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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sacked without a reason.

99 replies

Atmywitsend29 · 28/11/2021 03:17

DH started working for a small, local and brand new business in our village. Full time, he worked hard, never had a complaint from a customer.

He turned up for work Thursday and was told he had been sacked. Immediate dismissal. No notice. No warning. And he has still been given no reason as to why! He asked and was told he'd receive an email, he never received an email. And was removed from the group messaging moments after being told he'd been sacked.

DH didn't have a contract, the business owners were "working on it" (business only been open 3 weeks, DH been working there since just before opening).
Which I know means there's nothing he can do.

Not really sure I have an AIBU now I've typed this out (I already know it probably would BU to march down there and demand they tell me why they've done this to a man with kids, a month before Christmas, a week after their late payment of his wages caused us to miss rent) but more of a stark warning really.... Never ever ever ever work for someone without signing a contract. No matter how nice they make themselves seem.

OP posts:
Emelene · 28/11/2021 03:20

I’m so sorry OP. What an awful way to be treated.

Original poster
Atmywitsend29 · 28/11/2021 03:21

Thank you.
We have a lot of other life stresses right now, and this has just been the cherry on the cake.

OP posts:
VashtaNerada · 28/11/2021 03:22

It’s just awful but since the Tories changed the rules, it’s completely legal. Happened to me years ago. I was working somewhere for a year, thought all was fine, and then called into a meeting and asked to leave. I never got a reason which made it all the more difficult to deal with. I hope he gets a new job soon with someone who actually treats employees with respect.

Goneblank38 · 28/11/2021 03:23

Oh OP, I'm so sorry. That's awful. I don't blame you for being furious and upset. Will you and your family be okay?

Marianne1234 · 28/11/2021 03:23

That’s terrible.

The signed or unsigned contract makes no difference, however. An employee with less than 2 years’ service has no right to claim unfair dismissal. The right to claim discrimination is a day one right, but he would need to be able to connect his dismissal to a protected characteristic e.g disability or race.

Goneblank38 · 28/11/2021 03:24

Just wanted to add that it drives me crazy when employers don't acknowledge that the people they employ are real and complete people and dicking them about has real and meaningful consequences.

Original poster
Atmywitsend29 · 28/11/2021 03:27

Christmas definitely won't be what we'd planned this year. He's trying to find a job that pays similar and he can start asap, fingers crossed he finds one soon. As I'm sure you understand, the longer he's out of work, the worse the situation gets.

vashtanerada I'm sorry to hear that. I think you're right though, it's so much harder to deal with or understand when they didnt even give a reason.

OP posts:
NataliaSerene · 28/11/2021 04:05

They have only been open 3 weeks? I suspect they my already be insolvent. Ask him if they seemed to know what they are doing? Because letting someone go this way makes them sound inept at running a business.

Rangoon · 28/11/2021 04:07

The late payment of wages suggests that they are in financial trouble. I suspect they fired your husband to save on the wages bill and didn't even want to pay for the rest of the week or have the unpleasantness of admitting that they were having to cut costs. They are probably about to go bust though. I imagine firing somebody without reason a month before Christmas won't do their reputation in the village any good either ...

colourfulpuddles · 28/11/2021 04:11

A contract wouldn’t have made a jot of difference.

An employee under 2 years service can be fired for any reason (including no reason, barring discrimination of course).

MiddayMass · 28/11/2021 04:16

They can’t afford him. It’s common with start-ups.

My husband’s friend tried to start a business a few years ago (it flopped, never really took off) and he tried to hire people on Indeed stating in the job ad that if they joined now, they’d eventually get a wage once the business started profiting. The saddest part is that some desperate folk actually applied, usually those who seemed otherwise unemployable (terrible CV’s, illegal immigrants, ex-cons etc).

Original poster
Atmywitsend29 · 28/11/2021 04:22

He did say to me they didn't seem to know what they were doing, or how to run a business.
The staff haven't had any necessary training for fire, h&s etc.
He was their only employee hired who could do that specific role, they recently hired a new person part time who could also do that specific role. I wonder if that person wanted to be full time tbh.

He's the only one who has been sacked.

Do you know Rangoon, horrible as I may sound, I hope so.

OP posts:
Werehamster · 28/11/2021 04:24

I agree with the others that it does sound like they are having money troubles and couldn't afford him. It's crap though how they handled it.

I hope he finds a new job soon.

MiddayMass · 28/11/2021 04:24

I bet they’ve realised they can’t afford somebody doing his role full-time so they’ve got somebody in part time to do it.

It doesn’t bode well, I give them a month.

Original poster
Atmywitsend29 · 28/11/2021 04:36

That makes me wonder now if one of them will take over his job on the days the part time person is off...

He did say they said there was bad feedback, but less than a week before they were congratulating him on a good job, saying they'd had really positive feedback and asking him to work on his day off Hmm I personally think that's a cop out.

OP posts:
SinoohXaenaHide · 28/11/2021 04:48

I think the lesson to learn is m0re about never taking employment with a new startup business rather than it being about the lack of a contract. A contract would not have given much protection here. However, a huge number of startups fail and those that don't will tend to have a rock first few months.

Did your DH give up stable employment elsewhere for this job? If he's only been gone 3 weeks they may not have replaced him yet - could he go back?

Original poster
Atmywitsend29 · 28/11/2021 05:01

Yes he did (give up stable employment elsewhere) but he wasn't happy there anyway, and they've already filled his position.

It shocks me that even with a contract you can still be dismissed just like that with no reason!

OP posts:
colourfulpuddles · 28/11/2021 05:08

It shocks me that even with a contract you can still be dismissed just like that with no reason!

Only for up to 2 years, and it makes sense. If it isn’t working, employers should have the right to just say so.

Original poster
Atmywitsend29 · 28/11/2021 05:16

I've always worked jobs with a pre agreed probationary period, and a contractual notice period. For example my probation is 6 months, my notice period is a week (for me and the company) until I complete my probation, and then it's 1 month for me and for the company.
Personally it seems completely outrageous that a company can just sack someone on the spot, not give them notice or reason, and they could have been a loyal hard working employee for 18 months!

OP posts:
violetbunny · 28/11/2021 05:31

I really think he should call ACAS - it's free.
He doesn't need a written contract - by accepting the role he has a contract, just not in writing:

www.gov.uk/employment-contracts-and-conditions

He should also check they have followed their legal obligations in terms of paying him for his notice period.

R0tational · 28/11/2021 05:36

No advice, just sympathy Sad
I hope luck is around the corner for you.

nannynick · 28/11/2021 06:20

If he has worked there at least a month, then he has a right to one week of notice pay - statutory notice. If he does not get that, then he could raise a Wrongful Dismissal case.

It may not be worth going to court over but if statutory notice is not paid then it may at least be worth a letter to the company director. If it is due to financial reasons, then it can be hard to get them to pay... no money, can't pay.

Maybe this gives him the opportunity to do something else, something he likes doing.

BritWifeInUSA · 28/11/2021 06:30

Although you are very upset now, and it is awful just before Christmas with a family to feed, one day you will realize how he dodged a bullet here. Something better will come along - it can’t get any worse than late wage payments and being fired without reason just before Christmas.

tallduckandhandsome · 28/11/2021 06:40

Has he been paid for the 3 weeks and the holiday?

MrsLargeEmbodied · 28/11/2021 06:42

something will turn up op.
tighten your belts, it will be ok

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