Is it that hard to dismiss an employee?

Dimey

LittleVoice wrote: »

It doesn't need to say anything about being paid notice. That is your right which could not be taken away from you even if the contract said otherwise.

Your written particulars of employment should include something about notice periods - those due from you and due from your employer. In the absence of anything written there then the statutory notice periods would apply - one week from you and, currently, 6 weeks from your employer. Your contract may require more but the company cannot give you less than one week for each completed year of service.

If an employee is dismissed within the first two years of employment, they are entitled to one week's notice unless the written particulars say more.

Wow - I learnt something new here thanks Little Voice. Our company only gives 1 month notice (on either side) irrespective of length of tenure.

So 1 week notice for every year served makes a big difference to the long servers.

AP007

Dimey wrote: »

Wow - I learnt something new here thanks Little Voice. Our company only gives 1 month notice (on either side) irrespective of length of tenure.

So 1 week notice for every year served makes a big difference to the long servers.

Yes at my old company one of the others who was going to be made redundant had been there 10 years and they were going to let her go that day but when they pulled her file they were not to happy to see she would get 10 weeks notice plus all her holiday etc so they made her work it instead doing crappy work to get them up to date for the hand over to the outsourcing firm

Dimey

The fact that your company keeps having the same problem with incompetent staff says to me that the real problem is with company interview techniques and training rather than all these people.

Sure you normally get the odd one but not as many as you are describing.

If you test spelling and grammar in a hand written test at interview, you won't be employing anyone who can't sign their name.

If you take up references you won't be employing anyone who is habitually late.

If you give induction training and tell people what the house rules are then they'll phone before say 8.45 for a 9am start to explain they will be late and apologise when they get in and make up the time in their lunch hour or at the end of the day.

If someone makes the same mistake more than a few acceptable times you give them correction counselling to get them to explain why it's wrong and how they will put it right. If they continue erroneously and its a big enough deal you move on to a disciplinary interview where you spell out what they are doing wrong and get mutual agreement to put it right by a specific level by a specific date. If still erroneous then you move on to warning that if not corrected to the specific level by a specific date their job will be in jeopardy. etc etc.

The legal guidelines are available on many employment websites. Best practice coaching and counselling can be learned on management training courses. If your company has an industry federation or similar, you'll probably find they offer courses.