Hello 👋,
Posted this in the Work chat but didn't get any response. Seeking a bit of advice here.
I started a new role 14 weeks ago that has a three month notice period. The contract wording is:
"Your probationary period is specified in section X (which says 3 months). Should either you or the company wish to terminate your employment during your probationary period, the notice required will be one week. Your probationary period may be extended at the direction of the company."
The notice period beyond probation is 3 months.
So this week my manager informed me that my probation was to be extended, 2 weeks after the 3 month probation period.
I have to be honest I was completely blindsided by this as I have a weekly 1-2-1 with this person and there has never been anything negative raised. Yet at my last meeting they announced that they still needed more time to decide, and in particular I needed to finish a strategy document, and a few issues with my "engagement" and "not being bubbly enough". Again, nothing along these lines has ever been raised in any of the 12 previous 1-2-1s.
As for the strategy document I was told to put it to the side for a few weeks to focus on bigger projects that had tight deadlines. I was never informed that passing my probation was contingent on completing this strategy document. In fact the opposite, I have been told that it is not a priority. If I had been informed of the consequences on my probation I would have worked a lot more extra hours. I'm also just shocked that there have been any issues with my performance or attitude as this has never come up before.
I now have a few questions as a one week notice period is extremely stressful.
I basically want to know if they are able to extend my probation period after the deadline has ended, and with no prior warnings or written confirmation. I have still not been asked to sign anything and some of the feedback, like being "bubbly" and "engaged" feel a bit like subjective measures to improve on rather than concrete achievements, and again these issues have never come up before. So it is not a clear performance improvement plan or official document and I don't want to be blindsided again.
I am also wondering if they do try to sack me if I am entitled to three months notice/pay. I have been looking at other cases and it does seem to me that they have to inform you before the probation period has ended if they are going to extend. Also, my contract does not say I need verbal or written confirmation when this period has passed so it feels like this is done automatically.
Any advice? Thanks.