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Original poster

Suspended from work for gross misconduct

183 replies

Sam1993 · 23/04/2018 14:06

Hi all, I need some advice ASAP as I am really stressing out here
In a nutshell, I’ve recently been suspended from work for gross misconduct (call avoidance) however I’m also 17 weeks pregnant... I know it was ridiculously silly of me to become so complacent at work but due to ill health I really did just let it all get on top of me. It’s no excuse but I genuinely had no idea how far it had gone until I was called in for a meeting to be told I’m being suspended!
I’ve got an interview this week to see facts/figures so I’ll know better then, but if anyone can please advise in the meantime I’d thoroughly appreciate it x

OP posts:
Atalune · 23/04/2018 14:08

Do you have a lead Chilldminder in your area or are you a member of PACEY or the PRe-school learning alliance? If you are- call them!

I don’t know what your gross misconduct is, can you explain it- you said call avoidance what is that?

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 23/04/2018 14:11

Are you a childminder or have you posted in the wrong section? It doesn’t really make sense.

fruitbrewhaha · 23/04/2018 14:12

Have you posted in the correct place?

Move this to legal.

Are they aware you are pregnant? How long have you worked there? What were you doing? Have you been following procedure?

GinYummy · 23/04/2018 14:12

I think you may have posted in the wrong section?

fruitbrewhaha · 23/04/2018 14:14

Call avoidance is related to call centres.

Are you in a union OP?

jimijack · 23/04/2018 14:16

Sounds like you work in a call centre if it's call avoidance and if it is, they will have detailed records of how calls go through to other people when you don't pick up.
If it's gross misconduct then it sounds like you are prolific and repeatedly not doing the job you are employed to do.
It won't take much to gather sufficient evidence. Sorry to say but why on earth did you not seek help and support from your management earlier?

Are you in a union?

Weezol · 23/04/2018 14:17

Do you mean not answering calls when you're not at work?

Original poster
Sam1993 · 23/04/2018 14:23

Hi sorry I think I did post in the wrong place
But to answer questions, it is a call centre I work in.
I have had issues with systems here and there but because it only takes a moment to reset I haven’t logged them so there’s no record of it. In hindsight yes I am kicking myself however at the time I had no idea anything like this would happen. What happens is we outbound dial to customers, the customer will pick up however because no one is talking from my end the customer will terminate the call. A lot of the time my headset isn’t on my head or I’ve had mic issues however I am stuck in a rut because I can only hope they take my word for it. I’ve never been pulled up on my performance or behaviours in the past if anything I’ve always been towards the top in terms of behaviours and performance, just over the last 6 months or so due to a number of health issues and then becoming pregnant I’ve become a lot less proactive than I used to be. I hope that explains things better

OP posts:
FreshStartToday · 23/04/2018 14:25

Hoping that an expert comes along soon for you but a few thoughts:

Do they know that you are pregnant? If so did they offer you a risk assessment at work, to ensure that you could cope?

If they didn't know, presumably their facts and figures will show that the call avoidance has "only" been for the last 3 months or so, so if you could argue that you were brilliant up to then and will be back on form soon, it might go in your favour . . . .

If you are not in a union, go to ACAS for free employment law help. There can be a long wait to get through on the phones, but there is a good website including an advice section with an A-Z - under D for example there is a section on Discipline/disciplinary hearings and under P there is a pregnancy discrimination section, which might be worth checking out.

Best of luck.

jimijack · 23/04/2018 14:26

So these calls are never recorded?

pigmcpigface · 23/04/2018 14:27

Gosh, if it's system issues it really isn't your fault. You poor thing! I've had this happen to me as a customer - you answer the phone, and for some reason it doesn't connect to a person. I really hope that they will listen to you and understand that this isn't your fault. I think very few employees, faced with a computer system that repeatedly shut down on them, would log every single instance of it failing.

So many call centres are genuinely awful to their employees that there's a book about it - Working the Phones by Jamie Woodcook.

Bluntness100 · 23/04/2018 14:32

Risk assessment to see if she could cope? Is that a thing in call centres when pregnant?

I think op you need to think through your defence. For example why were your headphones not on, did you raise any technical issues, explain you had ill health?

I would also ask for the documentation prior to the meeting so uou know what you're dealing with. Gross misconduct is dismissal usually so you may need to seek advice.

suchasoftersin · 23/04/2018 14:36

What kind of system is it you are using and what are the problems you have had? Do you manually outbound or are you using a dialer system which automatically dials out for you?

I have worked as a manager in a contact centre and have dealt with call manipulation cases beforr. do you know exactly what they are accusing you of? (E.g hanging up on customers, not ringing phone gor long enough etc)

ReanimatedSGB · 23/04/2018 14:38

You are entitled to advice, representation (ie having someone with you), a copy of the documents relating to the issue and time to prepare, I think.
Can you ask for a copy of their disciplinary policy? They have called a meeting rather than just hoofing you off the premises, so they are obviously following some sort of procedure.

PaulAnkaDog · 23/04/2018 14:40

Is it an auto dial system, or manual? Our systems can see every call someone makes and how they code it. Downtime etc. Also why on earth would you not have your headset on?!

sweeneytoddsrazor · 23/04/2018 14:46

If it has been going on for 6 months and you are only 17 weeks pregnant, I very much doubt they will accept the pregnancy has anything to do with it.

DuchyDuke · 23/04/2018 14:48

Sounds like this has been going on for much longer than your pregnancy. My suggestion is to resign if you think they’ll sack you and apply for another call centre job.

Esspee · 23/04/2018 14:49

As I read your post you have been skiving at work (not doing what you are paid to do) and have been caught. No idea what being pregnant has to do with it.
If you were in the loos being sick you would not have been logged on to the dialer so it appears they have caught you logged in but not speaking when a call is given to you.
I can't see you talking your way out of that. Pregnancy is not an excuse.

fruitbrewhaha · 23/04/2018 14:52

On the one hand you say technical issues, then you say ill health.

How long have you worked there? Have they raised any performance issues with you? When was your last review/appraisal? What did they say then?

wendiwoowho · 23/04/2018 14:57

What have you been doing instead of taking the calls?

I presume all call centres are the same, but normal for a rest break or if your not at your headset you switch the phone setting to stop calls coming through?

SandyY2K · 23/04/2018 14:58

Hi there,

I work in HR and this sounds rather heavy handed tbh. Gross misconduct is rather serious for what you describe.

Do you know what the allegation is? I mean the specific wording.

Do you have a trade union there?
Has the pregnancy been stressing you out? You could use that as mitigation if so.

I'd call this misconduct. They could ask why you haven't reported the mic issues.

I would suggest you ate honest with them. You show remorse and acceptance for it.

I'm happy for you to PM me as I don't really look on these boards.

PaulAnkaDog · 23/04/2018 15:02

Also, I’ve worked in a few call centres both on and off the phones. I’ve never known any where anyone had a set station, so how are you always ending up with dud headsets and computers, yet no one else is?

SendintheArdwolves · 23/04/2018 15:03

OK, OP - have you told anyone at work that you are pregnant? And I mean ANYONE - or discussed it on the phone where someone could hear, etc?

Two things - it sounds like you haven't been doing a stellar job (understandable, I used to work in a call centre and I hated every miserable second of every endless year) but it is unusual to sack someone without giving them a warning - have you had anything like that?

Is it possible the management have found out you're pregnant? They might be pre-emptively sacking you to avoid maternity pay.

OliviaStabler · 23/04/2018 15:04

So obviously they will want to know why you didn't report technical issues. Why you didn't have your headset on.

You say health issues have made things worse, did you report these to your manager? Have you a paper trail to show that you have highlighted that you are struggling at all?

MargaretCavendish · 23/04/2018 15:05

just over the last 6 months or so due to a number of health issues and then becoming pregnant I’ve become a lot less proactive than I used to be

Is what you're saying that in the past if the system crashed, etc. you'd have told someone and got it sorted ASAP, but more recently you've been just sort of taking it as 'bonus rest time'? I'm not saying that to judge (I don't think it's particularly unusual to think 'ah, system's broken, break for me, result'!), but just to try to understand.

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