Is this unreasonable???

angeluk69_2

(if this is on the wrong board please would someone move it....thank you!)

I am hoping for some advice that I can pass on to my husband who is in a bit of a pickle and is very confused about his current work situation...

He got his job thru an agency and started on 1st June 2005, he was told by the agency it would be on a temp to perm basis which was fine we were hoping he would be taken on in time for christmas, this didn't happen as the company got into difficulties and had a bit of an overhaul.

He was taken on by the company on 30th January 2006 and would then have to do 3 months probation, fair enough. The 3 months came and went and in that time he had to be signed off work for 3 weeks following a weeks holiday in which he had to have an operation (recovery was not as swift as we had hoped and he had to be signed off twice). At the end of his probabtion period he was told that because he had taken that time off he would have to go thru another 3 months probation....great, not!!!

So the end of July came and went and they turned and said that he needed some extra training and so the probabtion would have to be extended again:eek: :mad: :eek: .

Since then he has had to train up a new member of staff that has just been taken on by the company after 6 weeks there(!!!) and also had 2 weeks where he was the only person in the office and had to work 12 hr shifts on his own, doing all the daily jobs himself whixh are normally done by 3 people.

He has just been told that he might not even be confirmed until the new year. Obviously his latest dose of probation is due to end this month, but he really doesn't know what to do for the best....

How long is normal for a probatioary period (in January he will have been working at the company for 18 months)??

Is the company being unreasonable by extending his probation without a written reason?

How should he approach the subject with HR or his line manager, if at all?

Should he leave the company?

I am really worried he will do something stupid and I don't work as I am at home with our 2 children and having problems finding work to fit in with them.

I am so sorry it is really long, but I really appreciate any advice that can be given.

C_Ronaldo

the months ive had for probation have been 3 months, not sure if this is standard though

dmg24

Probation is usually three or six months, but can be of any length that the employer chooses, and a year certainly isn't unheard of.

Discounting the period that your husband was a temp, eight months does seem a long time considering the responsibility that your husband has taken on. Has he spoken to his line manager about this, backing up his concern with evidence of the extra work he has done?

If he still has no reasonable response, he could put his concerns in writing to HR, so instigating their Grievance Procedure.

On a topical issue, is the newer employee a lot younger than your husband?

going2die_rich

Probation can be extended but obviously things that are of no fault of his own such as training should not be used to start the probation again, when the time could simply be resumed once the training was over.

Tell him he should really have a word with his manager, basically say that it has been going on a long time now (18 months to be exact) and if their is another reason they continue to increase the probabtion he'd prefer to know. As he could continue on for another year without being made permanent and it's not fair on him or his family as it offers no job security.

The company might not be looking at the personal cost of doing this or may be using it as an excuse. But sometimes you have to spell it out for a manager to grasp the situation.

If it's a big company he could talk to someone from personnel and get the information regarding this as no doubt his managers wont even know the exact guidelines for this. But by anyones standard, a 3 month probationary period going for 18 months isn't right. May even have legal grounds if it comes to it.

I am sure that unless their is a specific reason they won't make him permanent, they'll do it within a few weeks from knowing they've dragged it on for 18 months as I am sure this would seem unfair in a tribunal if it came to that. So just get him to talk to his manager.

Most companies allow you to back date your pension also so make sure he does that especially if the company matches it.

going2die_rich

dmg24 wrote:

Probation is usually three or six months, but can be of any length that the employer chooses, and a year certainly isn't unheard of.

The employer can choose any length but it's normally stated on the contract of employment how long it will be. Most are 3 to 6 months.

angeluk69_2

Because the company is a chemical plant he is supposedto be entitled to health benefits but has just found out he isn't even getting this.

The person they have just taken on is about my age (24) maybe younger but my OH is only 32 so its not as if they are trying to push him out.

He actually got the info about the xtension from HR. It isn't a big company but it does have a council and committee which recently helped us to move house. His next step is maybe to speak with his managers.

at the mo he is scared he might get ill and then they will just keep extendingit and we really are hoping to get this sorted.

Should we draft a letter to HR dept and what should he say??

BTW Thank you for your kind repiles so far, it really is appreciated as it is becoming quite stressful.

dmg24

Definitely speak to a manager informally and ask whether he will be taken off probation at the end of the month.

If things don't work out at the review and the probation period is extended again then I would write to HR and instigate the Grievance Procedure. I wouldn't do anything formal before then, as it may have a negative influence on the decision that they make at the end of the month.

Your letter to HR will very much depend on their reasons for extending the probationary period again. This is another reason why it is best to wait, as they may bring up (fabricate?) something that you are not already aware of.

As this is (understandably) causing stress, would it be possible to get the review and probation decision moved forward rather than waiting four weeks?

Hope that makes sense - am just writing my own resignation letter so not too with it right now!

Keep in touch with what happens x