…to ask what to do about my former employer trying to ruin my life any way they can for their own amusement?

You really think it's ok to request TOIL with only half an hour's notice?
You're the dumbass!

Why could you just not leave it till you finished work or call in your lunch hour? As an employer, taking time off for this would signal an employee who was not that committed to the firm when the going got tough. The cat was safe. It would have been a different story if it had been an emergency for a family member. Nowadays too many excuses are used for people who know their rights but don't accept responsibility . Time past people would just wait till they got free time and then deal with problems unless urgent. How did they survive?

Not the point tho, is it? Are you even sure the cat required 'rescue'?
But that's by-the-by; you asked for toil (bit cheeky during your probation period, you should be giving as much as you can, not counting every minute woked 'over time'.), this was refused for a reason.
You then unilaterally decided to take the time off anyway.
Quite correctly, you were let go.
Quite correctly, your manager supplied an appropriate reference
You were in the wrong and may need to explain why you were sacked at your next interview

Im a bit miffed by the cat situation, you left work without permission to visit a cat??

Can't help but feel you are being very unreasonable here OP.

You were refused the time off but you took it anyway. I would have expected to be fired for that no matter the workplace is related to MH issues.

The manager is doing what a good manager should and a phone call would have settled the matter about the cat.

Contact your previous employers HR department and explain the situation that it's cost you a job etc. if there policy Is to only give basic references ask them to contact your potential new employer.

If the OP went missing during the working day without approval, and is meant to be supporting clients with mental health issues I can see how this could be a potential safeguarding concern. What if the OP was answering the phone for any potential clients who needs the service but the OP decides that her need (ie the cat) was more important. The manager hadn't approved it therefore couldn't arrange cover etc. I know that'd not what happened but you could see how an prospective employer might view this as been a potential risk to occur again and if it's the mental health charity sector you work in.

Taking personal time with out permission is a sackable offence, in your probation period you have no employment protection. To give a basic reference they were obviously unhappy with your performance. It's not personal and it is something you are accountable for.

Going forward you could leave this job off your CV. Or ask a different staff member to be a reference.

I thought basic reference was quite common (although I work in public sector). The safeguarding comment is ridiculous as they will do a dbs if needed and if there was any safeguarding risks in your previous role it would have been a police matter. Safeguarding is not relevant to a reference.

During working hours, your time does literally belong to your employer.

If a request for toil was refused you can't just leave anyway without consequences.

Basic references are really common - but so are follow-up phone calls to get more information. There’s nothing underhand about that, it’s good hiring practice to actually talk to someone who has worked with that person.

Unfortunately, even if he said you were brilliant at your job and had excellent relationships with all of your clients, if they asked him questions around sick leave and why you left, and he answered those honestly (as he should), that’d make you too much of a risk for most other businesses.

Some will either not do the call, or take the risk. Keep applying. They’re not trying to ruin your life, but this is a learning curve. I can understand that you thought you were doing the right thing; but it wasn’t.

They sound very unprofessional. However you did not have to go to the vet to check on the cat's progress, you coufd have rung them.

I am sorry you lost the job. Just leave a gap in your cv, lots of people have time out to do other things. Try to find a job with a more professional set up and properly trained staff.

Hi
Imo taking unauthorized time off is reasonable cause for dismissal. The cat reason, I think you could have dealt with this other ways. Refusing your time owing request? Should have been raised as a grievance rather than just leaving.

Taking money from your wages and not passing it on, needs dealing with but maybe I'm misunderstanding that part.

I wouldn't include this employer in your CV or job history, and while I'm not suggesting dishonesty is appropriate, I'd probably say something like I was caring for a relative/starting an internet business/having a career break to account for the time.

Deffo consider some work on your MH.

You took TOIL that wasn’t granted. I’m not sure what you expected?

The basic reference thing is normal.

Im sorry OP but you need to sort yourself out because your replies on here aren’t helping your cause.

"I did have a few weeks sick leave spread across the 7 months so I accept this was an issue but I never even got a warning or had a formal meeting about it."

No warning or meeting required. Many employers would have released you at the end of probation for such high sickness absence, probably without giving it a second thought.

I am surprised that a basic reference is a red flag, as others have mentioned it is standard, something I think does not help anyone. I'd like to see the law changed so unless in defined circumstances you could not be sued for what you put in a reference.

I'm not sure there is anything you can do unfortunately.

Hardly 'ruining your life' is he

Your time does 'literally belong to your employer' if it is your working hours. They are paying you for your time.
Dumb indeed.

I rather suspect that there's a bigger picture here than one afternoon. The OP has mentioned already having quite a bit of absence and a few personal problems during the time they worked there. The work culture and atmosphere doesn't sound great, but OP also sounds hard work to manage. It is hard work when you've got someone in your team who is off a lot, always has lots of personal stuff going on that gets in the way of work, and needs a lot of input. As a manager, you help and support, it's your job, but it can be really draining..

OP also says they worked there 7 months and were still in probation. Granted, in some senior roles and settings probation can be up to a year. But unusual in the charity sector for it to run more than 6 months so I'm guessing it had already been extended.

Work life balance is absolutely a thing, but the word "balance" exists in that sentence and I'm guessing here that OP's employer didn't think the balance was in their favour. They may well not be a good employer and OP may be well out of there, but IME decent employers have their limits as well. I wouldn't keep a staff member on past probation who is proven not to be reliable, as that type of thing only tends to get worse, not better, once they pass probation and feel safer in the job.

Wrt the deductions you should be able to get them on that they need to pay the bill or return your money they don't get to keep that

I did have a few weeks sick leave spread across the 7 months

A few weeks leave within probation. They were looking for a reason to fire you and you gave them one.

Basic references are completely standard. Just look for other jobs.

I did have a few weeks sick leave spread across the 7 months so I accept this was an issue

OP was on probation. This latest cat incident sounds like it was the final straw. She also cited lots of reasons from her side why it wasn't good fit and she had a lot of issues with the place and people. So ultimately it's best that she's out of there.

OP, my main takeaway here is that you're not very well and everything is framed through your illness whether it's anxiety or OCD, from the plight of this cat to the paranoia about your career sabotage. Try to focus on getting help for that rather than feeding this feeling of persecution about the manager. Until you find ways to get your thinking in check, things will spiral. It's good that you're on a waiting list but don't just wait. There are good books and online resources which will help and as you've worked in the sector you just be aware of how to access other support. When you're out the other side of this you'll be able to see that this wasn't a good time for you and things got warped and out of perspective, but right now it's hard to hear and easier to fixate on this manager having it in for you, which will only exacerbate your 'devastation'. Take care and get yourself well again.

It doesn't matter what another manager may have authorised, if this was a unfair situation you escalate to their manager or follow the relevant complaints procedure. Being fired or not given a positive reference after you left work unapproved for something that wasn't life or death or even an emergency doesn’t mean they're out to get you and you're not making your situation better by not taking responsibility for your actions. Most managers would fire you for what you did, not getting through probation is never going to look good. If they were honest about why you failed probation then most employers wouldn't want to employ you. No one is saying you deserve to never be employed again, but you are achieving nothing acting like them being honest over this is them trying to sabotage you. You'd be better off posting in the work section asking how to deal best with the current situation so you can get a new job, not going off about an employer who fired you for a completely justified reason.

I can't get my head round basic reference being a red flag for new company. It's the norm, standard.

Most people would and should be … teachers, doctors, nurses etc can’t just decide I need to leave right now and too bad if my employer hasn’t approved it. Can you imagine the reaction if a teacher walked out of her classroom to check in a cat!! Especially when the issue is checking a stray cat!! If I asked my employer for TOIL to go to a vet to check on a stray cat it would be denied and I’ve been in my job for years.

😆