Reference Issue

ashraja

I worked for local government for 5+ years as a Housing Officer. I went to see a client who had mental health issues whom I had placed. I was there with her for about 30 mins advising her how to secure accommodation elsewhere and about her mental health.
The following day my team leader took me into a room and said the client had made allegations that I acted inappropriately towards her. I denied any such thing happened and she did not have anything to back this up on either. I was suspended from Oct till May when I had my hearing and was dismissed for GM.
My union said there was no point appealing as the client and his carer said they will go to the papers if they did not get rid of me. My manager said she did not have an option and had to follow through.
I have been temping since then but I am reluctant to apply for permanent jobs as they will contact my former employer who will tell them I was dismissed. How long do I have to wait until they will not require a ref from them?
My manager has received references for me in the past and sent them to HR who have advised I was sacked for GM. My manager said she is not allowed to give a ref for me as the policy is it will always go to HR.

Comms69

ashraja wrote: »

I worked for local government for 5+ years as a Housing Officer. I went to see a client who had mental health issues whom I had placed. I was there with her for about 30 mins advising her how to secure accommodation elsewhere and about her mental health.
The following day my team leader took me into a room and said the client had made allegations that I acted inappropriately towards her. I denied any such thing happened and she did not have anything to back this up on either. I was suspended from Oct till May when I had my hearing and was dismissed for GM.
My union said there was no point appealing as the client and his carer said they will go to the papers if they did not get rid of me. My manager said she did not have an option and had to follow through.
I have been temping since then but I am reluctant to apply for permanent jobs as they will contact my former employer who will tell them I was dismissed. How long do I have to wait until they will not require a ref from them?
My manager has received references for me in the past and sent them to HR who have advised I was sacked for GM. My manager said she is not allowed to give a ref for me as the policy is it will always go to HR.

Sorry but what? There's no way a union rep would say that, especially to someone employed by a local authority, unless there was more to it than you have said.


Really you should've fought this, or at the very least agreed a settlement package.


I'm going to suggest that what you have posted is a very sanitised version of events.


as far as references go, well I would always contact the more recent 'permanent' employer, no matter how long ago. For this very reason.

sangie595

In respect of references, if you apply for anything at all that involves vulnerable people, this should always show up. It should have been reported- it's a requirement on the employer. So it should be on any DBS check. So it's irrelevant whether you use them as a reference - it should always be flagged.

I can't speak for any other union, but we never advise a member facing such serious allegations to give up. And we would insist on their side of the story being listed in the notification too.

robatwork

ashraja wrote: »

The following day my team leader took me into a room and said the client had made allegations that I acted inappropriately towards her. I denied any such thing happened and she did not have anything to back this up on either.




I was suspended from Oct till May when I had my hearing and was dismissed for GM.

There's a huge hole in between these two paragraphs.
Were you represented during your hearing/disciplinary meeting?

To answer your question - your last job will always get asked for references even if 10 years ago. It won't drop off your record like a speeding ticket, if that's what you're implying.

Sarastro

Some awfully big holes in this. Why were you giving Mental Health advice? You're a housing officer - do you have MH training? And why were you there on your own? Were you acting in compliance with the Council's lone working policy?