Have I been "blacklisted" from a job? Seeking reference for a new one (police)

qwertyK

So I'm 18, started what was supposedly a "part time" job (advertised as 12hrs) , and quickly didn't like it.
My manager was extremely unprofessional, blatantly rude, and hostile towards me.
She had no consideration for the fact I was also working a second job in the evenings and gave me as little as half an hour between the two (meaning I was effectively doing a 9 hour day with a 15 minute break - illegal).
She didn't take account of the fact I had a medical disabilkity with my back, she accused me of "slouching" on the till when in reality it was the most comfortable position for my back was in, I have scoliosis and being in a chair with improper lumbar support for extended periods of tiem can cause me immense pain. 
She didn't respond to this or notify the other managers.
She emailed me on my day off demanding I come intgo to fill in some forms or something online otherwise "no pay for you". I said this wouldn't be necessary as they had my bank details, as they had already overpaid me a substansial amount.
She ignored this but I went to the stor anyway.
When I get there, she tells me she "can't be bothered" to respond to my emails anymore. I asked her will i get paid or no. She says "well if you think you've given us your data,  dont worry but dont come ruinning to me when you don't get paid". So I was like "fine, i'll do these forms here but will you be paying me as this sounds like something in training and i've done a 40 minute round trrip on my day off to get here". She laughed at me and said she's "doing me af avour". whatever, i left and eventually managed to sort it out at home.

Anyway I decided I'd had enough of this, it ws meant to be a part time job and I was being treated crap. I resigned on the spot the following day with a letter and gave in my uniform. I don't beleive there was no notice period as I'd only worked there a week.

However, she told me I won't be eligible to be hired again. I don't care about that but I've already submitted my pre-employment references for the police. they say i need to give them the reference for this job. Firstly, I don't want my manager going anywhere near it because she clearly hates me. Secondly, if I have been "blacklisted" will that show on the reference? I don't want it looking bad because I'm not a abd employee, I've got loads of other references to back up the fact I'm not. 
I've tried finding a generic hr email for m&s to no avail.
Thanks

BrassicWoman

She could certainly give an accurate reference saying you resigned without notice if she chose to.

I've tried finding a generic hr email for m&s to no avail.

It took me 5 seconds to find a contact number on the internet for M&S HR, suggest you do the same.

Merlin139

0345 304 7474 M&S HR Dept

M&S will only give a basic reference and it will say you you resigned without notice. Store or Department/Commercial managers do not do references. 

NBLondon

M&S can't blacklist you for a job with the police - only with other M&S branches.  And that might be only an empty threat.  

More likely you will get a generic employed from X to Y as Role.

MalMonroe

If it's Marks and Spencer, you should go over this manager's head. First of all to report her dreadful 'managing' process and how she treats people with disabilities and then to also have a discussion about your experience there and how it's made you feel.

All employers have a responsibility to ensure that disabled employees are treated with the same respect as everyone else and that their disability is taken into account when they are carrying out their duties. It would have been good if you could have complained about her at the outset, especially where your disability is concerned because you can actually take employers to Employment Tribunals for discrimination. People often end up with quite good compensation, too.

If I were you, and if you can be bothered, I'd report this matter to Acas. 

https://www.acas.org.uk/contact

But when you do contact either HR or someone superior to your manager at M&S, ask them for a reference. It doesn't have to be from the aggressive manager (who needs a lot more training herself so that she knows how to actually 'manage' and treat disabled workers).

qwertyK

MalMonroe said:

If it's Marks and Spencer, you should go over her head. First of all to report her dreadful 'managing' process and then to also have a discussion about your experience there and how it's made you feel.

Also, employers have a responsibility to ensure that disabled employees are treated with respect, and that their disability is taken into account when they are carrying out their duties. It would have been good if you could have complained about her at the outset, especially where your disability is concerned because you can actually take employers to Employment Tribunals for treating disable

I would have but didn't think it was worth it given I was onyl supposed to be there for another week anyway.
Should I put the store address? I fear if I give the HR number they'll just call the manager etc

qwertyK

Merlin139 said:

0345 304 7474 M&S HR Dept

M&S will only give a basic reference and it will say you you resigned without notice. Store or Department/Commercial managers do not do references. 

- I don't think there was a notice period as I'd worked there less than a month?
- And considering I've passed all the application stages and only have vetting and medical to go...I think i'm mature enough thank you . This job clashed with an existing one so it was difficult to maintainarctic_ghost said:

Policing requires a degree of maturity, do you feel your a good fit?

Merlin139

A long time since I started with M&S but you are normally temp staff on weekly pay. Sure I was originally on 1 weeks notice. Give the M&S corporate address.

I do remember a college who started with me and left without completing her weeks notice after 6 months. The reference they gave her stated that she worked for the company from X to Y dates and left without completing her notice period. The reference made no difference to her and that was over 10 years ago.

Marks and Spencer Group plc
Waterside House
35 North Wharf Road
London
W2 1NW

Sandtree

qwertyK said:

Merlin139 said:

0345 304 7474 M&S HR Dept

M&S will only give a basic reference and it will say you you resigned without notice. Store or Department/Commercial managers do not do references. 

- I don't think there was a notice period as I'd worked there less than a month?
- And considering I've passed all the application stages and only have vetting and medical to go...I think i'm mature enough thank you . This job clashed with an existing one so it was difficult to maintainarctic_ghost said:

Policing requires a degree of maturity, do you feel your a good fit?

There will have been a notice period, it may have been short and they may have agreed to waive it if you had had a discussion but they typically wont have a 0 notice as that leaves them short staffed the next day.

Large companies dont allow managers to do references, far too much risk of libel which really isnt in the corporate entities interest. You could be the worst employee in the world but why risk being sued when the only person that benefits from the reference is your next employer? Even if its fully factual its a headache having to deal with someone suing you and again, no benefit to your previous employer.

More commonly a company will refuse to give a reference rather than a bad one. Many big companies will only confirm the most basic details like start date, end date and job title on leaving and will ignore all the other questions about your punctuality or relationship with team members. The only ones that sometimes gets answered is the basis for leaving (fired, resigned, redundancy) and the "would you hire them again".

The problem can be everyone knows that no reference is generally code for bad reference but without it actually being a bad reference there is absolutely no grounds for litigation. 

qwertyK

MalMonroe said:

If it's Marks and Spencer, you should go over this manager's head. First of all to report her dreadful 'managing' process and how she treats people with disabilities and then to also have a discussion about your experience there and how it's made you feel.

All employers have a responsibility to ensure that disabled employees are treated with the same respect as everyone else and that their disability is taken into account when they are carrying out their duties. It would have been good if you could have complained about her at the outset, especially where your disability is concerned because you can actually take employers to Employment Tribunals for discrimination. People often end up with quite good compensation, too.

If I were you, and if you can be bothered, I'd report this matter to Acas. 

https://www.acas.org.uk/contact

But when you do contact either HR or someone superior to your manager at M&S, ask them for a reference. It doesn't have to be from the aggressive manager (who needs a lot more training herself so that she knows how to actually 'manage' and treat disabled workers).

I was going to report it to Acas at the time but gafve up trying to get through to them in the end.
My dad works for Citizens Advice as a volunteer so was helpful.
I submitted the reference to the polcie in retrospect, as I didn't have the job at the time they asked for my pre employment checks, but apparently they still need it even after when I asked today.
Didn't put the store name as presumably M&S HR can tell them that.
Just hoping it doesn't look bad as I only worked there for a week etc and also if the reference says they blocked any future applications for me to the company, but an M&S employee I spoke to says thats standard for anyone and is only an internal thing.

Disgraceful really, yes its only a part time job but its the principle of how they treated me. I'm also on the autistic spectrum which I declared in my first interview and on the application (probably should have put my back problem down too but thought they might just reject me but did raise this to the manager later), so any abruptness on my part should be attributed to that, and unlike her I was always professional and respectful. I don't think I really need a personalised reference just one that says I worked there. I have references from school and other work which will be of good nature. I also bypassed my manager at my old Iceland job partly because he doesn't work there anymore and also I feel that wouldn't be great...I was very depressed at the time which inevitably impacted my performance.

I would consider speaking to the other managers at M&S but they usually seem to close ranks and be singing from the same hymn sheet

qwertyK

Merlin139 said:

A long time since I started with M&S but you are normally temp staff on weekly pay. Sure I was originally on 1 weeks notice. Give the M&S corporate address.

I do remember a college who started with me and left without completing her weeks notice after 6 months. The reference they gave her stated that she worked for the company from X to Y dates and left without completing her notice period. The reference made no difference to her and that was over 10 years ago.

Marks and Spencer Group plc
Waterside House
35 North Wharf Road
London
W2 1NW

My bad sent it already without the corp address but if they ask for an address I'll give it.
I did suspect they might just literally confirm I worked there.
There would have been little point in me completin my notice period as the job ended after then and considering my manager had basically literally threatened to not have me paid if I didn't come in on my own time and sort some admin thing out, I wouldn't have put up with that. 

On a seperate issue - payment.
I was accidentally mis-paid around £500 as I said which I have been told not to touch but it's still sitting in my account. Also they haven't paid me today yet I should hvave been. Tried getting through to HR but its virtually impossible.