being dismissed for poor performance

Tancred

happenstance wrote: »

You lack empathy and compassion is what I mean.

He is a well known prat on the forums. Ignore him.

Tancred

ILW wrote: »

I am in effect self employed. Have taken a total of three days of sick in the last five years.

So what. Who gives a sh*t? Does that make you feel like some kind of superior being? I have a cr*p twice a day - and that makes me feel very proud. :rotfl:

Personally I would not want any of my staff to stagger into work when ill, for the very simple reason that I would not want them to infect others and generate more illness around the office.

Tancred

happenstance wrote: »

Hello,

My employer is calling me to a meeting tomorrow as i've had low in my performance as decided by my managers.

I don't agree with this low performance and feel it was awarded because I was signed off work a month this year with exhaustion and when I returned to work did tell management that I'm not prepared to work longer than my contracted hours. Sadly I think not working for free in the evenings and weekends counts as low performance in their books.

Can they just dismiss me with the notice in my contract and without any severance pay if it is due to them claiming im a low performer?

thanks

Quite frankly, my opinion is that you work for a bunch of total bas**ards who treat staff like dirt, and the sooner you get out, the better. My advice is to grab as much money as you can from these people and run. When a door closes another one will open.

Tancred

happenstance wrote: »

Well they say in the letter I maybe dismissed, I haven't had any formal or written warnings, I was told 6 months ago my performance was low and needs to improve.

If I had been you I would have started to look for another job as soon as you got that letter. Once you get a letter like that it means they want to sack you and are just going through the legal motions. Nothing you do will change their minds.

I once worked for one of the big investment banks in the City. They sacked me after three months because I was going home at 6pm, when 'it was expected' that you should stay until 9pm. And yes, the contract was 35 hours a week, 9 to 5. That convinced me that all bankers were ar**holes.

ILW

Tancred wrote: »

If I had been you I would have started to look for another job as soon as you got that letter. Once you get a letter like that it means they want to sack you and are just going through the legal motions. Nothing you do will change their minds.

I once worked for one of the big investment banks in the City. They sacked me after three months because I was going home at 6pm, when 'it was expected' that you should stay until 9pm. And yes, the contract was 35 hours a week, 9 to 5. That convinced me that all bankers were ar**holes.

Suppose it depends on what you want out of life. If being a high flyer is not for you and you are happy with mediocrity fine, but I would bet that the guys at the bank earning the millions and retiring at 35 would not be the clock watchers.

ILW

Tancred wrote: »

It all depends on the contract of employment. If the employer has promised to pay certain sickness benefits and then uses valid and certified sickness absence as a performance issue then the OP has considerable grounds for legal action on grounds of unfair dismissal.

What if you have a heart attack and need to take 6 months off, then you get dismissed because your employer doesn't want to pay you any more sick pay even if you are contractually entitled to it? Is that fair to you?

There is a difference between a heart attack and feeling a bit stressed.

warehouse

ILW wrote: »

Suppose it depends on what you want out of life. If being a high flyer is not for you and you are happy with mediocrity fine, but I would bet that the guys at the bank earning the millions and retiring at 35 would not be the clock watchers.

I have 2 friends who are both high flyers in the banking industry, work stupid hours and earn a shed load of money. Both have broken marriages and a drink problem, mid forties with ex wives holding half their pensions and houses, and can't afford to give up the work and expected hours.

Life isn't like the Daily Mail say ILW.

happenstance

ILW wrote: »

Suppose it depends on what you want out of life. If being a high flyer is not for you and you are happy with mediocrity fine, but I would bet that the guys at the bank earning the millions and retiring at 35 would not be the clock watchers.

Why do you assume that high flyer is a great existence?

I'm 37, own my own house outright and savings so not massively worried about loosing my job, just frustrated as I'm emotionally attached and dont like to be used.

The high flyers I know look in very poor health, cheating on their preg wife etc.

If you dont have health then you don't have anything.

happenstance

Tancred wrote: »

If I had been you I would have started to look for another job as soon as you got that letter. Once you get a letter like that it means they want to sack you and are just going through the legal motions. Nothing you do will change their minds.

I once worked for one of the big investment banks in the City. They sacked me after three months because I was going home at 6pm, when 'it was expected' that you should stay until 9pm. And yes, the contract was 35 hours a week, 9 to 5. That convinced me that all bankers were ar**holes.

Yes I also worked for one of those in the city, what annoyed me the most is people sitting at their desks till 8-9pm not actually doing any work - just there for appearance. Now that is a waste of a life.

Thanks, I've actually applied for a few and have a telephone interview later. I think really I need a break from it all for a while, go traveling and do more charity work. Need to reassess what is important in my life.

happenstance

warehouse wrote: »

I have 2 friends who are both high flyers in the banking industry, work stupid hours and earn a shed load of money. Both have broken marriages and a drink problem, mid forties with ex wives holding half their pensions and houses, and can't afford to give up the work and expected hours.

Life isn't like the Daily Mail say ILW.

Exactly, high flyers are often still debt slaves just with nicer cars and less leisure time.