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Advice needed please - Interview with police on Tuesday
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sexyeyes83
Posts: 184 Forumite
Hi, Im currently a care worker and have been employed with my company for 17 months. When I went to the interview I said that I could only work school hours and maybe the odd evening/weekend when my partner was at home (he works shift work). The company had no problems at all with this.
Around about one month ago the manager phoned me up and said that I had to work one evening and one day each week at the weekend along with my normal school hours. These would be set days which wouldnt be changed. I said that it wouldnt be possible to do this as my partner works shift work and I cant guarantee I would be able to work them. The manger wasnt too impressed and said they would tell head office that I was "refusing". I asked a few other carers in the same situation, however none of them had been asked to do the same!
Worksheets for the current weeks work are sent out in the post each week and normally arrive on a Friday. As I hadnt received them today I text the out of hours phone asking what my shifts were for Monday and was told im not marked down to work. When I asked about Tuesday I was again told im not marked down to work. I then contacted the manager who said a letter had been posted to me saying that I must attend a meeting on Tuesday, however they couldnt tell me what it was about. I asked if I would be working the rest of the week after the meeting as I would need to arrange/alter childcare and she said "I dont know". I asked if she could get head office to give me a call.
10 minutes later the lady from head office called and said the meetings been arranged for Tuesday with herself, another manager from head office and the local manager would be present. I was asked to make sure my time sheets are upto date and to bring them along with me. She said she couldnt tell me what it was about and it would be discussed on Tuesday. She also couldnt tell me if I would be working the rest of the week after the meeting.
I have no idea what this is about. I did say im thinking the worst here and waiting three days to find out what is going on isnt really acceptable, no comment was made.
I went into the office last Tuesday to hand in my timesheets and the lady from head office was there. She was pleasant and chatted to me, however she said she sent the letter out on Thursday. At no point when I was in the office did she say she needed to talk to me. (Ive been on annual leave since)
Ive never received any warnings either verbal or written. I work Mon - Fri 9.15 until 1400hrs, give or take depending on the work available.
Any help and advice is really appreciated. Im so worried and having to wait 3 days to find out whats going on isnt helping!
I must apologies if ive waffled, ive tried to post as much detail as possible!
Around about one month ago the manager phoned me up and said that I had to work one evening and one day each week at the weekend along with my normal school hours. These would be set days which wouldnt be changed. I said that it wouldnt be possible to do this as my partner works shift work and I cant guarantee I would be able to work them. The manger wasnt too impressed and said they would tell head office that I was "refusing". I asked a few other carers in the same situation, however none of them had been asked to do the same!
Worksheets for the current weeks work are sent out in the post each week and normally arrive on a Friday. As I hadnt received them today I text the out of hours phone asking what my shifts were for Monday and was told im not marked down to work. When I asked about Tuesday I was again told im not marked down to work. I then contacted the manager who said a letter had been posted to me saying that I must attend a meeting on Tuesday, however they couldnt tell me what it was about. I asked if I would be working the rest of the week after the meeting as I would need to arrange/alter childcare and she said "I dont know". I asked if she could get head office to give me a call.
10 minutes later the lady from head office called and said the meetings been arranged for Tuesday with herself, another manager from head office and the local manager would be present. I was asked to make sure my time sheets are upto date and to bring them along with me. She said she couldnt tell me what it was about and it would be discussed on Tuesday. She also couldnt tell me if I would be working the rest of the week after the meeting.
I have no idea what this is about. I did say im thinking the worst here and waiting three days to find out what is going on isnt really acceptable, no comment was made.
I went into the office last Tuesday to hand in my timesheets and the lady from head office was there. She was pleasant and chatted to me, however she said she sent the letter out on Thursday. At no point when I was in the office did she say she needed to talk to me. (Ive been on annual leave since)
Ive never received any warnings either verbal or written. I work Mon - Fri 9.15 until 1400hrs, give or take depending on the work available.
Any help and advice is really appreciated. Im so worried and having to wait 3 days to find out whats going on isnt helping!
I must apologies if ive waffled, ive tried to post as much detail as possible!
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Comments
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I would suggest you look at the ACAS site for advice over the weekend, because really this doesn't seem on at all. If it's a disciplinary meeting, it breaches ALL the rules, and if other people haven't been asked to work beyond what was originally agreed that doesn't seem right either. Even if it's just to discuss whether you are available at different hours, the least they could do is tell you what it's about.Signature removed for peace of mind0
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Thanks Sue.
Ive had a look at the direct.gov website and found a few interesting bits.
I really do think the worst is going to happen, however I have no idea why because ive done nothing wrong! My sickness is very low, Im always on time and punctual. I pass all my apprasials etc. Normally when they ask you to come down to the office they say because of x y and z, however this time they kept saying " We cant talk about it until Tuesday". They also cant advise me if im going to be working the rest of the week with the same old answer of "We'll discuss this on Tuesday".
Another question whizzing around my head is have I technally been suspended? I normally working Mon-Fri, however they have given me no hours on Monday and no calls before the meeting on Tuesday and no rota has arrived in he post.
On the direct.gov website it states -If your employer is considering disciplinary action or dismissal, their first step should be to write to you setting out the complaint made against you. This letter should contain enough information about your alleged misconduct or poor performance and its possible consequences so that you have the opportunity to prepare a reply or an explanation before the meeting.
The waiting and not knowing is driving me mad! Is it right that companies can make you wait for so long and not give you any details? Would it be worth making contact with my manager to see if I am suspended? Might explain why they havent sent me through my rota for this week and not given me any work.0 -
I'm not an employment expert, but it doesn't seem right to me. Make sure you have jotted down the questions which occur to you: I would also go with a printed copy of the new disciplinary process visible!Signature removed for peace of mind0
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Sorry no real advice only to wish you Good Luck and voice concerns about the way they are treating you. Common courtesy seems to be missing here?
What a rotten way to leave you over the bank holiday.0 -
I''m wondering if perhaps it's an impending redundancy or something like that, possibly relating to the financial state of the company you work for, or something like this, which might explain the reticence. Do you know if any of your colleagues have been called up for mystery meetings?
You mentioned time sheets however - if you're working for an agency it's a bit harsh, is seems to me one of the main reasons employers go through agencies is it makes them easier to give someone the flick for no good reason. In my experience as well, where there is any issue where the employer complains about you for any given reason, the agency almost invariable sides with the employer since they are more interested in keeping a lucrative client rather than represent your needs.0 -
Hi,
Thanks for all your replies.
Its not an agency I work for, its a private run care company. We all receive a rota in the post each week which tells us which clients were going too.
I wouldnt have thought it would have been redundancy as in the last 3 weeks they have employed another 8 staff members.
Such a lovely start to the Bank Holiday! Worst part now is just waiting. All I can do is start reading up on things and getting prepared! Luckily my partners on annual leave at the moment so ive got his support.0 -
Keep a note of every contact you have with them, date/time, person, email/phone letter and some notes as to what was discussed if it was a phone call. Phone ACAS on Tuesday. There's no way they should be summoning you to a formal meeting without telling you what the issue is or that you are entitled to have someone (a colleague/union erp) wiith you.
However every mistake they make now could help you with a future claim against them, so keep notes.0 -
Sorry you are going through this. Here are some suggestions of things you might want to do:
Take a note of any questions you want to ask and bring them along
Take a pen and pad of paper, make notes
Ask if you can have a friend or co-worker sit in the meeting
Do not sign or agree to anything then and there, ask for time to think about it
If at any point they start to say stuff that feels like bullying, or if you get upset tell them you feel unwell and need to go home, they cannot stop you
If you feel they are being unfair or unreasonable tell them so.
I hope this helps and good luckLindsayO
Goal: mortgage free asap
15/10/2007: Mortgage: £110k Term: 17 years
18/08/2008: Mortgage: £107k Mortgage - Offset savings: £105k
02/01/2009: Mortgage: £105k Mortgage - Offset savings: £99k0 -
I have a couple of questions for you OP. What specifically does your contract state regarding hours to be worked. I work in care and we have two different contracts. One contract is for people who work odd hours like yourself, it specifically states that we do not guarantee a specified amount of hours. The other contract is a set wage per month for carers that work a shift pattern, these carers work spilt shifts and alternate weekends and their contract states this.
You state that you work school hours 0915 -1400, and said you would work the occasional evening - Is any of this in writing??
I do not think that it is fair to keep you waiting for a meeting, surely the letter should give you a description of what the meeting is to be about, how can you possibly prepare to answer questions!!0 -
Thank you for your replies. Regarding workig hours the contract states -
"Working hours of the company run from 7am to 10.30pm Monday to Sunday. You will be required to work within these parameters. We endeavour to provide you with a minimum of 25 hours per week. However, there are times when this is not possible due to the nature of the service that we provide"
Everyone at work is on the same contract, however theres never been a time since I joined the company that ive worked less then 25 hours.
When they asked me about working the additional evening in the week and the day at the weekend, after I said I wouldnt be able to give set days to work because my partner works shift work they said they would be adjusting the hours on my contract, however ive not seen a new contract or signed anything. All I have is my original contract. The managers wording at the time was " You will need to find someone to look after your child. In the care industry work comes first and homelife comes second"
The contract states nothing about grievance procedures or dismissal and theres no handbook with this information in either.
The current hours I work, Mon-Fri school hours are not included in the contract. This was an understanding when I went to the interview and got the job. I have done additional work during the evenings and weekend, however its only when my partner is at home to look after the lil one.
The letter they have sent I wont receive until the post states again on Tuesday, and out postman dosent normally come until midday! So if I hadnt of phoned up I wouldnt have known about the meeting until after it had taken place! Apparently all the letter says is that you need to attend the meeting a 10am on Tuesday. It dosent include any other information. I asked numerous times during the phone call what the meeting was about and just got told "You will need to wait until Tuesday, I cant tell you anything until then". I find it so frustrating that they cant even tell me if i'll be going back to work after the meeting as I need to arrange my childcare. Given that and the fact they asked for me to bring my timesheets along and to ensure they are upto date makes me think dismissal is whats going to happen.0
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