A new chapter, An empty nest, Drama school & Last year of Uni

southern_chick

Really sorry to hear that.  Hope you get something else that fits in with you soon xx

savingholmes

Sorry to hear your news. Hope you get something that suits you better soon. Don't delay claiming benefits if you are entitled.

BellaLasagna2018

I am really sorry to hear too Spendless 

Coxy11

So sorry to hear that Spendless xx

Spendless

Thanks for support folks.

A manager came in yesterday (my bosses boss) and so first my boss, then the newest permanent member of staff who we became aware had been messaging him for some weeks. Then I was asked to go in. At first I was priased for my customer service in answering the phone, that it doesn't get done if I'm not there that previously there were complaints. I had noticed that the number of phone calls had reduced, but that's because I resolved every single call, so the customer didn't have to keep making them and having to contact higher management to get an answer. Then I was told they weren't happy that I hadn't got to grips with their computer system and because of it, they couldn't offer me anything. I pointed out I had had barely any training on the system they used and when I'd asked for some got told I wasn't allowed to do certain things because I was agency. I checked with warehouse agency lad to see if they applied the same rules there and discovered they didn't!

I asked when they wanted me to leave and got told end of week. I asked for Friday off as it's my son's 22nd birthday. He's at Uni and I couldn't see him last year on his 21st due to lockdown. We are going for a meal and bringing him back for the weekend but thought it be nice if we could go earlier Friday if not at work. I got told No I couldn't because they'd be interviewing. My reply was that wasn't acceptable to tell me I wasn't good enough for the role but they needed me to stay to find my replacement and they also couldn't stop me being off as I wasn't beholden to them, I could leave there and then. Some backtracking was then done, it was agreed I could be off Friday and an idea mooted that I work on a week by week basis to every Wednesday whilst they spoke to the agency about someone else. I said I wanted half an hour to think about it and I would tell my line manager my answer and he could let him know. In reality I wanted to ring my husband and see what he thought.

I went and rang husband from the loo and he told me to walk out. I then told my line manager what had happened and he was shocked. I told him I was waiting 20 minutes till it was actually my lunch time then I was collected my food from the canteen (I didn't care about the food, but it was in an Ikea lunch bag I love and don't know if they still sell so wasn't prepared to leave behind) then I would be walking out of a side door never to return. He printed me off a timesheet and I wrote my hours down I'd worked. I then went and told the warehouse manager that I was leaving, in the sure knowledge he'd not gossip before it became common knowledge I'd gone but he'd know exactly what had happened. Then I left for good without speaking to anyone else. I drove to my parents as they have my dog whilst I work, told them and my Dad suggested ringing the agency, which I did. My contact was very diplomatic, which I understand the company are his customer not me but did at one point say 'and I'm guessing you wouldn't go back if asked' which makes me wonder if he doesn't have high hopes of finding what I told them they're looking for. 

So back to looking but perhaps not till next week. Both kids asked me for money yesterday. Son's loan has run out which is not surprising given he gets the minimum and has been splitting it between him and fiancée who is still not working or claiming anything. They have been dipping into her savings however they are supposed to be getting married next year and this is what they were for. I don't think I've spoken much about son on here but when they announced their engagement last year I did think their timeline to a wedding was a bit too soon, given that son is still a student and neither have jobs and currently live in the digs we pay for, a situation we can't continue after son's studies are finished. I sent him some money to cover shopping but we are going to have to have a tactful word over it. 

Daughter contacted me because her course is ending so there are plans to go out. DH had offered her the £100 cashback from her halls we are owed for signing into a contract before a certain date, but hasn't come through yet. I said we could sub it to her but then just keep the money ourselves. I also confirmed we'd send over next week's grocery money but she know had to make it last. She was dropping in an application for a job she saw last week as we spoke, so fingers crossed she'll also find something.

Today is daughter's last day at her drama school. I can't believe I started this diary very upset she'd gone and now I'm sad in a few hours it's over. I spent the first fortnight she'd gone sobbing about it though the 2nd week had been caused by the ex dumping her. He remains toxic despite knowing the truth and that we're aware he added his own lies on top (for reason I'll never understand) and has made a play for any of her friends, former college mates that he was ever introduced to, including sleeping with 2/3 of them and making sure DD found out. His latest target is someone she has been friends with since she was 11, met through their drama group and considered her one of her best friends. That she has chosen ex over DD despite knowing what he has done has hurt DD so much (I got an hour phone call about it at 2am Monday night)  and I think that's another reason DD should seek to make a life elsewhere as otherwise ex can continue to infiltrate the few friends she does have

Coxy11

Gosh Spendless such a lot to unpack there. So they said you'd not got to grips with a system they failed to adequately train you on? Good on you for telling them how idiotic that sounds. I don't blame you for walking - you owe them nothing, and very cheeky asking you to stay whilst they interviewed others for your job. Good luck to them finding someone to replace you is all I can say.

So now to regroup, have a bit of family time and look for something else. Do the agency have anything else suitable? 

Hope you have a nice time with DS on Friday. Can see how the wedding plans may have to shift or drastically downsize. Can't understand why GF isn't claiming anything or getting a bar job - sorry if that sounds harsh but we are constantly hearing in the media of catering/hospitality venues crying out for staff. It would do her good to have a routine and obvs money in her pocket. I know you know all this!

DDs ex is such a piece of work. You're right that she may be better off staying put for a while and getting a job/widening her social circle where she is.

Hope you have a good day.

EssexHebridean

Spendless said:

I lost my job today.

I'll update with more details at a later point. 

Oh I'm so sorry - it sounded like things were going well, too. 

Now read your post with more details - it's entirely ludicrous that they let you go because of THEIR failures to train you, but I guess that's one of the issues with agency work, there's the perception that they can always get someone else. Good work for making sure that both the warehouse manager and the agency know how things unfolded, and good luck with getting something else. 

Honeysucklelou2

So sorry to read about your job loss - how can they complain if they never gave any training?  Hope there is something out there that is suitable.

 

savingholmes

Sounds like you have a lot going on. Definitely need to get the children to stand on their own too feet more. A constant thing I find with my young adult kids too.

Spendless

Yep you all got it in a nutshell. Let go because I'd struggled with their system because I'd had very limited training (not even 1 full day). I'd been told I'd get some - it never happened. I'd raised the situation and was told there was things they didn't want me on because I was agency. I thought (naively perhaps) that this would be resolved once they told me that either the role was to end or they would offer me something and then the training would come with that. I'd never considered  an alternative option that they'd look for someone else. Well good luck to them finding their 'superhero' that can just come in and do it all. I've spent from the following  morning chuckling to myself that I didn't play ball in the way they anticipated. 

Then the  morning after I left  I returned from walking the dog, to find another agency had rang me and on returning the call, they told me about a position with a place that is the company I've just left rival. I have an interview next week. I'll go see what they have to say.

@Coxy11 - I totally agree about the ex.
I've spent many months being upset over all this because I liked him and the face he showed to me was different to what he was doing (and DD was keeping it from me). I now agree with my friend  (Daughter's Godmother)  and believe he has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. My friend actually said he was a psychopath, because that's what she was told in counselling about her ex and she says there's loads of similarities from what I'm saying. I don't know too much about the difference, to me psychopaths are serial killers, I would say daughter's ex certainly  fills the profile of NPD from everything I've now read about it. I used to read stories in the media along the lines of how some conman robbed some older woman with their stories they believed and think surely a warning bell rang. Now I understand how it happens. I feel conned, used  deceived and manipulated by him. He would not have been at drama school  now without me and daughter in his life because his parents weren't supporting him in his applications despite working in performing arts themselves and I think this is the reason he hung around and then dumped daughter as soon as his place was secure, we had served our purpose. 

We went over to see son last night and had a meal then fetched him and his fiancée back for the weekend. DH is going to do son's gf CV but the subject of finding something to just fetch a little money in is going to have to come up.  @savingholmes - do you have any tips on how to tactfully tell the young adults they have to stand on their own two feet? 

Our mortgage statement came yesterday and matches my spreadsheet. Once we make Feb next year's payment it is gone. My CC spreadsheet doesn't match though as I thought we were paying off more than we were not knowing the amount was being reduced on what we were paying each time the balance went down. We need to wait for the statement for the new 0% CC to come through so I can update.

This has been a sense of frustration over losing my job because thanks to DH getting a bonus last month, plus my wages I had set both our back accounts straight last month with no overdraft use. With DD's studies finishing too I was looking forward to tackling the next debts. Hey ho, such is life.