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AIBU?

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Original poster

Sacked after ONE day! :(

171 replies

PrankedByLife · 28/12/2020 12:24

This happened a couple of weeks ago but I still can't get over it.

After TEN years of temporary and contract work I finally got a permanent job!
£40k, permanent, 3 month probation period, in my field of expertise, directly employed with the company, no crappy agencies involved - I thought finally, after 10 years of rubbish God had finally rewarded me.

They sacked me after ONE day!!!

First he said I was over qualified and then I was too slow.

The irony of this situation is, I've never worked so hard in my first day in any job. I was hands on, got a lot done.

I emailed the owner of the business who actually hired me to let him know that the MD had sacked me and nearly two weeks on he hasn't bothered to reply.

I can't believe they only gave me one day to prove myself!!

I have to admit the atmosphere was strange the minute I got there - no one was prepared to even say hello!

Has this happened to anyone else and did you ever find out why?

I feel like I'm meant to take the scraps of jobs forever, I'm not good enough for a proper job.

OP posts:
MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 28/12/2020 15:07

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Third line of the OP says 3 month probation period. Hmm

OP, that sucks. It will be difficult for you to accept, I'm sure, but my sense is that you've dodged a bullet.

I'm confused. A 3-6m probation period is completely standard.
user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 15:07

Jesus christ Hicksville, imagine how actually tragic you have to be to plant some work history on a person's computer while they're at dinner. How could they look at themselves in the mirror without thinking about what a pathetic excuse of human flesh they are?

SVRT19674 · 28/12/2020 15:19

I think this has nothing to do with you, someone else is going to take this role, it wouldn't have mattered if you were Speedy Gonzales or worked for free. This happened to my husband, he later learnt that the boss's nephew was taken on, the recruiter didn't know, so there goes my husband to this permanent role, he was delighted, like you, only to be fired first day. The recruiter was dumbfounded. some days later called my husband and told him not to beat himself over some crap reason they gave him, the nephew got it.

BrassyLocks · 28/12/2020 15:28

@cocomarine
I would advise you to carry on looking for permanent work, and do your best to drop notions of God rewarding you...

No need to insult the OP's beliefs Hmm

user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 15:33

haha I can understand why atheists wind people right up and im an atheist.

EggnogAndAMincepie · 28/12/2020 15:34

I got sacked about a week after starting a job. It was advertised as a full time position but because me and someone else had excelled in the interview they were offering us both it at 20 hours per week. Then I got a phone call saying it was actually only a test to see who would be the better candidate and because I couldn't get as many people to sign up for a home delivery they were letting me go. To be honest I was glad. It was thee most boring job I've ever had!!! The hours were great and I got half a day Saturday and all day Sunday off but I think if I was still there now I'd have died of boredom!! My shortest ever job through no fault of my own was my local. It went into liquidation the day after I started.

user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 15:36

I went to an interview once and it went really well and was on track to get the job according to the agency, then they rang and said they'd decided to train somebody up in the family for their first job instead. I actually didnt mind, especially with them being honest about it. It was a family company and I understand they make these decisions sometimes. Its the dishonesty that makes me angry with situations like the OP

JustPassingByCarryOn · 28/12/2020 15:38

I would advise you to carry on looking for permanent work, and do your best to drop notions of God rewarding you...
No need to insult the OP's beliefs

I know. People who say that mainly like to feel so superior in their own 'beliefs'. They couldn't read it and smile/smirk/eyeroll or whatever they feel like doing and leave the OP to it. They just HAD TO tell OP to drop her beliefs, and that makes it clear they OBVIOUSLY don't believe or whatever, to show they know better.

sneakysnoopysniper · 28/12/2020 15:38

One of the previous posters suggested a "Subject Access Request". Its amazing what this can turn up.

I had a job where I was bullied (in a subtle way) from the onset. When I spoke to my line manager she said she would "monitor the situation" but in reality did nothing. Eventually I had a breakdown. They called me in for a meeting and I managed to manipulate the date so that I had been employed for a year and a few days. That gave me full employment protection (its 2 years now). They seemed unaware of their blunder and I had set up a great paper trail showing all the procedural errors they had made. Got the union involved on disability grounds and they hired a lawyer. I got 10 grand and started my own business.

The SAR was illuminating. It also showed up a couple of snitches who are now on my hit list. If you want the facts send an SAR demand.

YouokHun · 28/12/2020 15:40

@electronVolt

Sounds like a bullet dodged to me

No one judges an employees performance on the first day, it takes weeks or months. Unless you were pissed, this was some internal politics bullshit.

Yes “bullet dodged” was my first thought too. When other staff respond oddly from the moment you walk through the door you can be sure it can’t be about you as a person or your performance. As others have commented it does sound like there was some sort of internal tussle going on. Very unfair to mess people around especially during these difficult times.
j712adrian · 28/12/2020 15:47

I think you should get 'no-win no-fee' legal advice. From the sounds of it you have been unfairly dismissed under UK law.

Original poster
PrankedByLife · 28/12/2020 15:53

12:33Cocomarine

I think the one thing that you can be sure of, is it was nothing to do with you.
If there was an obvious (fair) reason to sack you immediately - say you’d turned up drunk - then they’d have told you that.
For it to be handled so oddly suggests some interval shit that you got caught up in.

I would advise you to carry on looking for permanent work, and do your best to drop notions of God rewarding you, or you not being good enough for a proper job. That’s not how it works.

I know you meant well.
However, you don't know HOW IT WORKS either.
You're just an ordinary human being.
You don't believe in God, good for you or maybe not.
My issue on here wasn't to discuss theology.

OP posts:
user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 15:57

No point getting soliciters involved. As I seem to say about 4 times a day on here, we handed our workers rights on a platter to this government because they were dealing with those nasty 'scroungers'. We have no rights now.

WildishBambino · 28/12/2020 16:16

This happened at a previous job of mine. One Director headhunted and hired someone - who resigned from his previous permanent role for this appointment - and another Director who hadn't been consulted sacked the guy two hours into the job. It had nothing to do with new employee, just willy-waving between Directors.

If you were sacked almost immediately then they can't honestly claim you failed to meet the performance criteria for your job - unless of course as others suggested you walked in and punched the MD on the nose and set fire to you desk. The fact no one would even say hello indicates they knew you were for the chop before you arrived. Your job offer had basically been rescinded and they didn't have the guts to tell you.

It may be worth talking to an employment specialist about breach of contract (and detrimental reliance if you turned down another job in favour of this one).

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 28/12/2020 16:22

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow, I wasn't confused by the length of the probation period, just flabbergasted that the first reply asked if she was on a probationary period and it was in the third line of the OP that she was.

LoveMyKidsAndCats · 28/12/2020 16:30

Something else going on there OP. They probably wanted someone internal to get the job and were not happy it went to you.

topcat2014 · 28/12/2020 16:38

Notice pay applies from day 1 so make sure you get some!

somewheresorted · 28/12/2020 16:39

Unfortunately under 2 years service and you have very few employment rights at all. Sorry to hear this OP, but have to agree that you’ve dodged a bullet here!

BubblyBarbara · 28/12/2020 16:48

Unfortunately under 2 years service and you have very few employment rights at all.

A lot of people don’t realise this but “probationary periods” don’t really exist in any useful way. Every job is a two year probationary period in terms of law.

HTH1 · 28/12/2020 17:21

“When I left he shouted out behind me, I'm so glad you were unemployed and that you didn't leave another job for this!!”

How did he sound when he shouted, genuinely sorry or sarcastic? If the former, then the job was no longer available by the time you joined but, if the latter, they more likely took a dislike to you (so could be race/class based or did you say anything which could have been controversial to the others?)

IdblowJonSnow · 28/12/2020 17:26

I've had a similar experience. Got 3 months pay out of them as I'd quit another job for it. I also felt I'd dodged a bullet.
But sorry this has happened OP. It's a shit feeling but very unlikely to have been anything to do with you. What pay have they given you? Regardless of what your legal rights are it might be worth pushing for more. I have done this successfully.

Be sure to leave an honest review of their company online...

Original poster
PrankedByLife · 28/12/2020 17:26

17:21HTH1

He sounded panicked / worried
Definitely not sarcastic
Also, shouted make sure you email me your bank details

OP posts:
BlueThistles · 28/12/2020 17:29

OP this is actually disgusting the way you have been treated.. I hope you get a response from the Owner at the very least. Flowers

Original poster
PrankedByLife · 28/12/2020 17:31

17:29BlueThistles
It's been 2 weeks and no response so far, doubt I will get one.

OP posts:
HTH1 · 28/12/2020 17:40

I would try phoning the guy who called out to you and asking him to explain what happened, it sounds like he was genuinely sympathetic and may be a bit more forthcoming than the owner has been.