Can I get fired for looking for another job?

Jerryjerryjerry

My employer has found out that i'm looking for another job. He has started (behind the scenes) to look for a replacement. I found out he was trying to contact another lady and I asked him outright if he was thinking of sacking me - due to him looking for someone else.

Anyway, that's when he came clean and told me he knew I was looking.

Ok.. so we've both been found out. Fair enough.

However, can I get sacked for just looking? as he is claiming?

The reason i want to leave my job, is that i am stressed. Its working as a receptionist from 8.30 am till 6pm with an hour for lunch. The lunch break is a bone of contention. They hate me taking the hour. I used to take 10 minutes.. till they renaiged on the deal of giving me a salary review after 3 months and several other things. I can never leave the reception area unattended even for a minute. Therfore, I end up dehydrated. Its a very stressful and busy reception area. Very demanding. I am a smoker, and I dont get smoking breaks.

I have to fight to get someone to come down to give me a break at lunch time. Today, was hell. I didn't get a break till 1.35 and that was only after I kicked up a fuss and started mentioning employment law and how a break is the law. etc.

Where do I stand? What if I was to go to the docs and get him to sign me off sick? I'm really stressed. I've got huge money worries. I want a job as a secretary where i'm in the background and dont have to deal with the public, which is why i've been trying to look for another job.

However, i'm wondering whether I ought to just throw in the towel and go onto ssp for a few weeks until I get my head together. Please help.

I'm losing sleep over this. I go to bed at 10.00 pm and get up at 2.00 am again and never get back to sleep.

bristol_pilot

In some industries it is common for people to be sacked for looking for other work, in others it is unheard of.

t0rt0ise

It depends how long you've been there. If it's less than a year they can sack you and give no reason at all.

I'd suggest you don't go off sick as it just makes it very difficult to get another job. You just need to apply for other things and hope something comes up soon. With regard to the water issue, when I'm on the desk I take a bottle of water with me and keep it in a drawer. Keeps me hydrated.

Uncertain

bristol_pilot wrote: »

In some industries it is common for people to be sacked for looking for other work......

That may well be true but it doesn't of course make it a (legally) fair reason.

Ultimately the answer to any "can I be sacked for this" question is yes. If the firm doesn't want you there and are prepared to take the risk of losing an unfair dismissal claim (assuming you have worked more than a year) then they can do what they like. Nobody is going to put them in jail for it.

Some types of business will dot every i and cross every t and follow procedures and guidelines carefully.

Others (particularly in my experience some "go ahead professional practices") with take the view "Hire who we like, sack who we don't like and if all else fails pay up.

scheming_gypsy

Jerryjerryjerry wrote: »

M

The reason i want to leave my job, is that i am stressed. Its working as a receptionist from 8.30 am till 6pm with an hour for lunch.

The lunch break is a bone of contention. They hate me taking the hour. I used to take 10 minutes.. till they renaiged on the deal of giving me a salary review after 3 months and several other things.

I can never leave the reception area unattended even for a minute. Therfore, I end up dehydrated. Its a very stressful and busy reception area. Very demanding. I am a smoker, and I dont get smoking breaks.

I have to fight to get someone to come down to give me a break at lunch time. Today, was hell. I didn't get a break till 1.35 and that was only after I kicked up a fuss and started mentioning employment law and how a break is the law. etc.

Where do I stand? What if I was to go to the docs and get him to sign me off sick? I'm really stressed. .

to be honest your job is no different than anybody elses.

if you get dehydrated then as t0rt0ise said, keep a bottle of water with you.

Smoking breaks aren't an entitlement. Where i work you can smoke at lunch only and lunch is a set time.
none smokers don't get none smoking breaks,

you kicked off about your lunch after 5 hours work, a break is the law but you're entitled to 20 minutes if you work more than 6 hours.

Mistral001

This sounds like a job which looks great to prospective employees, but does not turn out so good when they start working there. Just keep looking for a new job and remember to ask more questions at the interview than you did when you got this one.

Jerryjerryjerry

Mistral001 wrote: »

This sounds like a job which looks great to prospective employees, but does not turn out so good when they start working there. Just keep looking for a new job and remember to ask more questions at the interview than you did when you got this one.

Such a good point made. Thank you. I dont think I can face going in in the morning. I can not bear it. I feel like jumping off a cliff.

Jerryjerryjerry

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

to be honest your job is no different than anybody elses

i

you kicked off about your lunch after 5 hours work, a break is the law but you're entitled to 20 minutes if you work more than 6 hours.

ok... so if I worked from 1.00 am until 7.00 am, and I hadn't had a break since 1.00 am and it was 6.00 am by now, and I hadn't been allowed to even go and make a coffee, I shouldn't kick off? so if an employer gives me a break at 6.30, what would be the point? I'd be going home in half an hour.

mancitychick

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

you kicked off about your lunch after 5 hours work, a break is the law but you're entitled to 20 minutes if you work more than 6 hours.

however op said she is suppose to get an hour for lunch as per her agreed working hours, so I think it's fair play that she requested to take it. If anything shame on the employer for forcing op to make a fuss to get what she is entitled to.

I have found the problem normally lies with finding someone else in the office willing to man the reception whilst the receptionist goes on her break/lunch/toilet.

ska_lover

mancitychick wrote: »

however op said she is suppose to get an hour for lunch as per her agreed working hours, so I think it's fair play that she requested to take it. If anything shame on the employer for forcing op to make a fuss to get what she is entitled to.

I have found the problem normally lies with finding someone else in the office willing to man the reception whilst the receptionist goes on her break/lunch/toilet.

I totally agree, you should fight for your lunchbreak OP as i bet its an hour unpaid each day. Having a break really does break up a day.

Ask for a water cooler in reception. If i need to go and make a drink etc, i do. one of the first things i did when i took the job was ask for a portable phone, so I can move away from the desk. People coming in can just wait a couple of minutes

You sound as if you are describing my job and working conditions. I have a million and one things to do during the day as run a sales department single handedly, but still 'man' the reception, which is very busy with people coming in and phones ringing - I really feel for you as the stress does my head in too - and am also looking for another job. Thing is, although my job is mega stressful , it is also pretty well paid, so finding something else on a similar salary is going to be hard.

scheming_gypsy

i was making the point that she was kicking off about her lunch break when she'd only done 5 hours, as though she should have gone hours earlier. Unfortunately i went for a pee half way through and didn't finish that point properly when i came back,