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Original poster

DH has been called to a disciplinary enquiry 10 days after starting a trial position!

80 replies

Numberfour · 12/07/2010 19:55

DH started a new job as assistant manager at branch X of the company on 6 April this year. About 3 weeks ago he was asked if he was ready to take on a branch manager position of branch Y and he said he was up for the challenge.

He is on a 6 month probation period and on top of this, he was told that he had a 2 week trial in the new position.

All has been fine fine fine except that DH is finding it very busy and stressful.

Today he was to hear if his branch manager position was to be made permanent. Instead, he is emailed a letter calling him to a disciplinary hearing on Thursday. He thought it was a joke because NOTHING has gone wrong, other than he did not obtain a quote for a particular troublesome client and quickly as they would have liked.

His area manager is as shocked as he is.

So, my question is: how much detail are you allowed to obtain before the hearing? The letter to him sets out 3 areas of supposed concern and DH says that NONE of those areas were problematic. Can he get further particulars about these allegations?

My second question is: why would they call for a disciplinary enquiry when he is still in the probation period? Why not just tell him to go?

Thirdly, he had no training for the new position - does this give him a chance of being successful.

From my experience of disciplinary enquiries, the minds of senior management are pretty much made up anyway and the idea is to get rid of the person concerned.

OP posts:

NoahAndTheWhale · 15/07/2010 13:21

Thinking of you

HousewifeOfOrangeCounty · 15/07/2010 13:21

Am posting positive vibes to you - hope it all goes well.

Gigantaur · 15/07/2010 13:25

fingers crossed for you

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 13:26

yes, me too

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 13:27

thanks, everyone.

hopefully he is keeping it together and stating his case.

when i have a moment i will post the allegations and his replies.

one of them is about not bringing in new business: at his old branch he brought in no less then 7 customers (trade customers, not retail!) and he has only been in the new post for 10 days!!!!

OP posts:

traceybath · 15/07/2010 13:29

Fingers crossed here too that DH gets the correct outcome and swiftly finds a better job somewhere else.

susie100 · 15/07/2010 13:34

This is awful! Is he a member of a trade union at all?

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 13:36

not a member of a tu

OP posts:

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 13:38

another allegation: not helping his assistant unload a delivery two MOndays ago - he was talking to the customer at the time about other orders. customer can verify this. DH's assistant and customer's assistant were unloading.

other allegation - not getting quotes out on same day. DH had advised line manager that system faulty. was told to inform IT, and IT wanted to take system away for 3 days....

fucking bollocky crap bullshit

all of it.

thanks for good wishes.

OP posts:

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 13:40

I am no expert but surely they have to show they ahve acted reasonably?

So new business - not reasonable in 10 days
not helping unload (though I'd argue if the guy is his assistant then that decision's your DH's - not reasonable to discipline for first 'offence' -reasonable would have been an informal talk

Not getting quotes out - not reasonable due to lack of IT system

etc etc?

Surely they don't have a leg to stand on>?

susie100 · 15/07/2010 13:41

This is crazy! I really hope it goes well for your DH but frankly I can't imagine him wanting to stay in this role regardless

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 13:41

sorry 10 weeks

Lavitabella · 15/07/2010 13:45

Thinking of you too.

I do a lot of disciplinary meetings but work in Catering so it may be slightly different but you must have any evidence given to you 48 hours before the meeting i.e a copy of the complaint if the customer made one. Sounds very unfair, also in my organisation, area manager would be involved as it is his job to support your husband and if it is not going to plan then it is also his responsibility iyswim.

As per your second and third questions. The law is on your husbands side, disciplinary is supposed to highlight areas of concern but the company has a legal obligation to support your husband through training and clear guidelines. It's not that easy to just "sack" people anymore. This may be there way of moving in the way they'd like with a scare tactic, rather than a definite getting rid of him.

Hope you get a good outcome.

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 13:46

exactly! it is absolutely ridiculous: a face to face discussion and some input from line manager is all that this situation needed.

Stealth: it has only been TEN DAYS!!!!!! NOT TEN WEEKS!! ONLY DAYS!!!!!!

completely ridiculously unreasonable.

OP posts:

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 13:49

oh yes
even more stupidly ridiculous then

so the delivery unloading - was that pretty much his first day?

Lavitabella · 15/07/2010 13:49

How specific is his job description regarding deliveries, I agree as the manager that's his call!

Who flagged this up to head office though? do you think his AM could of been stirring as he did want the post himself?

LimaCharlie · 15/07/2010 13:50

Thinking of you and hoping your DH is shortly in the clear

TechLovingDad · 15/07/2010 13:53

If DH comes out of this with job intact, hopefully he will after this hatchet job, do you think it might be best for him to look for a new job?

This company don't seem to value good staff at all. Unless they have someone else lined up for that post and are trying to replace him without paying him off?

QueeferSutherland · 15/07/2010 13:54

Hoping it goes well.

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 13:56

unloading was his 6th day in that position which was 5th July. he started on 6th april at another branch.

1st july started promotion job on trial basis. 12th july gets served with disciplinary meeting letter.

apologies for short hand and no caps etc. standiing while typing. feeding little ones. but so upset and I really do appreciate every one's input. i don't want to tell all my friends - people think where there is smoke etc.

LAvitabella: the day that he was emailed the letter calling him to the meeting, he was sent a job description. regarding the deliveries, that section says he must "assist with deliveries" or words to that effect.

none of this should be the subject of an enquiry. it should be in a job review situation. not a fucking threat of dismissal. first line of letter says that company is considering dismissing him.

he hardly has any rights, as far as i know, becuase he has only been ther since 6 April. and how will this look on his CV????

OP posts:

sobloodystupid · 15/07/2010 13:56

Gosh, unbelievable, fingers crossed for you and dh!

LtEveDallas · 15/07/2010 13:57

Thinking of you both

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 13:58

yes, sobloody, it does seem quite literally unbelievable.

OP posts:

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 13:59

Yes this is unbelievable, why are they doing this do you think?
(Apologies if your answer is no bloody idea!)

littleducks · 15/07/2010 14:01

any news?

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