Help I've been sacked

Loralei

My employer is a well known nationwide chemist. I have only been there four weeks but was told I was late by coming into work at 8.55 even though I start at 9am. Does anyone know if you are contracted to start at 9am can you be disciplined for being late if you go into work at 8.55 am. The manager says I have to start at 8.50 even though I dont get paid until 9.am. I was sacked today as she said I was late 3 times. On each of these occasions I was in before 9am and ready to start work on the bell.

SueC_2

Sounds very odd. Are you sure your actual contracted start time is 9am? Or is your start time 8.50 so you are in place and ready to open the shop doors at 9? If your contract says 9 I can't really see how they can sack you for being late, when you were actually there before that. Are there any other facts we are missing?

456789

Check the wording of your contract

Talk to ACAS or CAB

Loralei

this is straight up. got my dismissal form here and it says late on three occassions. As I said was in before 9am but they say I must be in ten minutes before start time. I don't get paid until 9am. didnt get any contract at beginning of employment either. this is a temporary job. Just want to know if anyone out there knows whether or not they can sack you for not being in at 8.50 even though I'm only getting paid from 9am.

InaPickle

I used to work for a shop that said exactly the same thing. I think it's out of order! Alas, I don't have an answer for you, but please let me know what happens as I would love to know.

marydot

It does sound odd, Iam not too sure about temporary jobs but i think your ex employer was finding an excuse to let you go.

When i was working i started at 8am and was not expected to start before 8am. I was always in work before 8am normally 7.40 am but never started work til 8am.

I ve never heard of someone being sacked for arriving to work early.

ClaireLR

My friend works in a shop as a supervisor, she has to be there at 840am even though she doesn't get paid until 9am. She also only gets paid until 530pm, even though that is when they close the shop and there is still cashing up/cleaning/locking up to do before she can leave - which is rarely before 545pm, but if there are still customers browsing and they end up closing the shop late can be much later.

I don't think it's fair, neither does she, but she's never looked into what (if anything) she can do about it, after all the are having at least 35 minutes of her time every day which they are not paying her for!

celtic_curl

Unfortunately if you#ve been employed less than 1 year and not been subject to discriminatory practice or breach of contract you have no employment rights. i don't agree with it but there is nothing you can do.

pineapple

I think getting in early is something a lot of us routinely do. My last job started at 9 yet if I had only walked in the door at 9, there would have been problems. But I have always looked on it as a goodwill thing. Very surprised they can use that as a reason for dismissal. Plus I think this goodwill should be reciprocal - with a little leeway allowed for domestic emergencies etc.
But that's in an ideal world. Unfortunately it's an employers market at the moment and consequently employees are being squeezed even more. For example, many more are having to take work home just to keep up. And hey - if you won't do it - someone who will is just round the corner.
But this is an interesting one. Talk to ACAS. On behalf of all of us who are expected to start early, work late, do without proper breaks and take work home, this issue needs to be addressed even if it comes too late for you.

Zazen999

I don't think there is anything you can do; apart from query this with HR and ask why it isn't stated in your contract, or why the manager didn't tell you about it before you started, or after the first or second time that you were late.

withabix

Loralei wrote: »

I have only been there four weeks

and there endeth virtually all of your rights....