Can you be sacked for no reason?

liney

The company has been taken over, and they are making changes your friend doesn't like. This often happens when fresh eyes see all the problems that everyone else doesn't bother with, or don't even notice anymore.

Your friend can't be sacked for 'nothing' but he can be sacked for refusing to follow new directions. You know what they say: evolve or become extinct!

You say the HR Manager, apparently, thinks your friend 'knows best'. To be honest that sounds more like the HR Manager trying to appease the situation as it's new: don't bank on it continuing for long.

If you could provide an example of this 'pushing out' policy then perhaps we could give you an objective view on things.

tigeress289

The truth of the matter is, Yes, they can sack him. If they do it the right way, he will be paid something. If you were taking over a company, you would want change. It does not make it right. But that is what change is all about. It sounds a shame but no one listens to real experience anymore. Wish him the best of luck.

SarEl

OK, putting this altogther it appears that your firend is on a zero hours or minimal hours contract - being allowed to work "up to 40 hours" means that the employer can just as easily reduce those hours. To nothing if your friend has no right to hours. But I have to agree with some of the other posters here - being given "tedious work" is not unlawful, and it is up to the employer and their managers to allocate work. There isn't a right to only do the work that you like doing. And in the end, whatever his or your personal opinion about how the job should be done, or what is best business sense, it is the employers right to decide these things for themselves. People often dislike or disagree with change. But whether that change makes good business sense or not, that isn't "pushing people out". They have the right to leave if they don't like the changes, or to stay and accept them. I am afraid that is the way of the world - the employer isn't doing anything legally wrong and there appears to be no threat that they will do so. If your friend doesn't like the changes and won't accept them then he has options but refusing them isn't one of them.

toffee87

SarEl wrote: »

OK, putting this altogther it appears that your firend is on a zero hours or minimal hours contract - being allowed to work "up to 40 hours" means that the employer can just as easily reduce those hours. To nothing if your friend has no right to hours. But I have to agree with some of the other posters here - being given "tedious work" is not unlawful, and it is up to the employer and their managers to allocate work. There isn't a right to only do the work that you like doing. And in the end, whatever his or your personal opinion about how the job should be done, or what is best business sense, it is the employers right to decide these things for themselves. People often dislike or disagree with change. But whether that change makes good business sense or not, that isn't "pushing people out". They have the right to leave if they don't like the changes, or to stay and accept them. I am afraid that is the way of the world - the employer isn't doing anything legally wrong and there appears to be no threat that they will do so. If your friend doesn't like the changes and won't accept them then he has options but refusing them isn't one of them.

This very much applies to my situation.

SarEl

toffee87 wrote: »

This very much applies to my situation.

No it doesn't. The employee in your situation has had standard working patterns and you are attempting to force a change to those. At no time have you ever suggested that there is a zero hours contract. Quite the contrary - you have said that the changed shifts will be made up elsewhere on other shifts. That is entirely different. You have either asked the wrong question, or you have misunderstood the diffeence. None of which changes anything else I have said about the conduct of the matter. If you read the OP's post carefully you will find that they are complaining about an older worker who is being pushed into change they do not want - hmm on secod thoughts you are quite right - it does apply to your situation. Only it appears that you are one of the "pushers".

toffee87

Nope, I said there are no contracted hours/duties.