Boss says I have to work tonight or will face disciplinary.

[Partygal]

Some of my colleagues are on here so have name changed.

I work in a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year job. Everyone has to take their turn at doing the shit shifts.

As I was off over Christmas last year, I willingly took my turn to work and did Christmas and Boxing Day. It suited me as I am going to a party tonight that I have been looking forward to a lot.

My colleague who was supposed to be working tonight sent me a text earlier today saying he can’t work tonight due to illness!!! (Yeah right!) He went on to say he was just giving me the heads up to block the manager’s number.

I thanked him and said no way was I working because I’ve done my time in work over Christmas.

Anyway my boss rang up as predicted - using someone else’s phone. She first asked why everyone seemed to have blocked her number, and asked if my colleague had already told me that he wasn’t going to work that night. I denied it.

She went on to say what I already knew that he won’t be at work tonight. I told her that I would not be covering. She says no one else she has managed to speak to, can get child care at such short notice and nor can she. According to her, “it has to be me.”

I still said no. She said she would try everyone else again, and threatened me with “consequences” if I turn my phone off. She has come back and has again said she can’t find anyone else to work. She says I will face a disciplinary if I don’t go in. I told her to go fuck herself. She has been texting repeatedly every since and has just told me that I will be fired for this.

Can she do this?

”In the UK they can only fire you without reason during your probation period”

Where did you get that nonsense from? Probationary periods are completely meaningless legally. The only difference in employment rights after probation compared to before is that usually your contractual notice period goes up a bit.

Statutory employment rights in this country are purely based on length of service. It’s possible to dismiss someone with less than two years‘ service without even giving a reason, as long as the correct notice has been given, and as long as one of the list of automatically unfair reasons (mainly relating to discrimination) doesn’t apply.

My job is similar where we will be hounded to cover other areas if someone phones in sick...often meaning an hour or longer drive....you biggest mistake Op was answering your phone....i turn mine off if i suspect im going to be hassled to work.

Is there on an On call policy or overtime clause in your contract? The over 48 Hour agreement did you sign or is thus not done anymore? Length of service is still important. Your manager will likely have to carry out a full investigation upon their return and review to see if there is a case to answer, you do have the right to be accompanied, the HR team will advise the manager on next steps. Good luck keep us updated..

So what happened @Partygal ?

You will probably have to have a meeting if you sore at her but these places make you feel guilty I used to work in care and if I couldn't work I used to say and if they said well your letting your colleagues or the elderly you care for I used to say well I'm sorry but I have plans. I would apologise for swearing at her and say you were in a bad mood and maybe getting stick of your partner that you may say you could go in.

Any update?

I think the op is in a call centre, that takes calls from vulnerable clients and gets them appropriate help when they call in.
I used to work in one of these centres. I was out one night and just before I had my first drink I got a call requesting me to work a night shift. The operator had tried everyone and all had said no. Being the softie I am I went in.

The next morning when I went home I spoke to my adult dd. On hearing I had to work the previous night, she said why didn’t they try xxxxxx to cover the shift. I said it was because xxxxxx had phoned in sick that I had to work. Dd, who knew xxxxxx, said that she had looked okay when she had seen her in Wetherspoons just before midnight last night and had enjoyed the concert she had been to before that.

I was furious and phoned my manager to report it. She wasn’t available so I left a message. When I next went into work I went and spoke to manager, who said there was nothing she could do as it was only heresay that xxxxxx had been out! I said that I could get several witnesses, who would confirm she had been out, the night she’d phoned in sick, but manager wasn’t interested and didn’t even question her! Call centre was run by local council, so she was paid for the shift (with enhancement for night shift) as well! No wonder the local authorities don’t have enough money when they allow employees to take the piss like this and they still happily pay them without question! That was the finish of my helping out at short notice.

You could always deny having sworn at your boss. I doubt very much, if all her conversations are recorded.
Explain to her, in a controlled and calm voice, that yes, you do see she has a problem,. However, this is not your problem. You have booked this specific holiday for a valid reason and that you are not obliged to tell her.
Explain that if it were possible that your help could be relied upon but say that at this time, your answer will be no.
You could also tell net that the veiled threats she has made over the future of your career cannot take president over and above the fact that you have already committed yourself and have booked the relevant time off as holiday, as per your employment and

What happened, have you gone back to work since?

Gross Misconduct. Your fired....

Is your lack of response due to you being sacked? Or disciplined?

Am amused by all the pearl clutching. A naughty word ooh how unprofessional

Where you work you may all be cool - in the (professional) environment I work in, however, that would lead to a disciplinary or termination

in the (professional) environment I work in, however, that would lead to a disciplinary or termination

I’m hoping it would lead to a termination for the manager too, who was the one who swore first? OP was just retaliating. A lot of posters calling for OPs head seem to be forgetting this.

I’m always highly professional at work, and work in an environment where this kind of thing wouldn’t be tolerated. But if my manager called me a “fucking cow” you can bet I’d tell them to go fuck themselves too. Just because they hold the hallowed title of manager doesn’t mean they can get away with speaking to people however they like.

Anyway, for the love of god @Partygal come back and tell us what happened!!!

Really irks me when posters dont come back on to update...im dying to know what happened.

Back at work today. No disciplinary for me.

None of the staff wanted or could work New Year’s Eve. My boss said she couldn’t.

The shift was one person down and below the company minimum requirement. It was HER responsibility to go to work if she couldn’t find anyone else.

I have been by my union rep told she is getting the disciplinary for not covering the shift herself, and bullying staff. However, as she isn’t a paid up union member she is on her own.

You were fine until you told her to fuck herself. I am sure she will now be lining up discipline action over every little thing until she doesn't have to deal with you anymore. Why be so offensive. Sticking to no is all that's necessary. I take it this is a college job?

Wow. I can't believe you are OK with using such awful language in a work environment. And they are pandering to you.

How are they pandering? If you mean by not disciplining her when the boss had very good reason not to disclose the swearing given that she did it first and left a paper trail, that's hardly shocking.

I’m glad you’re not getting a disciplinary for this @Partygal - and I hope your manager gets a large slap on the wrist and learns from it. Bullying in the workplace is never ok - and there’s a reason why the original message giving the heads up went round - she’s clearly not liked and needs to sort her ideas out.

Glad you won't be disciplined over this but hope you'll have learned something from the incident about using very bad language in the workplace.

Is this really a place you want to continue working OP? It sounds like there is a great lack if respect for you all as people and as employees.

Glad you won't be disciplined over this but hope you'll have learned something from the incident about using very bad language in the workplace.

She didn't use bad language in the workplace...

That’s right I didn’t. I was not in work when my boss sent the text. I’m not sure but I don’t think she was either. I believe the team leader called her at home and told her there was a problem.

Good enough outcome.

They need to sort things out though because this situation isn’t going to get any better if they don’t have better organisation/rules about it all.

Do you generally enjoy your job or accept the crap it come with for other reasons? (Money/flexibility/whatever). Or is it time to start looking for another job?

I have been by my union rep told she is getting the disciplinary for not covering the shift herself, and bullying staff. However, as she isn’t a paid up union member she is on her own Just came on to say if you need a union rep in the future I wouldn't trust this one.