I got fired today!!

[Amiunemployable]

I started a new job on 1st September.

I was given an offer of employment letter when I started but never received a contract.

Today I was fired. Apparently I've had too much time off and failed my probation.

They've said I've had eleven days off. By my tally it's six days. Not eleven. Two were caused by migraines with aura which I've never had before and my GP reckons it was highly likely to have been caused by my office lighting as the migraines only started after I got the job. And since i stopped using the overhead office lights, (i sourced my own alternative) I've been migraine free.

I know it's still a high amount to have had off but I recieved PIP for a disability that does unfortunately mean it's difficult for me sometimes to get to work. But I've done my best.

Have I got a leg to stand on here? I never received a contract. Was never informed of a probation period. To then be told I'd failed a probation period that I didn't know existed? I signed nothing that mentioned probation.

I wasn't offered an extension to the probation period or a improvement plan, etc. Just straight dismissal, with no prior warning, for failing a probation period I didn't know existed. And also told I've had 11 days off and I don't think it's been that many.

You need to get your ducks in order for the future, you need to find some sort of childcare for when it's needed as you can't go down the same path again in the next job because of you get fired again it's not ideal for your CV! Declare your disability and what can be done to ensure you can potentially still work on the day when it's an issue - it doesn't sound like it has been issue anyway looking at the reasons for the time off.

She’s not going to citizens advice I suspect, the op is no stranger to getting fired for not actually going to work. I think th4 issue here for her is if was a surprise they acted so quickly as she thought she’d get away with it much longer.

And if this is the normal expectation in the workplace then it makes the point nicely as to what disabled people are up against when it comes to finding or retaining employment.

In a nutshell. And on MN it seems as though it’s a position that’s supported - often by the same people who accuse disability benefit claimants of being lazy scroungers and fraudsters. The fact is that if we want more disabled people finding and retaining employment, there has to be some understanding of their needs in the workplace and a willingness to meet them halfway.

Irrelevant here as OP did not declare her disability to her employers.

More importantly, most of her absences are not related to her disability.

Where did l say she had ? I was speaking generally. I’ve said several times now that it wouldn’t have made any difference if OP had declared her disability, as her absences weren’t related to it.

Exactly.

It maybe worth starting your own thread to discuss disability in thr workplace instead of high jacking this one as it’s not really about that and it’s confusing people.

You can think what you like, but the fact remains that if your business can’t cope with an employee being off for 6 days then it’s poorly run. People aren’t robots, they get sick, their kids get sick. A well run business would have contingencies in place. Maybe the OP didn’t disclose her disability exactly because of attitudes like yours. You sound like the kind of toxic employer I’ve learned to avoid. So the OP probably had a lucky escape.

Who on earth afe you refering to? And who said the business couldn’t cope?

Forgot to tag, that was referring to @cooksbrandedclock

Why do you think it’s not relevant - the thread is about disability issues in the workplace ? And why do you think one reply to a poster who was making a similar point is ‘hijacking’ the thread ? Are you new to MN because many threads spark broader discussion, so it’s not unusual and still on topic.

You can still be, in your eyes, responsible and be too unwell to work. Illness isn't always self inflicted and sometimes you cannot, and should not, power through. There will be some people who take the mick but it's not just the two categories - well enough for work, or taking the mick and irresponsible.

But isn't about disability issues in the workplace. None of the leave that the OP took was related to her disability (as you, yourself, agreed).

I realise this was meant for me as you have tagged me in a subsequent post. You are making things up again - things that were not said, plus straw men that are nothing to do with the issue of a new employee proving their unreliability within weeks of starting a new job. Again, I refer you to the Bradford Scale and the actual words said in my previous posts. You are flogging a dead donkey, but feel free to carry on. I will leave you to it.

Still reading through all the comments but...

FYI, this is the first time I've ever been fired in my life!

As someone who is fed up of covering for colleagues who are taking the absolute piss with non attendence I don't blame your company for firing you. I work for the NHS and a it is literally impossible to fire anyone, and leaves those with a strong work ethic constantly picking up the pieces for snowflakes who think one sneeze entitles them to stay at home .Yes I am bitter!

The fact is that if we want more disabled people finding and retaining employment, there has to be some understanding of their needs in the workplace and a willingness to meet them halfway

Though it doesn't appear relevant to OP's dismissal I agree with this completely, @Rosscameasdoody. As many of us have found, approaching the matter properly can often result in some of the most committed employees because it's clearly seen that everyone's respected in the workplace

Unfortunately, as with so much else, it can get spoiled by too many who take the piss and certainly aren't going to admit doing exactly that (as in the many threads where someone feeling a bit tired gets told to pull a sickie and blame their mental health)

Of course that's no reason to disadvantage those genuinely living with a disability, but it really doesn't help anyone - those who honestly do need support least of all

Also, my illnesses/sickness were indirectly related to my disability.

My disability makes getting sick/ill worse.

But regardless, I didn't officially declare my disability. Although, a medication I take for it was mentioned in passing to my boss during just general chit-chat one day.

Anyway, as already stated, I'm not looking to sue or anything like that.

I'm going to try and find a new job in January. Maybe something WFH. Or alternatively see if I can get a few night shifts in a supermarket.

Thanks all for the kind words x

And make sure you declare your disability so that they can make reasonable adjustments. Don’t suffer in silence.

Are you saying that employers should expect an absence rate of around 20% from their workforce? How’s that going to work?

There are no jobs where it’s impossible to fire someone as long as it’s done properly through a competent HR department.

My wife works for NHS Scotland in a large hospital, and she says exactly the same thing. You'd have to commit murder to get the sack.

I am sure what you say is correct, however my experience is only of NHS HR procedure. It is sclerotic when it comes to engaging with staff with attendance issues, improvement plans, where they don't turn up to meetings, 'reasonable adjustments' which are often unquantifiable and hard and time consuming to implement, ie OT assessments which take forever to happen. I am really not against work places being made easier environments for people with chronic disability physical or psychological, but when you have a situation where staff went out pubbing for the night ( because socializing is ' Good for their mental health') then are too tired/emotional ( hungover) to turn up for their shift the next morning! It is always the same staff , and you know if you are rostered to work with them the chances are you will be picking up their work or phoning another long suffering colleague to come in on their day off. The only consequence is nothing, or a ' back to work chat' with the manager if the manager has time for this. Maybe I am old fashioned, but turning up to work is your contracted duty not an option. Any how I am retiring soon!