Resign

anamenottaken

Ma77h3w wrote: »

Probably not worth resigning as benefits would be useful. Is it still ok to claim benefits after being fired too? Internet tells me it could be a problem either way.

Unless you have a couple of years NI contributions, you would not get contribution-based JSA in any case. Income-based JSA would, obviously, depend on your income (including presumed income from any savings) AND the reason for your dismissal. If it were considered to be something for which you could be considered responsible (like gross misconduct), then eventually you might be denied JSA for up to six months.

Ma77h3w

Well that mobile phone thing was "gross misconduct" apparently (in this contract I've never seen)
But as they've warned me, and not fired me for it. As long as I don't do it again, then I guess then I cant be fired for this incidence of gross misconduct? (I hope - although I wouldn't be surprised with this manager)
Basically I'm screwed...
Resigning is so tempting, sooooo tempting.

Jaymz

Sounds like a job from hell, I know how you feel as I have worked for a boss just like that. The job started off ok but got progressively worse, I hacked it for a year and a half but knew I should have quit sooner. I regret not leaving earlier and now it's a severe black mark on my CV as I dread anyone asking them for a reference (even though I was a model employee).

My old boss used the "you can always go work somewhere else" line knowing full well that trying to find another job was extremely difficult. In the end I had enough and resigned, within weeks of leaving others did too. There were other factors too, like not getting paid on time etc.

My advice is to not get stuck there as before you know it you will have been there 6+ months. You are in a difficult situation and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. In your situation I would probably leave, it's affecting your life! There are other jobs out there, although they are hard to find. Good luck!

bristol_pilot

I work in a similar professional area to yours. 1-2 hours unpaid overtime is normal in professional jobs - just be grateful you are not yet working weekends and have not yet had to cancel your holidays at short notice. I have people at my place who have literally worked all night in order to achieve a deadline. I wonder whether your boss is actually getting a bit frustratred with you because you are not giving your job the priority in your life that it deserves - you are expected to put your job well ahead of clubbing etc....you are not a student anymore! Eventually we all have to grow up and apply ourselves to the serious task of earning a living. I agree your pay is low compared to the market rate, but the correct response is to put the hours in, get some good solid experience under your belt then apply for another job in a couple of years' time.

Ma77h3w

hehe when I said club.. i meant Karate or something :P
Mainly so I can make some friends, cause I still know hardly anyone up here

Edit:
And it's 1-2 hours EVERY night of the week unpaid. I'd be happy and understand if it was only occasionally for deadlines, but I just get given new work and made to do the overtime anyway

bristol_pilot

It makes no difference whether its nightclubs, Karate, football or whatever...work comes first! It comes with the territory of professional-level jobs. It seems you are coming across as not pulling your weight, however unfair that may seem. If you wanted to work contracted hours why did you go to university? Most jobs that are worthwhile/interesting require a bit of extra effort. The mobile phone thing may sound trivial but if you are working on MOD contracts or similar your mistake could potentially have cost your company millions in lost business.

Ma77h3w

Well so far I've not complained once about overtime, except to friends. Done everything they've asked, and worked extremely hard and done the overtime. (except once or twice when i've told him in advance and said I need to get the last train to London on a friday and once when I had dinner plans) So I cant see that the boss is frustrated about this. And I've never been asked to come in half an hour early to work, just told make sure your at your desk by 9 (which I have been). I definitely think it was either scary tactics, him on a power trip or the fact he only wants me there for a bit to finish some projects anyway

As for the mobile phone thing, if secrecy is the reason.. I wouldn't have been given complete access to the entire companies design work.. everything.. all on my computer a pen-drive transfer away. I think it's more a power trip thing.

Also all my professional Engineering friends... none of them are expected to do so much unpaid overtime. Most are on flexitime, so overtime balances out or they get paid (on the rare occasion they do overtime)

Horace

You have been in the job for 5 weeks which isnt long enough to start think about chucking it in because you don't have time to go to clubs..welcome to the world of work.

If you are considered to be part of the managerial staff then you work overtime and this is likely to be unpaid, it is part of the responsibilities of the post that you hold. You are new, inexperienced and therefore will start on a low salary.

You can look for alternative employment during your lunchbreak and when you get home from work and at weekends.

The mere fact that you are working means that you have accepted their terms and conditions of employment and some of these will have appeared in your offer letter and the remainder will be in your staff handbook. You may think that it is unprofessional not to have received a contract 5 weeks in - you are more likely to receive that when you have been confirmed to post and you have stated that you are on probation for 6 months, therefore it is not unprofessional but common practice.

Stick at the job for the next 6 months, don't just chuck it in after 5 weeks because it could back fire on you when you start looking for other work in the same industry at least now you are getting experience and experience is what counts when looking for work not degrees. Your boss may give you a bad reference which won't help your job prospects.

I think you should knuckle down, keep your head own and work get 6 months experience under your belt as 6 months looks better than 5 weeks.

You know from being on the dole that getting a job isnt easy especially when there are around 3 million unemployed. You probably won't be allowed to sign on for 26 weeks either if you do jack it in because you are seen to have resigned from a perfectly good job.

The way to work your overtime for instance, if you get asked to work over on Monday night say that you can't as you have already made arrangements to meet your friends at Karate club but that you will work over tomorrow. Turn up on time, have your lunch break (take that away from the office if you can) leave on time or work over for a bit. 1-2hrs unpaid is not unusual over that then you expect to be paid. Those that work at weekends may have that written into their contracts.

Don't be argumentative even though you feel like wringing your boss's neck and don't quit because you have no social life. It could be worse you could be self employed working a 60-70hr week and trying to get business that pays and then doing all the books, etc - no time for a social life or holidays.

Ma77h3w

Yeh gonna give it a try tomorrow. I've managed to stay calm and pleasant for 5 week, and not argued with them so far. Sure I can survive a bit longer.

It cant just be me though, 47 past employees for a company with 7 staff for the last 5 or so years.. Sounds like a staff turnover as bad as McDs
I know i'm never going to get a good reference from him... his attitude shows no respect. At least my operation manager occasionally looks impressed with my work even if he'll never admit it. Think he only agrees and does what MD tells him cause he's got a family and worried he might get fired too.

If they throw any more sh*t my way this week, i'm going straight out.

DVardysShadow

Ma77h3w wrote: »

Well so far I've not complained once about overtime, except to friends. Done everything they've asked, and worked extremely hard and done the overtime. (except once or twice when i've told him in advance and said I need to get the last train to London on a friday and once when I had dinner plans) So I cant see that the boss is frustrated about this. And I've never been asked to come in half an hour early to work, just told make sure your at your desk by 9 (which I have been). I definitely think it was either scary tactics, him on a power trip or the fact he only wants me there for a bit to finish some projects anyway

As for the mobile phone thing, if secrecy is the reason.. I wouldn't have been given complete access to the entire companies design work.. everything.. all on my computer a pen-drive transfer away. I think it's more a power trip thing.

Also all my professional Engineering friends... none of them are expected to do so much unpaid overtime. Most are on flexitime, so overtime balances out or they get paid (on the rare occasion they do overtime)

I don't think you need to defend yourself here. There are a few people here who seem well bought in to the unpaid overtime culture. If it works for them, then fine for them, but anything over a running average of 40 minutes a day is in my book excessive.

There are some here who take the line that 5 weeks is not long enough to get the feel of the job. Sometimes I would advise that too. But you are young and free and much longer than 5 weeks becomes a problem on your CV unless you stick around for at least a year, if not 18 months.

I am very much swayed by your opening post.

Ridiculous staff turn over - 47 previous employees no longer working there from the last 5-10 years (in a small company with 7 ppl)
Boss - "don't think it costs me much to find another Mechanical Design Engineer"

Firstly, if the turnover is 47 staff, even over 10 years, then the average time of working there is less than 2 years. A small company on your kind of work I would expect to have a relatively long standing work force.

And secondly, your boss does not value you.He is buying in cheap and will no doubt be expecting a lot - some of which you cannot deliver if you lack experience. When it goes wrong, your card will be marked permanently.

I suggest that you would do better to move out and look for work with a larger company where you can work alongside more experienced engineers. Thinking aloud, that may be a way of dealing with your current employment CV wise - that although you enjoy the work and you are well able to handle it, you feel at this stage of your career that it is not appropriate for you to work alone and you need to work in a team of engineers.