What to do?

aby_x

[post deleted]

elsien

Having the union there is a good thing. They don't have to allow it for an investigation so grab the help that's offered. After the investigation they will decide whether to take it to disciplinary. Are you sure though that it is just an investigation meeting if you've already done a statement and not the formal disciplinary process?

As to your suggestion as to whether you need training to help you understand that you shouldn't tell porkies about the reasons for being off work - I would strongly suggest you don't go there.
The issue isn't your sickness record, that's irrelevant. You lied to them. Holding your hands up, expressing extreme contrition and promising it won't ever happen again is the route I'd go in your position. Why did you not take the time as leave?

LilElvis

aby_x wrote: »

Hi all,
In short, I think I might be in a little trouble at work for calling in sick when I attended an interview. So I’m going to bullet point this post because it might be kind of long:
- I work as a Teaching assistant, I enjoy the job but it isn’t what I want to do forever.
- my contract was temp so I started applying for other jobs
- after applying for more jobs I got my contract extended until April so I stopped applying for jobs and forgot about them
- at the beginning of December (on a Monday) I got an invite to an interview the very next day! Very short notice
- the job was the perfect one for me, I loved the idea of it and it would have been a HUGE pay rise
- as it was such short notice, I called in sick and decided that I would speak to my line manager later in the week to discuss why I’d been off and that I’d applied for jobs before my contract was extended etc etc just basically clear it all up.
- May be worth noting that Ive been working there for 3 months and hadn’t been given my initial training yet where you go through the policies etcccc
- got into work the next day and was told that I’d be getting my training that afternoon after school
- after the training I was called into an office and asked to complete a ‘retrn to work’ form, I wanted to take the form away like everyone else but as there were two women from HR there I decided to quickly fill it in briefly saying I had a headache that’s why I wasn’t there and was going to go straight to my line manager to talk about it all. I hate lying, I’m not a habitual liar so it really bothered me
- I didn’t get chance to do this - the HR manager says she’s given my plenty of opportunities to tell the truth, they know I was at an interview, they don’t want dishonest people working there etc
- this was before the Christmas break, I thought that’d be all, I had to write a statement but i genuinely thought that would be it but I’ve been called to an investigatory meeting next week!! doesn’t sound good, I don’t know what to do about it I’m not used to getting in trouble. My track record at my previous jobs and uni etc is impeccable, I’ve had no other sick days it was just one day
- a woman from the union is joining me in the interview but does this make me look more guilty??
- what may they ask in the interview??
- I don’t expect to be dismissed but what are my chances of a decent reference from them??
- do I have a leg to stand on in terms of not receiving my training or knowing about any policies they have about booking days off

Thanks in advance, sorry for long post!

1) You weren't sick though, were you? You attended an interview and it appears they know it.

2) You might not expect to be dismissed but that is very much an option. You lied and for most employers this would reach the threshold of being gross misconduct. Any reference they give can reflect what you have done if it is factually correct.

3) Do you really need to read a policy to understand that lying isn't acceptable behaviour?

Personally I would sack you. You appear to have zero understanding that you have done anything wrong.

aby_x

I’m not saying that it excuses the behaviour, I just had no clue of any policy to ‘book time off’ in a school I thought they’d just not pay me for that day and that’d be it.
I didn’t feel like it was majorly wrong at the time, my mums a manager at a hospital and said that if I spoke to someone later that week then they’d understand, my dad, my boyfriend and his dad all own businesses and said that they’ve never had anyone tell them that they’re going for an interview or book time off for it. I suppose it just didn’t occur to me at the time that it would be seen to be so so awful. Looking back I get why, they have to follow company policies etc but it all feels a bit overkill for what it is. But everyone’s opinion differs I suppose I don’t need an extra lecture on this thread lol. I just came for advice about the meetings and what they will ask etccc

Lucius45

How could they know about the interview though? Did you tell someone you shouldn't trust who has blabbed? Alternatively they might be bluffing - you should have exercised your right to take the form away with you, stating personal reasons to buy yourself some time (that's by the by now though if you've fessed up in your statement)

Realistically you might just have to humbly take a disciplinary on the chin.

do I have a leg to stand on in terms of not receiving my training or knowing about any policies they have about booking days off

Usually with a TA, I thought that your annual leave was all wrapped into the school holidays and as such additional days weren't allowed - this should be in your contract / employee handbook.

nicechap

You already have union help which is a real positive. Follow their advice rather than any from strangers on the internet.

If I've understood your posts correctly, you lied in taking a sick day. You were then taken through the relevant policies and lied again when you filled out your return to work form.

Whilst being able to point at other people being treated differently might be an appeal point, its not a point for disciplinary. Employers do not have to treat similar cases similarly. I doubt your colleague was taken through the policies after the wedding and then lied again on the return to work form.

You should be completely honest in your answers and apologise profusely. Its perfectly normal to want/ seek a better job but being offered an interview the day before does not suggest the prospective employer is great or organised and you should have declined and agreed a mutually agreeable date (maybe promise your current employer this is what you would do in the future).

However, you should be prepared for any sanction up to and including dismissal. I doubt many parents or governors would endorse employing people to look after their children who lie repeatedly.

TELLIT01

Cutting through all the long winded explanation, there is one simple and inescapable fact - you lied to your employer. You have only been in the job for 3 months so they don't even need to conduct any form of investigation, they can sack you without giving a reason.
As they are still having the investigation, despite knowing that you lied they may think you are worth keeping on. All you can do is say that you panicked when the interview opportunity came through at such short notice, and then didn't know what to do when confronted with the Return to Work form.
I still suspect that the most likely outcome will be dismissal,probably on the grounds of gross misconduct, and they are following process to avoid any risk of repercussions at a later date.

Dox

aby_x wrote: »

I’m just nervous as to what they may ask as I’m an absolute nightmare under pressure and will likely get upset as I hate being ‘told off’. Do I just take my statement in with me and reiterate my points made in that??

You're an adult, not a child. Decide to behave like one and you may find it's not as impossible as you are predicting.

Try the truth: I lied. Then apologise profusely - ONCE. Don't keep apologising; it won't make it more convincing.

aby_x

Haha I didn’t mean for that to sound as childish as it did

Lucius45

Dox wrote: »

You're an adult, not a child. Decide to behave like one and you may find it's not as impossible as you are predicting.

Try the truth: I lied. Then apologise profusely - ONCE. Don't keep apologising; it won't make it more convincing.

This is good advice, but I know someone who as a TA went through the whole disciplinary shenanigans over what was a pretty ridiculous issue. She can hold her own against anyone, but they can have the tendency to draw extra people into the room to try gang up on you. It's definitely good to have the rep onside here. Just don't panic or feel intimidated.

Not to try and worry you here as I'm thinking of worst case! But if you expect the worst the reality will always be better - in the case above she left and found another TA job that she absolutely loved.