Job loss and DMP

PM22

I have been today told at work that I am facing performance management or I can leave!

I am 2 years into a DMP...

If they sack me at the end of the performance management, will I get the dole?

Im very worried....what will happen to my DMP?

fatbelly

A debt management plan is an informal arrangement so if you can't afford what you initially proposed, then you pay less, or nothing.

Your benefit question is best answered on the benefits board as it's not a yes/no answer and has no relation to the dmp

You may also want to discuss your employment issue on the employment board

I can understand how upsetting this is, but you need to devote most of your attention to the employment issue.

2021rdsunshine

PM22 said:

I have been today told at work that I am facing performance management or I can leave!

I am 2 years into a DMP...

If they sack me at the end of the performance management, will I get the dole?

Im very worried....what will happen to my DMP?

To be eligible for New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) you’ll need to have both:

• worked as an employee
• paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years (National Insurance credits can also count)

You will not be eligible if you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions, unless you were working as a share fisherman or a volunteer development worker.

You’ll also need to:

• be 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 or 17 - contact Jobcentre Plus for advice)
• be under the State Pension age
• not be in full-time education
• be available for work
• not be working at the moment, or be working less than 16 hours per week on average
• not have an illness or disability which stops you from working

I assume that you have a DMP with one of the free providers like Stepchange? If so you just inform them of your situation and they will stop the DMP until your circumstances change. If you are doing your self managed DMP you can write to your creditors and tell them that payment will be stopped until you can get another job. 

EssexHebridean

oh I sorry to hear your news PM22 - hopefully it won’t come to that.

one thing that could affect your ability to access benefits is savings - do you still have the balance of the money from your house move that you were going to use for making Full and Finals? Not sure how much that was, but it would be worth checking whether it will affect anything. 

elsien

The dole doesn't exist. There are various benefits you may be eligible for. Most are means tested and depend on your specific circumstances. You can ask in the benefits board or use one of the caucus such as turn2us.
As above though, concentrate on the performance issues for now because of you can sort that then your question may become irrelevant.

PM22

I've decided I'm not going back. I'm not setting myself up for failure as they will just say I didn't improve. I've just managed to get an interview for Monday at 11

EssexHebridean

PM22 said:

I've decided I'm not going back. I'm not setting myself up for failure as they will just say I didn't improve. I've just managed to get an interview for Monday at 11

Ok - back the truck up a bit. Just walking away puts you in a very poor position - you are voluntarily making yourself unemployed. How long have you been in your current role?

Do you have three months priority expenses set aside in an emergency fund to tide you over? That money from the house move perhaps -  as you refer to still being in your DMP I assume you have not managed to progress the F&F’s yet? 

I would agree that them telling you their intentions on a Friday - presumably ahead of two days when you would not be at work - was unfair and unkind of them - and I think you would be quite reasonable in politely but firmly pointing out that is poor practise - particularly as I assume that they are aware of your mental health struggles? 

They should have given you a list of points that require addressing - you don’t need to go into detail but are those points valid, or not? If not, then again, you should be able to appeal that.

Generally you will be expected to explain to a future employer why you have left or are leaving your current role - and remember this needs to stack up with what an employer might say. Your existing employer cannot say anything about you in a Reference which is untrue, but if you have simply walked away leaving thrm in the lurch, it’s very likely that the word “reliable” will be notable by it’s absence. 

Take a breath, hold your head high, walk back in tomorrow morning at your usual time and ask for a meeting with HR and/or your line manager to address moving forwards. If you still decide to leave, all well and good, but doing something as a knee-jerk reaction because they have hurt your feelings and left you feeling embarrassed isn’t a good next step, not least as being able to pay ones priority bills is always preferable! 

PM22

We don't have HR or a line manager, we are a small dental practice of 21 people. The two bosses and the manger just want me out so I'll go.

I have no money in an emergency fund. I have called off my house sale and purchase.

I just need a reference from any number of good jobs I have had in the past and I'll be fine.

Got an interview on Monday at 11 so will see how that goes.

Dentists are very underhand. I don't trust them and I'm glad I never disclosed as they make lots of bipolar jokes.

sourcrates

I would wait until they sack you, rather than walk out, at least you can claim benefits straight away if you are sacked.

Might be a tad awkward, but by making them sack you, you can leave with your head held high, maybe take them to a tribunal if you think it was unfair, don`t just walk out, that`s exactly what they want, don`t give them the satisfaction.

ManyWays

I suggest turning up with your head held high and also starting job hunting immediately

EssexHebridean

You understand that if you simply walk out, you will be entitled to no money in lieu of notice, and more to the point, you probably won’t be able to claim benefits either. 

Not having a reference from your most recent employer is going to be a massive red flag for any new employer.

With no emergency fund, how are you intending to pay your priority bills at the beginning of February? I assume a short month from your current job will not lease you with sufficient funds to cover everything?

if you say they want you out, then why not ensure that you walk away having cost them money?  I think we all underway you feel like walking away, but you really are hugely disadvantaging yourself by doing so. 

You really need to take a breath and deal with this rationally. 

Edit to add - you are also getting good advice on your other thread relating to seeing your Gp to get signed off. Something I would point out is that your employers are going to know that you are well aware of their callous approach to joking about bipolar - if you were indeed to disclose that now it is likely to make them EXTREMELY careful how they deal with you going forwards. You may not choose to stay long term, but you may as well get as much from it as you can in the meantime - and just walking out isn’t going to get you there. At the least you need to be able to cover your basic priority expenses otherwise you are going to add worrying about that to your other stresses.