What to do after dismissal

JonahSantrin

Hi all.

First time posting here. Please accept my apologies for the lengthy post.

I've been summoned to a hearing next Wednesday to which the result may be dismissal. It's for attendance, I've only had 2 periods off sick in 2 years equalling 8 days but this is apparently enough to dismiss me on the grounds of capability.

I'm honestly feeling the worst will happen because of how severely strict my employer is. Before I was summoned - I signed for a 12 month lease for a new property with a friend (3 bed). My friend works full time. I picked the keys up 2 weeks ago, so there's no way I can back out of the contract now.

I'll likely have a notice period of a month, and I'll receive this months pay securing the property and bills for probably another 2 months. I'm committed to finding work again, but I just wondered what I would be able to claim for in the mean time? Could I qualify for the housing element of Universal Credit even though my friend works full time and shares half of the rent?

My local Advice Beaurau is seemingly always closed. Online chat is no help. So any advice from someone with knowledge or experience is vastly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

WhenIam64

I've only had 2 periods off sick in 2 years

How long have you worked there as if it is more than 2 years, then you have the right to go to an Employment Tribunal. This makes employers more circumspect about the process.

dismiss me on the grounds of capability.

Is you absence to do with a long term illness including mental health? If it is, this makes employers more circumspect about the process.

Here is the guide about what to do if they do decide to dismiss, though it would be unusual.

https://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4010

I just wondered what I would be able to claim for in the mean time? Could I qualify for the housing element of Universal Credit even though my friend works full time and shares half of the rent?

Yes you should claim UC. The amount you can claim is determined by whether the friend is a partner or not.

You can do rough calculations yourself by using one of the benefit calculators like Turn2Us.org.uk or Entitledto.co.uk

Pollycat

Might be worth posting on the Employment board with more details of your work contract etc.
There's some really good people on there:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=141


Good luck

calcotti

The following remarks assume that you are sharing with your friend and are not a couple.

If you are both named on the tenancy you will be taken as liable for 50% of the rent. However the amount of help you can get with your rent is limited by the Local Housing Allowance. Note that you will only be entitled to the shared room rate.

Your UC entitlement will be the standard allowance £317.82 for a single person (if you are aged 25 or over) plus the help with rent. The standard allowance is only £251.77 if you are below 25.

Uc has a five week delay built in unless you request an advance. If you do have an advance this is repayable by deduction from future payments of UC or becomes a debt if your UC claim ends before it is repaid.

More info here https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/

If you are named on the Council Tax bill you may also be able to claim Council Tax Reduction from your local authority.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/help-with-your-council-tax-council-tax-reduction/

TELLIT01

Hopefully you are worrying unduly. Two periods of sickness, totally 8 days in two years does look excessive on the face of it. Where I worked they had 'Back to work' meetings even if you had just one day off. There were more formal meetings if you hit a sickness trigger point, which I think may be the case here.

calcotti

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Two periods of sickness, totally 8 days in two years does look excessive on the face of it.

Did you mean doesn’t?

MovingForwards

You may just be worried unnecessarily.

There will be a company policy which explains the process for sickness absence. In these types of situations you would be looking at receiving a first written warning and being advised to watch your sickness absence, any further time off will result in another disciplinary etc.

Yes, there are some right strict companies!

Just out of curiosity, what were your two absences for?