Being used at work

Unwell2023

Hi,

I'm so sorry I could really use some advice - I understand in advance if I got called rotten things. 

I feel horribly used by my temporary employer and come to a point I don't feel I can afford to be in my current job.  I've had less then 7 days holiday to cope with whereas a temp has had nearly 7 weeks on the same salary for less hours. That was the first time I felt used covering 3.5 weeks before Christmas.  

The other temp has loose lips and feeds me what the manager should be telling me. 

After sitting yesterday in the office and with my manager still not saying a word, I had to suffer hearing the conversation about one of the returners with a complete other member of team who is from a different department.
I've asked a direct question today to try and establish if I should be on notice after all I hold a contract with an expiry date of 31st March, My manager just said 'we're in talks about that'.

It also gripes me the manager is holding back as they desperately need cover for next week to the point I'm making a swift recovery after a GA or hoping for a cancelled op and added to that illness discrimination based on results in 6 weeks time. 

The person coming back has had the big c after nearly 6 months out of the business - I've done my bit, they want to come back to work stating finances and seem raring to go, but I can't feel anything other then I'm a useable lame duck for how they may or may not pan out, added to the fact there is just about enough work for one not two.

It's just frustrating to know if I have the c, I'll be dropped like a hot jacket potato.

Please has anyone been in the situation? I really want to avoid an argument either before or close after surgery. My intention is come the 11th March with still no answers to say here is my notice. 
Can I expect to leave 31st March with no penalty?

DullGreyGuy

So there are two temps in the story, yourself and another person? There also seems to be something about someone returning after extended medical leave? Not clear if they are a temp or perm?

I'd be surprised if any temp has 7 weeks paid leave and so if they have taken that amount of its most likely that some of that is unpaid. Similarly you say you've only taken 7 days but dont say if thats because you couldn't get anything else approved, couldn't afford it (not all temps get paid leave) or something else?

It's hard to tell from the story, and not to be "victim blaming", how much is a real issue, how much is just unfair and how much is caused by who you are. As a permie I rarely took holiday because always concerned what was going to happen whilst I was away whereas others bought extra holiday and took it all... that was a me thing not a company thing though. I could have had more time off just never asked. 


Ultimately if you aren't happy it doesn't really matter for this job, you can either hand your notice in or just refuse to accept any extension offered and your contract will naturally end after its fixed term. When you are away from the heat of the situation it would be good to be retrospective 

Grumpy_chap

I find the situation somewhat difficult to follow so I will comment on only one specific part:

Unwell2023 said:

I've asked a direct question today to try and establish if I should be on notice after all I hold a contract with an expiry date of 31st March, My manager just said 'we're in talks about that'.

When working on a temporary / contingent worker contract, it is quite common that any extension (or otherwise) runs to be a last minute thing.
The company are under no obligation to offer further work.
The individual is under no obligation to accept further work.
I would take the "we're in talks abut that" as a positive sign that, your Manager at least, would like to keep you for longer.

It is not clear whether you are hoping for an extension or simply had enough and wishing to move on anyway.

Unwell2023

Had enough.  As the only thing I did say this morning was I'd prefer they kept the other temp over me. (the other temp does another role and has been for last couple of months, but technically same title as me and we are in the same boat of not knowing)  

Thank you.

Unwell2023

It just gets to me in the past I got penalised for not adhering to the full and proper notice, loss of holiday pay etc etc so I'm stickler that agreements are kept to as much as possible and genuinely don't want to be the fall back option to the other temp who has a lot of time off or the person coming back to their job as they rightfully are entitled to, but who may not be entirely fit for work. 

I have another job to go to but it is on condition of passing a medical and the checks are already delayed. 

Unwell2023

that was a me thing not a company thing though. I could have had more time off just never asked. 

I've never been able to let go of the guilt, to me I am here to cover a job for a reason.

I am the main one to answer all phonecalls and have spent 5 days of annual leave as single days covering appointments.
I'm honestly not kidding about the other temp - sick days, leave booked before starting job etc.

I recently have been glad of eventually taking the 1 dayers off because that lead to having more work on return.

I was really disappointed how they treated the upcoming surgery and need for time off. 

There is a HR but they seem to be staying out of it.    

Grumpy_chap

So, the OP currently has a contract until 31st March.
That contract may, or may not be extended.
The OP is looking to move on regardless and has another role lined up.

It might be that the best thing for the OP to do is to formally advise the Line Manager that they will stay and work the current contract but are not seeking an extension beyond that.
The open question that seems to have been asked this morning could back-fire if the Line Manager is now working to secure the OP for a contract extension, but the OP later says they don't want it regardless.  That is not really being fair and is burning bridges.

Unwell2023

Fine boo hoo the job was meant to end December! The charity is in financial difficulties, claims belt tightening and claims to care about mental well-being but I’ve now also burnt bridges with the company I temp’d before the current place as due to all the messing around in getting vague answers, I can’t cover their receptionist in the near future costing me what was a good referee/source of work.

My Manager is friends with the temp and I think the problem is she can’t make the transition from thinking we’re her friends to being management.  She must know that everything she repeats to her temp aka friend is being feed back to me so yes I very much find it difficult to end up having conversations in front of me on things she has never briefed me about.

I’m going to write a letter and hand it in to HR as I really dearly hoped for answers today.

Thanks for supporting employers doing whatever they like and breaching their own terms.  

I regret I’m at the end of my tether of it and no I don’t want to accept for the third time hearing only the day before. I have a new job that may fall through and with little to no rights as a temp so I’m struggling to understand how I’m a winner in any of this.

housebuyer143

Unwell2023 said:

Fine boo hoo the job was meant to end December! The charity is in financial difficulties, claims belt tightening and claims to care about mental well-being but I’ve now also burnt bridges with the company I temp’d before the current place as due to all the messing around in getting vague answers, I can’t cover their receptionist in the near future costing me what was a good referee/source of work.

My Manager is friends with the temp and I think the problem is she can’t make the transition from thinking we’re her friends to being management.  She must know that everything she repeats to her temp aka friend is being feed back to me so yes I very much find it difficult to end up having conversations in front of me on things she has never briefed me about.

I’m going to write a letter and hand it in to HR as I really dearly hoped for answers today.

Thanks for supporting employers doing whatever they like and breaching their own terms.  

I regret I’m at the end of my tether of it and no I don’t want to accept for the third time hearing only the day before. I have a new job that may fall through and with little to no rights as a temp so I’m struggling to understand how I’m a winner in any of this.

Temps don't really have many rights... Have you considered getting a permanent position as clearly you don't seem to get on with temping? 
I can't really understand your posts in terms of the issues apart from other people take more holiday than you and that annoys you? It might just be they have realized that life is more important than working so prioritize this rather than dragging themselves into work when they are ill etc.

Unwell2023

Thanks, yes I’ve got a 12 month role lined up as hybrid remote if it happens which I consider better value rather then here is another month or two or a fortnight or whatever else, ‘as apparently I’m not being fair on the current employer’ for wanting just a bit better then this for myself.  No wonder this forum exists for sad and down in luck stories.

And yes I checked the 12 months wasn’t covering sickness!!

I have tried for more perm work but in a recession and these times that has proved harder to obtain as numbers applying for these are in the hundreds and I wasn’t feeling very attractive as a temp with a month’s notice.

Once back to good health or beating whatever I have to, I’d prefer to be out of temping. End off.

Unwell2023

housebuyer143 said:

Unwell2023 said:

Fine boo hoo the job was meant to end December! The charity is in financial difficulties, claims belt tightening and claims to care about mental well-being but I’ve now also burnt bridges with the company I temp’d before the current place as due to all the messing around in getting vague answers, I can’t cover their receptionist in the near future costing me what was a good referee/source of work.

My Manager is friends with the temp and I think the problem is she can’t make the transition from thinking we’re her friends to being management.  She must know that everything she repeats to her temp aka friend is being feed back to me so yes I very much find it difficult to end up having conversations in front of me on things she has never briefed me about.

I’m going to write a letter and hand it in to HR as I really dearly hoped for answers today.

Thanks for supporting employers doing whatever they like and breaching their own terms.  

I regret I’m at the end of my tether of it and no I don’t want to accept for the third time hearing only the day before. I have a new job that may fall through and with little to no rights as a temp so I’m struggling to understand how I’m a winner in any of this.

I can't really understand your posts in terms of the issues apart from other people take more holiday than you and that annoys you? It might just be they have realized that life is more important than working so prioritize this rather than dragging themselves into work when they are ill etc.

All very well until someone’s large holiday allowance or sickness requires a cover.

It is my belief the Manger is absolutely being answerless and holding off because they cannot spare me being off ironically and I image if they’d said here is notice when they were supposed to that would make me look after myself even more. Even last week I was asked if I could return on a Tuesday after having a general anaesthetic on the Monday afternoon.

Nuts.