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Should I stay?

21 replies

sophias7 · 10/10/2016 15:14

Long story short....

Started this new job in a different city. Same field, but position is quite new and it's an upgrade from what I've done before. I was really excited as pay is amazing, office type of job so Monday-Friday.

Been told training would be on the job, so no initial induction/training. Okay. So I get there, get introduced to everyone, given some rules and norms (approx. 300/400 pages, boring and nothing to understand from them).

So that's how a week goes by... no one shows me anything, no one's willing to teach me anything or even tell me what are we doing & how. Eventually they gave me some basic random things to do, (after me asking around 20 times in 8 hrs if there's anything to do for me), which is stuff that the secretary also knows how to do.
Girls in the office speak a common language which I don't (foreign myself, but don't speak that language), and overall ignore me.

Oook. So a month goes by and I get really ill, forced to stay at home on antibiotics and all the rest. I go back today and I'm told to go home (they are aware that as I'm new to role I don't get sick pay, so I am not paid at all), as I am getting everyone sick (impossible, I have been under full treatment!!), and I HAVE TO go home.

Opinions on the whole story? Upset and disappointed...yeah I know I said long story short. Sorry.

OP posts:

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LIZS · 10/10/2016 15:17

I'm confused. Have you been there a month, or worked a week then off sick for a month.Was whatever you had contagious and who sent you home?

SheldonsSpot · 10/10/2016 15:20

Were you signed of sick by your GP and have you been given a 'fit to return to work' note/approval?

Stillunexpected · 10/10/2016 15:25

Are you in the UK?

sophias7 · 10/10/2016 15:34

I am in the UK. Have been there since the 1st of September. Been really ill for a week, no one noticed and no one seemed to care as we had targets. So I had to say sorry but I need to go to the GP... it turned out I had sinusitis, therefore not contagious...

And I explained today a thousand times to my coworkers and boss that I am not contagious and I've been under treatment.
I am fit to work, yes. They insisted I look sick, and another coworker is sick so I passed on to her

I felt so so so bad... there s no way I passed anything to her...

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LIZS · 10/10/2016 15:38

What does your contract state about sick leave. Did you self certify 5 days and were they expecting you back today. Tbh it sounds like they neither need or want you there.

sophias7 · 10/10/2016 15:40

No sick pay in probation period which is 6 months...

When they hired me they were really impressed about my academic background and about me, overall...

What would you do if you were me?

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sophias7 · 10/10/2016 15:40

I was off for 7 working days so I had to GP certifiy

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LIZS · 10/10/2016 15:45

If you leave you won't get JSA etc if that is a consideration. You should have a back to work meeting , ring your manager and arrange it for tomorrow if you are fit. Also is there a probation process with reviews. I suspect they are all a bit fed up that you've been off having just arrived.

melibu84 · 10/10/2016 15:49

It is pretty standard now that you don't get sick pay within probation. My company is the same. Outside of probation, it's manager's discretion.

As you are coming back from being sick, you should be having a return to work interview. You should also tell your manager that you want to discuss your progress at work. If they refuse, take it to HR, as there should be some kind of review process and this, in most cases, would usually be monthly.

I don't think you should leave yet, unless you absolutely hate it there, of course. This is still early days, and you might find that things get better.

sophias7 · 10/10/2016 15:51

They told me to stay at home all week until I get better as they don't want me to spread bacteria around. So that's me with no pay for 2 weeks...

I found it incredibly rude. How can you send someone home sick if they feel well?

Also... how should I raise the issue that no one's teaching me anything?:(

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sophias7 · 10/10/2016 16:24

Oh jee, I bored everyone :(

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flopsypopsymopsy · 10/10/2016 21:32

Sorry, I lost interest when you said that you had to do stuff that even the secretary knows how to do....

flopsypopsymopsy · 10/10/2016 21:32

Are you normally that condescending?

JenniferYellowHat1980 · 10/10/2016 21:56

No she said that the secretary also knows how to do, which I interpreted as meaning that the secretary is the only person currently involved in training OP in any way. Also that frankly whatever it was, it was somewhat redundant as the secretary would perhaps be the person who would usually do it rather than the OP.

OP, the sick leave thing is ridiculous. Go to your GP and get a fit note and document this in some way. I am twiddling my thumbs at times in my new job too and it's a world away from the frantic pace of what I was doing before.

sophias7 · 11/10/2016 05:06

Exactly what I meant is that she showed me that particular thing and a few more, because it's only her who does it, none of the girls in my office!!

Not condescending at all.

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StealthPolarBear · 11/10/2016 05:39

You must have a line manager? They should be setting your objectives and identifying training needs

sophias7 · 11/10/2016 05:42

I do have a line manager, she's been on hols for 3 weeks and when she came bAck she told me we'll do some training but she got so busy she never came back to me...

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StealthPolarBear · 11/10/2016 05:45

I think I just wouldn't let up, keep sending her email to say you have little to do and haven't received training, and in the meantime just try to look busy. You're being very poorly managed.

Viviene · 11/10/2016 05:54

Get back to the GP in the morning, get fit to work note and go back to the office. Do you have Occupational Health where you work?
Don't leave if pay is good, look for something else if you really hate it there and wait until you find it. The 'too busy to train' excuse is probably a cover up - my guess is they don't have enough work and don't want you to find out.
Don't understand why someone here suggested your colleagues are annoyed with you because you were off so quick after starting. It's unpaid leave and they know it so it's not like you'd fake it just to get away from the office.

sophias7 · 11/10/2016 05:58

Thanks very much for your very kind replies. I left work when I actually couldn't stand on my feet.

My mom and my DH are shocked at how I'n being managed and they suggested the same thing, to go back tomorrow with a fit note and just say I didn't get training and I would like to work like everyone else, not just sit there...

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sophias7 · 11/10/2016 06:00

Probably I could have been accused that I want to get away from the office if it was paid leave. Also, health doesn't take into consideration your probation period, unfortunately

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