A job's a job (part two)

Poppa_G

About a week and a half ago I explained that my 20yr old daughter was working 45hrs a week, no breaks etc etc for a pittance of £100pw. This provoked people on this forum to respond and offer some great advice.

Alas, things came to a head last Monday night when I picked her up from work at 8pm, when less than halfway home she broke down in floods of tears. She was so down, I don't mind admitting that the tears rolled down my cheeks as she told me how she was feeling. Tuesday came, and again she was in tears at the thought of having to go into work. Needless to say she took the week off and has a doctors note for this week, her nerves are in shreds.

Through the advice offered on here we went to our CAB last Thursday and she poured her heart out. they were appalled at her treatment, the hours, no breaks, the sexual innuendos and more to the point the constant coming up behind her and massaging her shoulders. Through the CAB my daughter has since decided that she is going to resign her post, thus stating in her letter of resignation the reasons. Hopefully, like the CAB said, she won't be sanctioned when she goes to claim JSA.

Thanks for all the help and advice, and the comments of support. I will keep you informed as and when anything develops.

Thank You All

Poppa G

hcb42

I would say they will be reasonable with her.

Like my Dad told me years ago, no job is worth being miserable for, you are better off out of it, and for that salary definitely so.

debtfreenow

Just to say "Good luck to your daughter" in finding herself a new and better job soon.

At least she has you on her side and that will be appreciated by her I'm sure.

falko89

She did the correct thing however I wouldn't be so sure about her not getting sanctioned. Many years ago I left a job because of being bullied, I explained the situation to the Job centre people, they weren't to interested to be fair. I got sanctioned, luckily I got a job the next week.

Parva

You are much more restrained than I would be, my daughter is also 20 years old and whilst I'm not a violent man I know I would be going on the attack! Your approach is the correct one though, my approach would only complicate matters.

I see no reason why your daughter would be sanctioned on JSA based on what has been said here.

debtfreenow

falko89 wrote: »

She did the correct thing however I wouldn't be so sure about her not getting sanctioned. Many years ago I left a job because of being bullied, I explained the situation to the Job centre people, they weren't to interested to be fair. I got sanctioned, luckily I got a job the next week.

I would imagine the "right of appeal" still exists against any decision maker that DID sanction OP's daughter.

Hopefully the Citizens Advice Bureau consulted has had experience of the type of work treatment that has been experienced here and are "on the ball" in advising that there will be no sanction. It would seem advisable to go back to the CAB concerned if there are any problems experienced with sanctioning and get help with putting in an appeal.

I am guessing OP's daughter is too upset with the treatment in the job to take the different tack of "setting the firm up" to sack her instead of resigning (an official complaint about sexual harassment might do it and outright refusal to work more than a "standard" work week or to miss out on the breaks she is legally entitled to)?

mattw7

First of all sorry to hear about your daughter's ordeal.

I'd just like to say I haven't read through the first part of this so I don't know this ins and outs. Did your daughter raise this as a grievance with her line manager? Did she get this witnessed or written down on paper?

I ask because if she has left of her own accord without any effort to resolve a dispute at work then she will be sanctioned. Unfortunately the J/C uses a policy of guilty until proven innocent when it comes to leaving a job without genuine reason. Obviously she can appeal but if she never raised this as a grievance its merely her word against their's and they usually always favour the employer in the vast majority of cases.

falko89

mattw7 wrote: »

First of all sorry to hear about your daughter's ordeal.

I'd just like to say I haven't read through the first part of this so I don't know this ins and outs. Did your daughter raise this as a grievance with her line manager? Did she get this witnessed or written down on paper?

I ask because if she has left of her own accord without any effort to resolve a dispute at work then she will be sanctioned. Unfortunately the J/C uses a policy of guilty until proven innocent when it comes to leaving a job without genuine reason. Obviously she can appeal but if she never raised this as a grievance its merely her word against their's and they usually always favour the employer in the vast majority of cases.

Exactly, this is what happened to me. They always favour the employer.

Poppa_G

Hi Mattw7.

My daughter was referred to this job by an agency working in partnership with the Job Centre. She was told it was an admin position, and met the minimum wage.

At interview there was no mention of wages, just that it was an apprenticeship. Following on she then received a call from the said agency whom informed her that she'd got the position.

There are 12 employees in total, 5 of whom are all apprentices all working 45hrs a week and being paid £100. The job entails sitting at a desk all day, phoning people about personal injury claims. They receive no breaks whatsoever, and he even times them when they go to the toilet.

On her first day back after Christmas she gave her boss notice that her boyfriend had booked a holiday for them at the end of June. Three days later the boss approached her, asked where she was going again. On telling him he made an inappropriate comment about the intimate things her bf could get up to with her. In his words, "the filth" In addition he keeps coming up from behind her and massaging her shoulders whilst whispering into her ear.

Through the CAB my daughter is being legally represented, what she's been told is that when she puts her letter of resignation in, that she is to mention her feeling too intimidated to complain.

Parva: believe you me I feel like taking matters into my own hands but as you say, it will only complicate matters.

LadyMissA

Poppa_G wrote: »

Hi Mattw7.

My daughter was referred to this job by an agency working in partnership with the Job Centre. She was told it was an admin position, and met the minimum wage.

At interview there was no mention of wages, just that it was an apprenticeship. Following on she then received a call from the said agency whom informed her that she'd got the position.

There are 12 employees in total, 5 of whom are all apprentices all working 45hrs a week and being paid £100. The job entails sitting at a desk all day, phoning people about personal injury claims. They receive no breaks whatsoever, and he even times them when they go to the toilet.

On her first day back after Christmas she gave her boss notice that her boyfriend had booked a holiday for them at the end of June. Three days later the boss approached her, asked where she was going again. On telling him he made an inappropriate comment about the intimate things her bf could get up to with her. In his words, "the filth" In addition he keeps coming up from behind her and massaging her shoulders whilst whispering into her ear.

Through the CAB my daughter is being legally represented, what she's been told is that when she puts her letter of resignation in, that she is to mention her feeling too intimidated to complain.

Parva: believe you me I feel like taking matters into my own hands but as you say, it will only complicate matters.

If that was me I would have told my boss, touch me again and I will log a complaint with the police failing that I will hit you!! Creeps like this do such things as they know you will not hit back!

dandelionclock30

The jobcentre do have discretion when deciding whether to pay JSA following someone giving up their job.I once gave up a night job and told them it made me sick(it did) and they paid me no problem.
If they wont pay your daughter, she may be eligible for severe hardship payments.
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/benefits_index_page_ew/benefits_for_people_looking_for_work.htm#hardship_payments_and_jobseekers_allowance