Could I get sacked?

[AmandaMckinelly]

I have been called in for a probationary review regarding my alleged work neglect on abandoning my work station on a particular date and for writing status on social media referring by name of my company ... Basically 3 week ago I made an informal complaint after I brought a phone of a work colleague and found messages of them talking about me in a slanderous manor and found pictures of myself they had sneakily took of me in work at the time I wrote a status on Facebook to ask my friends and family what to do with the situation in hand the status was "what do you do when you buy a phone of someone you work with and find messages of them slagging you off?" The status never mentioned where I work and I do not have my job on my profile nothing on my profile at all mentions any names of any colleuges I work with or the company I work for but in the letter it states I have used reference to company name which I have not ever on my profile mentioned my place of work .. I am now tonight writing my original complaint out and taking it with me in the meeting to tell him I do not like the way my informal complaint was handled as I never heard anything further of how it was dealt with and I am also going to the doctors to support my claims of work related stress to prove the only reason I was away from my work station a lot said day is because I am sufferering from stress and anxiety in work and can not stay still in one place because I am nervous my photo is being taken or my colleuges are talking about me supported with my formal complaint and my doctors note in accordance to my work behaviour and the fact i never mentioned the works name or colleuges names (only made a comment about the phone I had brought which is my property and what I had found on it) how do you think I will go on in my meeting? Could I be sacked? Any advice on anything I could say in my meeting I support myself? Thank you

[HappyHeart87]

Hi - sounds stressful.

My advice would be:

• don't confuse or complicate things by trying to discuss your informal complaint in this meeting. It's a separate issue (though I agree it's related).

• be as non confrontational as possible.

• explain that you were surprised to read that you are thought to have named the company on FB. Explain that you believe you've actually been careful not to name company or colleagues as you want to be professional and appropriate. Ask them why they believe you named the company.

Whether you could get sacked or not is dependent on your company's policies. If leaving your post or your conduct on FB is considered "gross misconduct" then yes, you could get sacked. If you're still on a probationary period and they believe you're not acting appropriately then it's easier for them to just choose not to continue your contract.

[LIZS]

It is going to be pretty difficult to demonstrate retrospectively. Why did you not make the complaint sooner? If they are factually correct and you said nothing at the time then your defence is weakened. Tbh they can just let you go anyway within your probation and with less than 2 years of employment.

[JustHereForThePooStories]

If your username is your real name, I'd suggest having this deleted ASAP.

[Tequilamockinbird]

I've no advice I'm afraid.

However I agree with pp, if your username is your real name, then this will not help your case and you need to get it deleted.

Good luck with the hearing, and I hope you get some advice in advance of it.

[Costacoffeeplease]

Did you tell anyone why you didn't feel able to stay at your work station at the time? It's not on to just wander off and leave it unattended if that's against the rules at your workplace

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

Why would you go through your colleague's phone? That is a total disrespect for their property?

[CotswoldStrife]

How did they find out about the FB status?

[Costacoffeeplease]

I think the op means she bought the phone, then found the messages, which is a very unfortunate coincidence

[RebootYourEngine]

Do you still have the messages and photos and the status on fb?

If so i would screen shot fb and take in the phone.

Also are phones allowed during work hours? Could you flag that up in the meeting.

[RipeningApples]

You have no employment rights and they can terminate our contract without much reason providing they follow due process.

To be honest you sound rather high maintenance and as though you are using stress as an excuse after the event. I think you need to accept this job hasn't worked out and move on.

Your post does sound as though you are struggling with yourself and the workplace and its interpersonal relationships though and I am sorry for that. I hope your doctor can point you towards some support but your employer has a business to run and his sort of stuff doesn't help it do that.

Rules of work: On time, on task, head down, don't gossip, be pleasant and grit your teeth when the fuckers get to you.