Just been sacked for the first time ever after a funeral

[PrueD]

On Monday I was at a funeral and yesterday I was off on compassionate leave. When I returned today the director sacked me. Been there 9 months.

Before now, I hadn’t been made aware of any issues in my one to ones, the last one being a week and a half ago. I had told my manager a month ago about my terminally ill relative. It was harder to work at my usual capacity at this time but I was still doing a good job on important projects. The main problem I had was they kept piling on more work on top of existing work.

I said I would’ve liked the chance to address any issues and they said they don’t have capacity to support and that’s it. I’m in shock, having an awful week as it is.

Only after 2 years unfortunately.

So sorry OP. Sounds like there may be very little in the way of legal comeback but it’s pretty shitty. Xx

Can your old job have you back?

did they replace this person they sacked?

I expect the funeral is just an excuse , you had only been there 9 months and easy to sack .

No and she was a manager. Now that team has no manager. Wild West.

Well, they need to follow their own processes.

My previous employer decided to fire a probationer for gross misconduct, which was a huge fucking mistake. They could have simply failed her probation and that would be that. Gross misconduct procedures weren't followed, and she actually got the gross misconduct dismissed (she had them bang to rights too). By the time the appeal had completed she had completed her probation period and had more rights.

If you have a contract, and the contract specifies you abide by work policies, that goes BOTH ways. Work have to follow those procedures, so if there's a disciplinary and misconduct/performance procedure, they need to have gone through the appropriate stages.

OP, please try to not take this too personally, many companies are getting rid of employees with the flimsiest of excuses at the moment, also sorry for your loss, loosing a grandparent is very hard.

Sounds like a toxic place to work anyway OP. Hopefully this is a blessing in disguise.

Sorry for the loss of your grandma, & I hope you’re able to get back on your feet and find a better job very soon. Don’t allow this to knock you back 💐

Sorry for your loss OP and the job.
Not great, but as one door closes, another opens.
You left your old job for a reason, so onwards and upwards.

Being unemployed can be upsetting, but it will get better.
If your old company was sad to see you go, another will be happy to have you.

V sorry about your gran and employer. Under employment law you have no recourse unless grounds for a discrimination claim, which would be stressful. Could you seek a reference from the employer, eg manager who’s on maternity leave?

I understand this. I was devastated when my gran died in my 20s, much more than when my father died. We had a very close relationship. I was also much more close to my aunt´s husband than to my blood uncles (her brothers). He walked me down the aisle, not my father´s brothers.

@PrueD did your company approve the compassionate leave?

As unfortunate as it is you need to move forward and get interviews booked. You can't reverse what has happened so look ahead, not behind.
Shitty time for you op, all the best, something better will work out for you.

Do you belong to a union that could look into whether you were dismissed unfairly - without due process?

that’s a good point @Loopytiles

how on earth do I get another job after this given most employers want a reference from your previous job? I don’t know if she will respond after this or not.

Yes they did.

Could you approach your former employer ? They might be glad to have you back perhaps under a different title.

So sorry about your grandmother and it's horrible that you have to deal with this on top of it . Must be seem very bleak atm . But things do change and I hope at least the job front will be OK very soon.

Ah sorry, I've done that really annoying thing of not paying attention to the OP as I was trying to figure out what conversations had been had! Apologies to everyone reading my comment and rolling their eyes at me (as you rightfully should!)

I suspect that this isn't really about you, OP. It's just a poorly run or toxic workplace, and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So they are sacking people to cut costs and not making people redundant. If it was a genuine sacking they'd have replaced that member of staff.

I doubt they will replace you either - they can't afford you and its a scam sacking you instead of actually admitting to the fact the business isn't as profitable as they want it to be

I would not take this personally and please measure yourself this is a load of bullshit about your performance. They just want to save face so lay the blame on you

The good thing is you can and will get another job and then when they go under or stop paying their staff - you'll be in another job

Exactly this, and you're well off out of working for a toxic company like that. Either they're dicks or they're not doing well and will be going under themselves soon anyway.

I did say that they should’ve approached me with concerns so I had a chance to address them. The director said he did once (he moaned I was half hour late into the office 5 months ago after a delayed train) and he said ‘I think your manager did too’, no she didn’t, and nothing is in writing.

I’d try both your former manager privately and your former employer to get a simple, factual reference.

Unhelpful post @Treesandsheepeverywhere OP didn’t choose to leave, she was fired with no prior warning! Also not a given that finding a suitable new job will be that easy.

Do agree though that after the initial shock, anger etc about how you’ve been treated it’d be best to focus on job seeking.

When they ask for references you can choose who you give.

A lot of places won't ask for your last reference if you're still working at the place because they understand it could be awkward, so just leave it on your CV with - present - it basically still is.

I’m not sure about approaching previous employer.

I am friends with one of the company directors though, just not the one I worked under. I left because my manager didn’t appreciate me or give me a raise. I’d been there a while and was stagnating.