1 month and ......

harborjenny

I was unemployed (job seekers only by contributions) for 4 months. I was offered (and took) a job at a drs surgery as a receptionist for £6 per hour. They expect me there 20 mins early, and expect me to stay late, but do not pay for this time.

I have been shouted at, as have my other new colleagues, I think there have been 6 to 8 new staff who have not got this far and were shown the door. I have only been there 4 weeks.

I am desperately unhappy, have never been treated so poorly in the past. It's only a small practice, don't want to take things further, but just don't want to stay, if I want to go to the loo, I need to ask the practice manager or her assistant to cover and the looks and mutterings are unbelievable, yes I did go before I started and NO I can't wait else I would not have asked.

Have tried to contact CAB for advice, but not able to get through, I just want to leave, but am worried if I resign I won't be able to claim JSA or get NI credits. Have registered with agencies for temp work and know this is not guaranteed, but my sanity is more important, but I need to eat.

I would welcome your comments.

melbi_uk

Hi Jenny (I'm new here)

Personally I would go and see my GP and explain your situation and how it is making you ill.

Ask for a sick note. While off sick, you will then be able to reassess the job. Why are they being like that to staff etc. But more importantly, it will give you a little more time to find a new job.

I know sick pay isn't much but it will give you some reprieve?

Good luck

ps remember your health/sanity is more important, if you let it continue to make you ill, you could end up off sick for much longer.

Oldernotwiser

melbi_uk wrote: »

Hi Jenny (I'm new here)

Personally I would go and see my GP and explain your situation and how it is making you ill.

Ask for a sick note. While off sick, you will then be able to reassess the job. Why are they being like that to staff etc. But more importantly, it will give you a little more time to find a new job.

I know sick pay isn't much but it will give you some reprieve?

Good luck

ps remember your health/sanity is more important, if you let it continue to make you ill, you could end up off sick for much longer.

Assuming that her GP is part of the same surgery, don't you think that this is rather tricky advice?

Oldernotwiser

harborjenny wrote: »

I was unemployed (job seekers only by contributions) for 4 months. I was offered (and took) a job at a drs surgery as a receptionist for £6 per hour. They expect me there 20 mins early, and expect me to stay late, but do not pay for this time.

I have been shouted at, as have my other new colleagues, I think there have been 6 to 8 new staff who have not got this far and were shown the door. I have only been there 4 weeks.

I am desperately unhappy, have never been treated so poorly in the past. It's only a small practice, don't want to take things further, but just don't want to stay, if I want to go to the loo, I need to ask the practice manager or her assistant to cover and the looks and mutterings are unbelievable, yes I did go before I started and NO I can't wait else I would not have asked.

Have tried to contact CAB for advice, but not able to get through, I just want to leave, but am worried if I resign I won't be able to claim JSA or get NI credits. Have registered with agencies for temp work and know this is not guaranteed, but my sanity is more important, but I need to eat.

I would welcome your comments.

I can't comment about the other things but being expected to arrive before the doors open so that you're up and running when patients arrive and staying late to finish off aren't really much to claim about. Working in the health sector is never going to be a question of absolutely set hours and overtime.

What are you being shouted about apart from going to the loo?

getmore4less

I was unemployed (job seekers only by contributions) for 4 months. I was offered (and took) a job at a drs surgery as a receptionist for £6 per hour. They expect me there 20 mins early, and expect me to stay late, but do not pay for this time.


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/TheNationalMinimumWage/DG_10027201

If the rate drops below NMW due to unpaid hours then add them all up and put a claim in.

Find out who actualy ownes the practice and let them know what is happening.

melbi_uk

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Assuming that her GP is part of the same surgery, don't you think that this is rather tricky advice?

I would have thought patient confidentiality would cover that??

The job is obviously making this person poorly, so, like anyone else, does she not have the right to be poorly?

I speak through personal experience. I struggled through at work for 2 years while suffering anxiety and depression. I'd worked there for 12 years.

The job had become so stressful, in the end I had a breakdown. I got through it, went back to the same job. To cut a long story short, I ended up resigning on the grounds of ill health.

I clearly stated the reason why I was resigning, despite my boss saying I should give it a bit longer.

12 months on and I am now under a pyschiatrist (sp)

I'd just hate to see someone else go through what I'm going through now.

AnxiousMum

In all honesty, do most people show up to start work the minute the clock starts ticking? Surely you show up to work, and use your own time to hang your coat, get your coffee and you should be sitting at your place of work ready to commence work the minute the doors are open? That's not the employer expecting you to start 20 mins early, that's you being prepared to start work at the time you are supposed to start!

As for finishing at the end of the day, if the Dr's are behind schedule and there are still patients in the surgery, then you may be expected to stay until they are gone. Have you discussed logging this time and taking time in lieu rather than being paid?

melbi_uk

AnxiousMum wrote: »

In all honesty, do most people show up to start work the minute the clock starts ticking? Surely you show up to work, and use your own time to hang your coat, get your coffee and you should be sitting at your place of work ready to commence work the minute the doors are open? That's not the employer expecting you to start 20 mins early, that's you being prepared to start work at the time you are supposed to start!

As for finishing at the end of the day, if the Dr's are behind schedule and there are still patients in the surgery, then you may be expected to stay until they are gone. Have you discussed logging this time and taking time in lieu rather than being paid?

We used to have to be in work 30 mins before and could be anything from an hour to 2 hours after work but that was in an educational setting. We were never guaranteed a break neither although breaks were at set times, it didn't mean we always got that break due to a child needing us or setting up for the next lesson. Even lunch breaks were quite often disturbed.

However, this person is getting harassed by the sound of things. Nobody should be expected to put up with being shouted at in the work setting. Even if they have made an error or whatever! If the people in charge are professional, they have ways of dealing with misconduct, work not being done properly etc. Shouting is certainly not one of them and most definitely isn't acceptable!

Welshwoofs

I've yet to work in a job where you could rock up at exactly the start time and leave on exactly the finish time. Secretarial/admin work certainly rarely finishes on time and anything public facing they're going to expect you to be ready to start when the doors open rather than still taking your coat off, booting up your computer etc. Regarding having to ask to go to the loo, I'd guess that's necessary if you're the only one on a reception desk because someone's going to have to cover whilst you're away.

OP- in this climate I'd say you'd be absolutely mad to chuck in a job on the basis you've given and your JSA would be sanctioned if you did. If you hate it, use your spare time to search for another job and hand your notice in once you've got one.

viktory

melbi_uk wrote: »

However, this person is getting harassed by the sound of things. Nobody should be expected to put up with being shouted at in the work setting. Even if they have made an error or whatever! If the people in charge are professional, they have ways of dealing with misconduct, work not being done properly etc. Shouting is certainly not one of them and most definitely isn't acceptable!

Personally, I think your advice to the OP is jumping the gun quite magnificently. Suggesting the OP immediately goes sick at this stage is actually nigh on fraudulent. She is not sick. Clearly she dislikes her job and is unhappy there. However, it is not unreasonable to expect the OP to try and sort the situation out and improve things in the first instance. We don't actually know who is shouting at the OP - it could be the patients. We also don't know what the OP has done to resolve the situation - who has she spoken to, has she put anything in writing?

More information is needed but suggestions of leaving on the basis of sickness is premature in the extreme - I suspect you are letting your own bad experiences colour your advice somewhat.

melbi_uk

viktory wrote: »

Personally, I think your advice to the OP is jumping the gun quite magnificently. Suggesting the OP immediately goes sick at this stage is actually nigh on fraudulent. She is not sick. Clearly she dislikes her job and is unhappy there. However, it is not unreasonable to expect the OP to try and sort the situation out and improve things in the first instance. We don't actually know who is shouting at the OP - it could be the patients. We also don't know what the OP has done to resolve the situation - who has she spoken to, has she put anything in writing?

More information is needed but suggestions of leaving on the basis of sickness is premature in the extreme - I suspect you are letting your own bad experiences colour your advice somewhat.

Maybe you are right but the poster states she is desperately unhappy. Unless she either addresses the problem at work with the people making her feel this way or gives herself some time away from the situation then she could very well end up in my position????

I can't see how a week or 2 off sick due to her emotional state is fraud???

As you say, it could be my own illness that is failing to see the whole situation for what it is?