Think I'm going to get the sack.

[dilly_doo]

hiya everyone,

im just really posting to see if anyone has some advice for me.
I work at a beauty salon on a saturday (basically as a cleaner/receptionist although im nvq level 2 qualified) and have always got along with the staff and my boss pretty well. Ive been working there since april last year and have been off sick once last year and was then off saturday just gone. My boss has been really nasty, i phoned her to let her know on the morning that i wouldnt be coming in but she didnt answer her phone so i left her a message and called up the salon to let the girls know. I then rang my boss twice more later on that day and she still didnt answer her phone. I was basically ringing to let her know why i didnt come in. Yesterday she called me while i was at college and asked why i was off i told her it was a personal health issue and i couldnt really explain (as i was at college) and she asked for a doctors note i said that that was ok and id get one.

Ive just rang up the doctors and they said i cant have one because i was only off one day and that i can self certificate. I rang my boss and told her the same (that i cant get a sick note, i can self cert.) she said "oh you can can you? We'll discuss this on saturday anyway...Bye" Obviously i dont know what to think. She told me yesterday that im having an appraisal on saturday to "see where we're going" and ill probably be getting a disciplinary.

Have no idea what to do im really worried because even though its one day a week i need this job, i dont get any EMA or anything to help with college.

Any comments would be appreciated thankyou xxx :cry:

 

[Issy]

You poor thing, I know how nerve racking it can be when it comes to confronting the boss. She cannot sack you for being sick so if she does terminate your contract then she needs another reason! Speaking of which, do you have a contract? I once spoke to the citizens advice Bureau about a work matter and they were really helpful. Have me all the info I needed to fight my case! Good luck with everything, feel free to pm if you need any more info XX
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[dilly_doo]

Thanks for the reply.
Yeah ive got a contract, it just says in the sickness bit that after 5 days i have to give a doctors note. I did actually see a doctor about the problem (im ok now thank god) and ive got to go back in a month. I just think that she thinks im lying. Im sure shes just looking for a reason to sack me. =[ xx

 

[1999judy]

Definately ring your local CAB and get an appointment asap x

 

[LADY STARDUST]

She cant sack you for being poorly and usually to get sacked you need a '3 strikes and you're out' rule, so she will need to give you a verbal warning first, then a written warning. Read through your contract and deffo contact CAB - they were fab with me and certain offices have employment specialists based at the office so its worth while phoning the various offices in your area to find out if there is anyone local that specialises in employment law..
good luck xXx

 

[dhb252]

Hi there don't worry you can't be sacked without a good reason and as lolliepop say's you need three strikes before you can be dismissed. Why not have a look at this site for more info www.acas.co.uk

Believe me I have dealt with this in my office job and know that there are procedures to follow before someone can be sacked.

Hope the site helps

Hazel

 

[dilly_doo]

thankyou for your replies.

I think i wil definitely talk to CAB about this and try to find another job because i think shes just gonna get worse until i leave.

thanks again :hug: xx

 

[Lynne Baker]

Erm, you can actually be sacked for being ill, but it usually has to be more often than you have been.
It comes under the heading of being "not fit to do the job for which you have been employed.
Get proper legal advice. Now.

 

[JuJu@MB&S]

Hi there,

As the others have said, please get yourself some advise... I always thought that companies had to give verbal and written warnings before a sacking... Last year my partner learned the hard way that they can just sack you for anything in the first year. He worked for a major well known company and they had him out on a phoney gross misconduct claim, the claim was false, they knew it but stuck to their guns.. We went to the CAB as we were sure that we could fight it but we were basically told, as harsh as it is, until you have been in employment for a year you basically have no rights. They can get rid of you whenever they want in that year, during your probation they can get rid of you with no warning or reason and for up to a year they can still just sack you. Yes you can take them to court and sue them, but at great cost as most solicitors wont touch it because they know it is a lost cause... But even if you do find a solicitor, who has the money to pay for a losing battle these days? Legal Aid (again as we found, will not touch such cases)... And even then if you got a solicitor and the money somehow, they said most judges will say that although it's not fair, the employers can do what they will...

Now, this is just my experience, please seek CAB advise as maybe your situation is completely different to mine... But I ask you this (as I did my partner at the time) If they sack you for this? Do you REALLY wanna work for a company like that anyway? If your boss is making you feel this day for a day off poorly, do you REALLY wanna continue to work for her... What will come next? What will you get accused of\blamed for next?

I am sure with your skills and keen-ness to learn that you will be able to get another job no problem... It might even be worth your while finding another, more understanding and fair boss to work for, whether you get the sack on Saturday or not...

Hang in there chick Xx :hug:

 

[kirsty_nails]

Erm, you can actually be sacked for being ill, but it usually has to be more often than you have been.
It comes under the heading of being "not fit to do the job for which you have been employed.
Get proper legal advice. Now.

They cant sack you for being genuinly ill, that would be discrimination! if it was me i think i'd be looking for another job rather than working for someone who is willing to treat you in this way. Hope it all works out for you. x

 

[Florriedee]

They cant sack you for being genuinly ill, that would be discrimination! if it was me i think i'd be looking for another job rather than working for someone who is willing to treat you in this way. Hope it all works out for you. x

They can sack you if you have a pre-existing condition that means that you are unable to do the job but that only countsw if you didn't declare it. If you did declare it then it is their lookout for employing you in the first place. If you subsequently conract an illness they can also sack you but only if you are off work for more time that you are in work within a given timeframe. IYKWIM.

 

[Minnie_uk]

How did you get on when you had your appraisal on Saturday???

 

[lucyann]

your boss can't demand a sick note if you were only sick for one day, if your ill (or believe your going to be ill) for more than 3 days, you need a doctors note, and after that I think you get statutory sick pay. But in my experience, when I was off for a week last year because I had a blocked saliva gland (the left side of my face was very swollen and looked AWFUL!) The doctor wouldn't sign me off work, I had to sign myself off.
I thought that its a 3 month probabtionary period where you can get sacked without following the discinplinary procedure? not a year? or was that to do with gross misconduct? but even then an employer has to prove it.

I hope you got on ok, but like everyone else has said, I would definatly look elsewhere for another job, some people can be so nasty

 

[Lynne Baker]

Your boss CAN demand a sick note if they so choose, and if your GP won't provide you with one you can pay for it.
Under current employment law your services can be dispensed with without any reason if you haven't worked there for a year. They don't have to prove anything at all. They can just say goodnight and thank you.
Your only hope of any redress would be if you could prove that discrimination had taken place, either sex or disability.

 

[Susie H]

Your boss CAN demand a sick note if they so choose, and if your GP won't provide you with one you can pay for it.
Under current employment law your services can be dispensed with without any reason if you haven't worked there for a year. They don't have to prove anything at all. They can just say goodnight and thank you.
Your only hope of any redress would be if you could prove that discrimination had taken place, either sex or disability.

Unfortunately this is spot on. That said what I imagine happened is that the boss didn't get the message and had I seen this thread before the Saturday I would have asked if she had a record of her call attempts and her call to the salon. i.e. on her mobile phone log. I would also have advised her to have told her boss straight of that the reason she didn't want to say why she was of when they spoke on the phone was because the call could be overheard, and then to tell her boss the exact reason she was off.
All that aside whatever has happened, has happened and hopefully its all sorted now and her boss realises that she wasn't being taken advantage of.

 

[dilly_doo]

Thankyou all for your replies :hug:

I went in work last sat and my boss came into work, we had i chat and i told her why i hadnt come into work (she didnt believe me at first btw lol) and weve sorted it out, but shes said that next time ill be getting a disciplinary and im having my appraisal in a few weeks now instead.

Im looking for a new job now anyway because as well as the fact that i feel like i cant be myself there. its just too far for me to keep travelling to as i dont drive. And because it costs me as much money as it does to get there, because its so far, it means i cant really work the extra hours i could do. Im going to have a hard time finding a new job now aswell anyway because of the credit-cruch so ill have to keep this one on for now just for some income.

Thankyou all again for your advice

xoxo

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I really feel for you :hug:. This seems very unfair and your boss's behaviour is uncalled for. If you work hard, well and honestly and have only had 2 separate sick days in the past several months, then this is hardly call for disciplinery action.

 

[fiona01406]

She sounds like a total bitch!!! Find another job, I know things are difficult but your'd be way better off getting out of her claws. Best of luck.

 

[Peter Pan]

She sounds like a total bitch!!!

and most of us have one of them :hug: