meeting may lead to dismissal

lilly81

Sat a work today, at 4pm and received this email from my line manager:
We would like you to attend a meeting tomorrow Tuesday 18th November 08
in the downstairs training room at 4pm to discuss your performance
during your probation period. As this meeting may lead to your
dismissal you have the right to be accompanied by a company colleague or
union official.

I will conduct the meeting and ****** from HR will also
be in attendance.

RegardsI had no idea what it could be about, I asked my line manager and she said I will find out in the meeting and to carry on working as normal!

I am 7 weeks into my 3 month probation.

Conor_3

Considering they can dismiss you without reason in the first 12 months anyway, it's a pretty moot point taking along a colleague or union rep.

Sprintblue

Lilly,

that does not sound good. (unless this is just a procedural review with a standard email - can you ask anybody else ??)

Try and stay calm and if you feel appropriate take someone along.

Bottom line if they are going to end your employment, try and get them to offer a bit more financial help over and above your contract.

Think carefully before you go if this is the case.

As much as you may hate this, be polite and just try and get as much cash .. ask them to pay Gross (without tax)

Good luck

lilly81

Its not a standard review, I have asked. I will ring HR in the morning about it. I'm not going in to argue, even though I want to, but i'm gonna make my point, i.e. im training still!

dmg24

Sprintblue wrote: »

Bottom line if they are going to end your employment, try and get them to offer a bit more financial help over and above your contract.

Highly unlikely to happen in the circumstances. As you will still be looking for a good reference, I wouldn't even ask.

lilly81, do you feel that you work has been up to the required standard to date? Is it possible that the employer is needing to make cutbacks to the current financial situation?

kazwookie

Take a work mate with you

Sprintblue

dmg24 wrote: »

Highly unlikely to happen in the circumstances. As you will still be looking for a good reference, I wouldn't even ask.

Don't agree, if it is for 'other reasons' asking will not hurt at all ...and the reply may even be yes !

Plasticman

If you are a union member, take your union rep with you. Pretty poor show if they have communicated by email only (I would expect an official letter) and given you such short notice.

If they do sack you (and I'm sorry to say that it sounds like a definite possibility) I would be more interested in getting confirmation that they would give a reasonable reference than trying to get a payout.

Do you feel that your performance hasn't been good?

surreysaver

Basically they are intending to end your contract. Unless you can come up with any circumstances in the meeting that they are unaware of currently for them to take into consideration, you have not much hope. Take a rep with you - although not a lot they can do, they will give you advice and support you.

johnpaulpops

I think it absolutely abysmal to send out an email like that without clarification or prior discussion. Ok so you know you're in a probation period but have they previously indicated any issues or is this a total shock? A very bad example of HR practice if you ask me, you're obviously going to spend the evening worrying.

It may be cut and dried already, but just in case it's not, it's worth considering why they've taken this approach and where you could be falling short in your performance and have answers / justifications prepared. I agree with the comments above, there's nothing to lose by asking if they can put it down as a "redundancy" and thus paying you your wages gross - this might help in your next job too.

Hope it goes ok.
JP

Scousebird_2

Are you aware that by law you are entitled to 48hrs notice. They need to give you time to source a union rep or suitable colleague to accompany you.

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=820

This may help. Good luck with everything and if you can-get a union rep in there!