Just been sacked for the first time ever after a funeral

Exactly. Full employment rights aren't attained until an employee has two years' continuous service with their employer. However, all employees have some rights from day one of employment - so an employer can't discriminate against an employee on the basis of any of the nine protected characteristics (defined in the Equality Act 2010) and nor can they dismiss an employee for a reason that's "automatically unfair". From what the OP has told us I can't see her basic rights have been breached, but it's always worth having a chat with Citizens Advice as an adviser will explore the OP's circumstances fully and may flush out something the former employee hasn't realised.

Id approach your previous company to ask for a reference, as you said they were pleased with your work - so they should give you a decent reference.

Going forward if anyone asks say you were let go as others were during your time there & people weren't replaced and it was all rather unpleasant - that's honest & what has happened.

Unfortunately this is the case. You aren't able to seek a claim for unfair or constructive dismissal, but you can potentially look into wrongful dismissal which is valid at any point in your employment.

It's more a case of has the employer followed the correct procedure in dismissing you.

Sorry you're having such a shit week OP. If they can get rid of you this quickly, then they're not the type of employer you really want to be working for.

Could you contact your previous employer? They may not have filled your role yet...
good luck, when one door shuts and another opens.

Talk to ACAS anyway, although you can be let go before 2 years they have to follow their processes and it doesn’t sound like they did. If nothing else ACAS may be able to negotiate an agreed reference.

That's horrendous.

Do they have a high staff turnover.

I'm sure you feel like crap, honestly, you're better off out of the place, overworked, extra work piling on, high expectation, no compassion.

I'm sorry for your loss. 💐

Firstly I'm so very sorry for your loss.

It is cruel and heartless to sack you in the same week as your nan/stand-in mum's funeral.

Karma will get them, but that doesn't help you right now.

Many years ago I was sacked after 2 months for one typo. The reality was they just didn't think my face fitted, the office bitch didn't like me but they all liked her. She found every way to trip me up, including not telling me one morning that the directors father had just died before I went sailing into his office all cheerful. Obviously she told them she'd told me.

And they were a company that didn't know exactly what staff they wanted....they hired me to be an office manager and set up processes, then decided they'd actually just wanted an admin person.

They hired and fired just to try people out. 3 people were sacked on the spot in the two months I was there. Messed with people's lives. It had serious financial repercussions for me that had a knock on effect for many years.

But karma won, 3 months later office bitch got sacked and 2 years later the company had folded.

So hang onto that thought.

I am sure when your original manager comes back from maternity she is not going to be pleased that her mat cover sacked you.

Dust yourself down, look for other jobs and describe this one as a temporary contract, "it came to an end when a project was concluded". Which it was, you just didn't know that at the outset.

When they ask for references you can choose who you give.

A lot of places won't ask for your last reference if you're still working at the place because they understand it could be awkward, so just leave it on your CV with - present - it basically still is.

I’d try both your former manager privately and your former employer to get a simple, factual reference.

Unhelpful post @Treesandsheepeverywhere OP didn’t choose to leave, she was fired with no prior warning! Also not a given that finding a suitable new job will be that easy.

Do agree though that after the initial shock, anger etc about how you’ve been treated it’d be best to focus on job seeking.

Exactly this, and you're well off out of working for a toxic company like that. Either they're dicks or they're not doing well and will be going under themselves soon anyway.

So they are sacking people to cut costs and not making people redundant. If it was a genuine sacking they'd have replaced that member of staff.

I doubt they will replace you either - they can't afford you and its a scam sacking you instead of actually admitting to the fact the business isn't as profitable as they want it to be

I would not take this personally and please measure yourself this is a load of bullshit about your performance. They just want to save face so lay the blame on you

The good thing is you can and will get another job and then when they go under or stop paying their staff - you'll be in another job

I suspect that this isn't really about you, OP. It's just a poorly run or toxic workplace, and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ah sorry, I've done that really annoying thing of not paying attention to the OP as I was trying to figure out what conversations had been had! Apologies to everyone reading my comment and rolling their eyes at me (as you rightfully should!)

Could you approach your former employer ? They might be glad to have you back perhaps under a different title.

So sorry about your grandmother and it's horrible that you have to deal with this on top of it . Must be seem very bleak atm . But things do change and I hope at least the job front will be OK very soon.

Do you belong to a union that could look into whether you were dismissed unfairly - without due process?

As unfortunate as it is you need to move forward and get interviews booked. You can't reverse what has happened so look ahead, not behind.
Shitty time for you op, all the best, something better will work out for you.

@PrueD did your company approve the compassionate leave?

I understand this. I was devastated when my gran died in my 20s, much more than when my father died. We had a very close relationship. I was also much more close to my aunt´s husband than to my blood uncles (her brothers). He walked me down the aisle, not my father´s brothers.

V sorry about your gran and employer. Under employment law you have no recourse unless grounds for a discrimination claim, which would be stressful. Could you seek a reference from the employer, eg manager who’s on maternity leave?

Sorry for your loss OP and the job.
Not great, but as one door closes, another opens.
You left your old job for a reason, so onwards and upwards.

Being unemployed can be upsetting, but it will get better.
If your old company was sad to see you go, another will be happy to have you.