"Let go" without any notice

DK_abc

Hi,

My partner has just come home from work and told me her boss has just told her "I am going to have to let you go" and with no warning that's it, she's out, don't come back tomorrow.

She is a hairdresser, 3 days a week. Been there for 8 years excluding a year taken off for pregnancy/birth. Was full time, went to part time after birth of child.

She rents a chair but has no contract.

She always thought she was a good hard worker and had a good relationship with her boss and clients.

She was told today;

Her boss has had multiple complaints from other members of staff about the speed she works (she cuts hair too fast).

He said as a result of this it means she is working the book to her advantage.

The way it works; You put your name in a book and when a customer (casual) arrives in the shop/or phones up the first person on the list gets this job and so on.. 2nd person in gets 2 casual etc. When you have finished your cut you then put your name back in the book.

The allocated time for a haircut is half hour.... My partner says if it's an easy cut (she has about 25 years experience) she may do it in 20 minutes. If it's a head shave it may take 10 minutes.

So... having spoke to her in some detail about this she said the standard way is you put your name on your list when it's finished.

(I can sort of see the problem from the employers POV here, of course - if she's fast and he doesn't want people jumping the queue/book as such).

But without any warning she has been told today she can go home and not come back. 8 years work just over.

She said her boss has spoke to her before telling her "You have half an hour to do a cut not 15-20 minutes" my partner has replied "That's the speed I work at, I will try and slow down"... (personally, from her partners POV - ME... I understand all this from both sides). I can see both sides.

My question though...

Can he just lay her off without any formal warning?

Business has been slow in the shop for a while now and about 2 weeks ago (unbeknown to me) she asked him if she could borrow some money as the shop was slow. (I was surprised to hear this as didn't think it was cool myself - but she has known this guy for 8 years, thought he was a friend, times are hard etc)... so he loaned her £300.

Today he just said at the end of the day you've got to go, other staff members complained about you, keep the £300, don't come in tomorrow. Goodbye!

She asked why, is there anything she can do? He said "working the book, it will cause unrest if you were allowed to stay".

She says this is completely new to her. She had no idea and would of course slowed down if it meant her job was on the line.

I just phoned him to ask why/what the situation is and at first he has tried to avoid talking to me... I wasn't shouting or anything, just said "I'd like to get a clear picture of what has happened". He said he "has a customer will call me tomorrow". I said "it's obviously important so can you call me when finished with client", which he did. Then said pretty much the same as what partner had told me - said he had "told her to slow down before".

I asked if she had been given "any formal notice or made clear her job was on the line if she didn't slow down" and he said "that's not needed he told her to slow down many times".. I said "She just thought she was doing good by working hard, keeping the shop clean and tidy and ready for any customers to walk in the shop and not slacking."

When we started the phone conversation I said "I am making notes to get an understanding of what has happened as all new to me and just trying to understand situation from both sides". At first he said "every member of staff in the shop had complained about her" - then later he said "someone in the shop has complained about". I said "Hold on, you just said every member, let me read it back to you" - he said "No I didn't and if you are writing this down I can't talk anymore I thought this was a casual conversation" I said, well that's my whole point and seemingly my partners point, she thought when you said slow down it was casual, not any formal warning". At that he said "My client has just walked in, I have to go... Goodbye" and pretty much hung up on me.

She said there is one new person in the shop who is a full time, been there about 4 months and she had a falling out with him a couple of weeks ago saying he believed she had been putting false names in his column so she would get the next haircuts. She says twice people didn't turn up for him and both times it was her name next on the list... coincidence.

To conclude, she has never had any clients complain about her in 8 years. She has maybe 40-50 regular clients that she has built up over the last 8 years and she now has no means of contacting them to let them know she will be working elsewhere or going self employed (whatever she decides to do now).

That's it.. the question I have is plan and simple - Can he "let her go" without any formal warning?

Sorry a long message.

Thanks

spacey2012

Start looking for an Empty shop as close as possible to the old one, new start ups always work better near an existing business.
She can then contact all her Old customers for a start by advertising on facebook and in the window..

This is a massive opportunity here, people always like a sob story and trust me, they will flock to her.
What an opportunity awaits.

AP007

Sorry only read to the bit where you said she rents a chair

Is she PAYE or self employed?

tomtontom

Is she classed as self employed? If so, any notice period would depend on their mutually agreed terms of business.

DK_abc

I should also add... When I was speaking to him I said "We're not going to be able to pay our rent this month as a result, this will make us homeless" and he said to me "Don't you work, can't you pay the rent?" I said I don't have enough income to cover everything.. He said "Well I loaned her £300, not my problem". I was a bit gobsmacked by this time but that is the reality of the situation. First thing I thought is "We have to hand our notice in right now as I can't afford rent/council tax and everything else etc on my own"

notanewuser

Is she employed or self employed?

DK_abc

Payment wise she has a 50/50 split, whatever comes in they split at the end of the day. Other people (full time) pay first £400 to him and then they keep whatever else they make. No contract though. No agreements/contracts etc.

DK_abc

We always said she was "self employed" but to be honest I never really looked into that aspect. Thanks for the fast replies. It's crazy, she said to me a few weeks ago someone had complained about her for being too fast and I just mumbled "Slow down then"... Never had any idea she would be fired a couple of weeks later.

I know there are always two sides and I think I have listened to both.. so thanks for any advice. At a real loose end.

DK_abc

spacey2012 wrote: »

Start looking for an Empty shop as close as possible to the old one, new start ups always work better near an existing business.
She can then contact all her Old customers for a start by advertising on facebook and in the window..

This is a massive opportunity here, people always like a sob story and trust me, they will flock to her.
What an opportunity awaits.

Ha, that would be ideal, yes.. unfortunately we rent so can't borrow any money else we would.

AP007

DK_abc wrote: »

We always said she was "self employed" but to be honest I never really looked into that aspect. Thanks for the fast replies. It's crazy, she said to me a few weeks ago someone had complained about her for being too fast and I just mumbled "Slow down then"... Never had any idea she would be fired a couple of weeks later.

I know there are always two sides and I think I have listened to both.. so thanks for any advice. At a real loose end.

If nothing in writing and she 'rents' a chair then it seems as you say self employed so she can be let go as its not a job she has just a chair.

DK_abc

Any advice on if she's allowed to contact her regular clients or how she would be able to go about it? As far as I know in the past when people have left they have been allowed to let their clients know they were leaving, going elsewhere etc. She has lost all of that. She's a nice polite lady, works hard, lot of clients ask for her... Just gone!