Tyrant for a Boss Advice

Living_Bate

Hi all.....looking for a bit of all round advice really, so any is welcome....hopefully I won't bore you in the process...

I joined my current construction company in a commercial / financial role about 18 months ago, as i fancied a change from my previous job which i'd been in for 7 years (similar role).

On joining the company i was told by the (70+ year old) Chairman there would be lots of opportunities for training, development and prospects etc. It was sold as a very stable family owned business that was thriving. I thought i'd landed on my feet.

Shortly after starting here I was hearing people slating the Chairman. I thought it was banter and sort of laughed at it. Until people started leaving the company on bad terms. Resigning and writing letters to the Chairman about him being a nasty bully etc.

I started noticing him talking to colleagues rather unprofessionally and rudely. I was quite shocked by it as anywhere else I had worked if someone was spoken to like that you'd raise a complaint or take it to HR etc. But here the Chairman is where the buck stops. All decisions go through him and that is the end of it.

I never really had any problems with him until a couple of months ago where he started shouting at me for something he felt i'd done wrong. I defended myself sternly as I knew I what I had done was correct and actually carried out on the advice of the Director (who has now retired). Since then we haven't got on so well. He's spoken out of turn to me a few times.

I had a moment of clarity and realised there were no opportunities here and I simply have a tyrant for a boss. When my daughter was born I was getting harassed during paternity and had to come in to work. Before Christmas my wife was ill and so i had to take a day off to look after our baby. I was harassed and told I had to come in. Her father in-law took over babysitting duties for a few hours. I was not happy.

Since Christmas i decided i need to get a new job and I am actively looking. However this week I came down with a bad case of flu and took 3 days off. I came back in and was told he was telling people in front of the whole office I was a !!!!! and I need to go. Get rid of him and get someone else in etc...

I've seen him get rid of people in ruthless manners on numerous occasions. (Someone who moved from miles away to take a job here he got rid of within a month of him moving / someone who took time off because his daughter died). So I am only too aware that he might get shot of me, and not care about following the correct legal course.

Can he do that and cover himself legally?

Can he frame me for something?

What can I do if he does?

Is there anything I can do now to protect myself?

Everyone here hates him and most are scared of him....I don't want him to get away with it anymore...

nicechap

As you've been there under 2 years there's not a lot of employment law protection for you.

Your plan to leave sounds the most sensible. Will your old firm take you back?

In terms of protecting yourself, make notes of everything said, & when but until you get to 2 years service, not a lot protection. In the meantime keep your head down.

Expect to get "sacked" when you hand your notice in so you might not have to go in afterwards.

pmduk

Until you've been there for two years you have very little protection, so yes, he can just get rid of you, sorry to say.

Comms69

Living_Bate wrote: »

Hi all.....looking for a bit of all round advice really, so any is welcome....hopefully I won't bore you in the process...

I joined my current construction company in a commercial / financial role about 18 months ago, as i fancied a change from my previous job which i'd been in for 7 years (similar role).

On joining the company i was told by the (70+ year old) Chairman there would be lots of opportunities for training, development and prospects etc. It was sold as a very stable family owned business that was thriving. I thought i'd landed on my feet.

Shortly after starting here I was hearing people slating the Chairman. I thought it was banter and sort of laughed at it. Until people started leaving the company on bad terms. Resigning and writing letters to the Chairman about him being a nasty bully etc.

I started noticing him talking to colleagues rather unprofessionally and rudely. I was quite shocked by it as anywhere else I had worked if someone was spoken to like that you'd raise a complaint or take it to HR etc. - HR are there to protect the company, and the chairman. They are not there to protect you. But here the Chairman is where the buck stops. All decisions go through him and that is the end of it.- in 99/100 companies that is the case....

I never really had any problems with him until a couple of months ago where he started shouting at me for something he felt i'd done wrong. I defended myself sternly as I knew I what I had done was correct and actually carried out on the advice of the Director (who has now retired). Since then we haven't got on so well. He's spoken out of turn to me a few times. - So?

I had a moment of clarity and realised there were no opportunities here and I simply have a tyrant for a boss. When my daughter was born I was getting harassed during paternity and had to come in to work. - no you didn't. Before Christmas my wife was ill and so i had to take a day off to look after our baby. I was harassed and told I had to come in. - you probably didn't. Her father in-law took over babysitting duties for a few hours. I was not happy.

Since Christmas i decided i need to get a new job and I am actively looking. However this week I came down with a bad case of flu and took 3 days off. I came back in and was told he was telling people in front of the whole office I was a !!!!! and I need to go. Get rid of him and get someone else in etc... - oh well, you wanted to go anyway...

I've seen him get rid of people in ruthless manners on numerous occasions. - you've been there under 2 years, you could be gone next week. (Someone who moved from miles away to take a job here he got rid of within a month of him moving / someone who took time off because his daughter died). So I am only too aware that he might get shot of me, and not care about following the correct legal course. - the legal course? Give you one weeks notice?

Can he do that and cover himself legally? - yes you have no real rights

Can he frame me for something? - doesn't need to

What can I do if he does? - nothing

Is there anything I can do now to protect myself? - find a new job

Everyone here hates him and most are scared of him....I don't want him to get away with it anymore...

get away with what, it's his company? If you don't like it, vote with your feet!

Living_Bate

Thanks for the replies...

So what was the 6 months probationary period about if he can still just drop me on my head regardless?

I have been applying and potentially have a few things lined up, but in the meantime i just know it doesn't look good from an employers perspective if someone is out of work, so I am nervous.

He doesn't even have to give a good reason?

He can literally just say dont come back and thats it?

elsien

Unfortunately, yes he can. You used to get more employment protection after a year but it changed to two years a while ago now.

Comms69

Living_Bate wrote: »

Thanks for the replies...

So what was the 6 months probationary period about if he can still just drop me on my head regardless? - Usually you don't get company perks during probation. e.g. enhance annual leave

I have been applying and potentially have a few things lined up, but in the meantime i just know it doesn't look good from an employers perspective if someone is out of work, so I am nervous.

He doesn't even have to give a good reason? - literally you could wear the wrong coloured tie and be sacked.

He can literally just say dont come back and thats it?

yes, literally. here is your weeks notice, goodbye.

Living_Bate

its no surprise that people stay in jobs they hate really.....job security is so important...

sangie595

Just one point to add. Because it applies to any workplace. There is no legal right to time off to look after a sick child or other dependant. There is a right to unpaid time off to make arrangements for their care - not to do it yourself. If the employer allows better than that, then that is a choice. But they don't have to. So he was actually right on that - he could in fact demand that you come back to work!

Comms69

sangie595 wrote: »

Just one point to add. Because it applies to any workplace. There is no legal right to time off to look after a sick child or other dependant. There is a right to unpaid time off to make arrangements for their care - not to do it yourself. If the employer allows better than that, then that is a choice. But they don't have to. So he was actually right on that - he could in fact demand that you come back to work!

Not for paternity leave though, just to be clear for the OP

sangie595

Comms69 wrote: »

Not for paternity leave though, just to be clear for the OP

Correct. But for the sickness issue he did have to.