…to ask what to do about my former employer trying to ruin my life any way they can for their own amusement?

[Renegader]

Hi MNers,

Unfortunately back in September I was dismissed from my job due to failure of probation. This was the next working day after I took a few hours off which I requested TOIL to go the vet to seek an update on the cat I rescued from outside my workplace. My manager whom was very controlling and acted angrily to any kind of challenging of his ‘authority’ used this as a reason to fail my probation and dismiss me immediately. I sought legal advice and was told as I was in probation there’s not much I can do, even though I wasn’t even on a warning nor did I commit any kind of misconduct.

My weasel of a manager calls me after the charity manager dismisses me saying he was having a stressful day and didn’t think his boss would actually fire me even though he blew the cat situation out of proportion and knows she is very harsh. He said to give him as a reference for any future jobs and that he is so sorry about everything, so that’s what I did.

Fast forward to today and I get an email from a job I was due to start in a few weeks saying they are withdrawing the job offer as my former manager would only provide a basic reference thus raising a red flag for them. This was when he said he would give me a positive reference. I was good at my job and my clients I supported were very happy with me.

I have been in tears for most of the day, feeling completely powerless and hopeless about my future. Am I going to be blacklisted from this sector because I did a good deed and stood my ground about it? I need a job, this cat is expensive and I feel like my former manager and employer are trying to ruin my life. Because of their inept Payroll team I am also having my Universal Credit slashed by 20% as my employer took a Direct Earnings Attachment from my salary for a previous DWP advance then appear to not have actually sent the monies to HMRC as DWP told me they have no record of it despite the deductions being on my payslips. So, in conclusion, they sabotaged my employment with them, my benefits whilst out of work and now my future employment prospects. The most laughable thing is they are supposed to be a mental health charity but are doing everything in their power to push me to despair! Any advice on how to overcome this would be much appreciated, thanks in advance.

Was the TOIL approved?

How long were you there? If less than 6 months I wouldn’t even list them as an employer on application forms and just have a reason for a gap in your employment history.

No, he was refused it even though I had leave available and no appointments at that time.

Is it normal in your sector to provide references like that? Where I work it’s standard to give and receive basic ones. I suppose my question is a) will all future employers feel the same and b) can you leave it off your cv in future?

It was just over 7 months which seems like a longer gap especially as it will turn into a year most likely now I can’t start this new job as planned.

Many employers have a policy to only give basic references, so I'm not sure why this would be a red flag. could you ask them if they will accept a reference from another employer (the one before that) or a character reference?

I don’t know to be honest, this is only my second job in this sector as well as some past voluntary experience. I have also never had a job offer withdrawn because a referee didn’t elaborate and provide a detailed reference so it has completely blindsided me and is making me feel like I won’t find work again.

Best thing really is to just bite the bullet and go on to apply for as many job vacancies as possible. As a pp said, leave this particular toxic ex-employer off of any future applications

OP, kindly, you need to forget about this place and move on. It doesn't sound like they're deliberately trying to ruin your life!

Quite frankly, if someone asked me for time off and I said no, for whatever reason, and they took it anyway they'd be gone pretty quickly! Going to the vet in person to get an update doesn't sound like something I'd class as an emergency either...

The basic reference is all plenty of companies are allowed to give. We have a policy in my workplace that we are to forward all requests to HR admin, and never complete one ourselves.

And it's frustrating, but payroll messes up. Often.

It sounds rough, and I hope you find something else soon, but I don't think the company is out to get you. Hopefully you'll have nothing else crop up with them, and find something better suited to you soon 💐

I know I’m missing the point but…

Surely you could have just phoned the vet during your lunch break?

Apart from the vet visit that specific day, how many hours of your work day had been spent on the rescue?

Do you asked for paid leave, were told no, and left anyway?

My employer have a policy of only giving basic references. Many do.

Well you were a fool to take the time off anyway, especially for such a silly reason (you could have phoned in your lunch break) and during your probation period. I think a basic reference is about all you can hope for under the circumstances.

Wait your request for time off was denied and you took it anyway?!?! What were you thinking? No wonder they fired you.

Re the benefits, has the company deducted the money from your pay but not sent it to DWP? I've never heard of a deduction of earnings by the DWP, but keeping your money sounds pretty serious.

My old employer did and my new employer (a sector of a county council, so not a small family company or anything) were very suspicious of this and said they had never come across it before! The woman I spoke to on the phone was really funny about it when I said it was common in many industries...

Did you not have phone signal at your workplace?

Surely you would have called the vet for an update, not gone to visit the cat?

I think it was a bit unwise to take a few hours off work during probation period to check up on a cat you presumably didn't know at that point or have any relationship tbh. Why didn't you just call after work or on a break? You can't just disappear for a few hours for spurious reasons when you're new in post and expect no consequences. A silly thing to do but hopefully a lesson learned, although you seem to not really recognise it.

That said, some places only give basic references as a matter of course anyway. Can you ask if they would accept one from previous employers instead?

You left work without leave and not in an emergency so failed your probation and now you think your previous boss is ruining your life in any way he can because he supplied a basic reference?

Is this a reverse?

I dont believe this is true. I dont believe someone would take toil for a reason like this after it was refused. I dont believe a job would be withdrawn because of a basic reference. It's common for many workplaces to only give that.

It sounds like you took unapproved leave and then tried to hide behind the shield of 'But I'm doing a good deed!'

If the cat was in the care of the vet, then it wasn't an emergency and I, like others, don't understand why the update couldn't have been provided over the phone or why you couldn't have gone to the vet after working hours.

It does sound a bit rough that they wouldn't let you have the time off if you had it accrued and had no appointments. Some workplaces are unnecessarily inflexible, but I have also seen this in cases where someone is continually taking the piss. They ask for something that would be granted to other employees and it's not given to them because of their history.

Edited - I didn't read the thread properly, sorry.

OP I'd try and provide alternative references.

So basically, your manager didn't approve the time off but you took it anyway. They probably figured best get rid while you were still in probation rather than get stuck with a problem employee who is likely to take time off for spurious reasons and disregard what their manager says.

Don't use them as a reference next time. I'd put money on them having had an off the record conversation saying you were a problem. Which really isn't ok, it's a spiteful and unnecessary thing to do, just let people move on, but sadly people still do it. And the mental health world can be small, if you went to another similar place, maybe people know each other.

Op what else are you missing oit from this, basic references are normal no thetr is no conspiracy well not from the employer anyway

I don’t know any employer that provides anything other than a standard factual reference any more so that’s unlikely to be the issue