Just been sacked for the first time ever after a funeral

If it’s a small sector people will know and trust me it’ll reflect worse on your former employer. I work in a small, tight knit sector. Different circumstances but I lost my job despite being a very high performer - had received a pay rise about 9 months before losing my job because I was one of the top performing employees. Few months later, my new line manager is a manager with a solid record of incompetency and a noticeable number of people resigning once she became their line manager (like the grim reaper of jobs). I lost my job as did 9 others. 2 of us started the process towards tribunal but settled.

long story short. The organisation I worked for had (I thought) a great reputation and that I would be tainted for having been let go by them. Not the case. Their behaviour was toxic and they treated people as dispensable and other people in the sector could see it a mile off. I’m now in a role where I’ve won national awards because it’s not in the least bit toxic. You’re better off out of there, although I really know it doesn’t feel like that initially. It took me about 18 months to be over the shock of it.

Please contact ACAS https://www.acas.org.uk/
This is awful I’m so sorry for your loss I was raised by my grandparents and when I lost my grandmother I lost apart of me sending you so much love xx

Ex HR person here

Might this fit on your CV as a project and you left when the project was complete

Because that's what is sounds like

It really is shit but there is nothing you can do when you have been employed for less than 2 years they can just let you go

Sounds like it wasn’t a good fit. Not pleasant if they treat people like that. Some managers blame employees for their own shortcomings. It’s not right but unfortunately it is life.

so sorry for your loss, please be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve x

Were you on a probation period? I assume so the way they have let you go. If so, you weren’t sacked, you were let go through your probation. I know that makes no difference to you now, but it does mean that you won’t have a sacking on your record, that you seem to be concerned about

There's a new law coming in that means you don't have to be 2 years to go to ACAS or similar about unfair dismissal. It might be in place already, not sure. Contact ACAS asap or your union if you have one.

Check on ACAS website. You can also contact citizens advice. Have they given you a paid notice period according to your contract?

Deeply grateful to you @AngelicKaty 😀😇

Moving on....... 🙄

So why did you write "if"? (She doesn't have to ask "if" they will pay her PILON, politely or otherwise!)

@AngelicKaty I know !

You can’t claim for unfair dismissal if you are employed under 2 years, only discrimination, harassment or bullying,

It’s horrible and unfair.
Pick your self up, when you are feeling better, reframe it, you just worked there on a temporary basis to compete a project for them.

On a similar vein, a colleague was talking about efficiencies that needed to be made, globally.

It’s no good looking at Europe, France and Spain, they have complicated rules, the cuts will need to be made in UK and USA .

I was only commenting on one sentence of your post "politely ask if they will pay your notice ..." because you say "if". There's no "if" about it.

First of all, condolences on the loss of your gran, it's a painful bereavement at the best of times.

Your former employers haven't behaved well, although, unluckily, all above board and legal. You said you've had a couple of people contact you with pointers to a new job, so follow those up.

I wouldn't give this sacking any more headspace. In time to come, you will see it as a bullet dodged, although it's too early for that right now.

Wishing lots of luck.

@AngelicKaty I know this, thank you; of course the OP is entitled to their notice and holiday pay. In the context of having a reference provided, it's far better to be a good leaver (even when feeling aggrieved, especially if it wasn't dealt with very professionally) than to join in with the bad behaviour. It then potentially becomes self justifying for the employer (ie we made the right decision then didn't we) and may result in a negative reference or none at all.

Bad behaviour doesn't have to be retaliated, better to be professional, not join in and move on. It can be a small world with workplaces so be the better person and careful about the impression you leave behind you and look forward to working for a better employer.

Notwithstanding you've signed an NDA so can't give more detail about your case, with less than two years service you could only have brought a case for unfair dismissal against your employer if you'd been discriminated against relating to one of the protected characteristics, or if you were sacked for a reason that is defined, in law, as being "automatically unfair". Neither of these grounds apply to OP's situation. You might have brought a case for wrongful dismissal if your former employer breached your contract, but again, there is no breach of OP's contract so far (although there still could be if her former employer doesn't pay her final monies correctly).

In the UK no employee has full employment rights with fewer than two years continuous service - OP had only worked for this employer for 9 months. Consequently, she could only bring a claim for unfair dismissal if she had been discriminated against under one of the protected characteristics (as defined in the Equality Act 2010) or if she was dismissed for a reason that is defined, in law, as "automatically unfair". There is no indication that either of these apply to OP's dismissal. OP may be able to make a claim for wrongful dismissal if her employer doesn't pay her final monies correctly (e.g. PILON, holiday pay, expenses if appropriate, etc.) because this would be a breach of her contract, but any award would be limited to what she's owed.
In short, OP cannot bring an unfair dismissal claim due to the two-year rule.

@Trainingfairy "politely ask if they will pay your notice ...". OP doesn't have to ask them to pay her notice - they are legally obliged to and she can make a claim for wrongful dismissal (breach of contract) if they don't. The same applies to paying her for any outstanding holiday and any other monies she's owed e.g. expenses.

Oh come on, they’ve behaved appallingly, even if legally.

They simply cannot do this without following a proper process and giving you a chance to respond.

I'm glad you've spoken to ACAS. Please follow their advice.

This sounds like dismissal without reason and in all honesty I would be taking it further! You had your compassionate leave granted so can’t be that, all one to ones have been fine so no discussion about performance…you can’t sack someone without a reason. Please seek legal advice via a union if you have one!

I have just read entire thread

it’s gone from no issues at all to

a director having a go at the Op for supposedly being half hour late

a client complaining about the OP

*One issue was raised shortly after my gran died - that I hadn’t kept my timesheets as up to date as they should be in recent weeks. I

the op says that hasn’t been working full capacity for last month

and then a conversation about how the op felt she had too much work

all within a few months

Get in touch with employment law specialists. There’s a whole load of processes they should be following etc.
speak to ACAS and they can advise you.
Do you have any eveidence of this in emails etc?