on the sister in law

 

[Weststander]

Wow, your employer is a heartless *******.

I used to work for a similar employer, causing me to miss a couple of funerals for friends. He was a (wealthy) control freak, who micro managed everyone, with a weird personality with the aim of making people as unhappy as him.

Escaping that environment and working for myself, enables me to spend as much time as I like on such matters.

 

[papajaff]

Bin your bird. God, that must must have been incredibly boring listening to her blubbing ALL night over a neckache.



Yes I'm joking. A bit.

 

[nwgull]

Bin your bird. God, that must must have been incredibly boring listening to her blubbing ALL night over a neckache.



Yes I'm joking. A bit.

Make a good point though. Bird's sister in law had a neck-ache. How many days off when something serious happens to an actual close relative?

 

[drew]

I used to work for a similar employer, causing me to miss a couple of funerals for friends. He was a (wealthy) control freak, who micro managed everyone, with a weird personality with the aim of making people as unhappy as him.

Escaping that environment and working for myself, enables me to spend as much time as I like on such matters.

Couldn't you take the day off out of your holiday entitlement?

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Make a good point though. Bird's sister in law had a neck-ache. How many days off when something serious happens to an actual close relative?

OP said sister in law was paralysed but he hasn't mentioned her since.


Quote: 'No, they botched the operation and she’s presently paralysed.'

 

[Diablo]

Really sorry to hear of all the bad stuff happening to you. If you had time to text/ email you should have called. Tough break but not a lot you can do now. Either way, join a union. You’ll need it after 29th March next year whatever happens.

Work hard and have amicable relationship with your employer is surely better than "You can`t sack me I`m part of a union".

 

[Icy Gull]

Work hard and have amicable relationship with your employer is surely better than "You can`t sack me I`m part of a union".

Thanks so much for making this really annoying song go around and around in my head!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69O8xmIeenU