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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:

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 14:01

maybe someone took a dislike to DH? the previous manager started in Feb 2010 and left ealry April 2010.

no idea, Stealth. it is so upsetting. poor DH ran a business for about 18 months whicn went tits up. he is on the verge of insolvency and seriously considering it. then he gets this job with good prospects..... and now this.

at least we have our health, although my liver is taking a beating this week

OP posts:

BalloonSlayer · 15/07/2010 14:01

THere's no possibility that some of the allegations are against the previous job-holder?

Complaint against manager of X branch. Who is that - Oh it's Numberfour'sDH. When actually it was last manager who has left?

Hope it goes OK.

oiteach · 15/07/2010 14:02

Bizarre! Why promote someone and then sack them a few days later??

Wishing you and your dh a positive outcome. x

Lavitabella · 15/07/2010 14:04

Numberfour the letter that says it is considering firing him is a standard legal letter. Most companies will have these letters and you just fill in the persons name, address, dates of incidences and the reason why you are calling the meeting.

I have to do meeting for varieties of reasons when i am definitely not going to sack anyone but they always have this as the first line! The only reason I ever dismiss anyone on the first meeting is for theft or something equally terrible.

I'm sure he will come out of this meeting ok but am not sure he will want to stay with them! I would quit, see a solicitor and claim constructive dismissal. Sending his job description on the same day as the disciplianry letter

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 14:05

I missed that

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 14:05

no, balloonslayer, previous BM is gone....

oiteach - yip, my feelings exactly.

OP posts:

Cheepz · 15/07/2010 14:13

In any formal grievence procedure an investigation is required which should include an interview with your DH about the alleged incidents. These should be documented and this transcript along with any eveidence or other statements should be provided to your DH 48 hours ahead of a disciplianry meeting. Prior to the meeting he should be notified of the classificaiton of his actions - misconduct, gross misconduct etc and of the possible consequences. It is not acceptable to just issue a letter threatening dismissal without first confirming the actions are considered gross misconduct - this is usually reserved for problems relating to theft, discrimination etc, not for minor job failings.

It does sound like someone has complained about something but the company is not responding in a legal or appropriate way at all.

Heart goes to you. I hope it works out ok and he keeps his job - but I would look for another one as soon as possible because the way the company is behaving is shocking

SweetGrapes · 15/07/2010 14:14

This is so silly... There must be some other motive behind it.
for you and your dh to be going through this ridiculous situation.

Lavitabella · 15/07/2010 14:15

I made the assumption that the letter states "we consider this gross misconduct" to include the part that they are considering dismissing him. Is that correct Numberfour?

Lavitabella · 15/07/2010 14:17

What is his relationship like with his area manager and his Assistant Manager. I have a feeling it is the AM that has been nice to his face and then stabbed him in the back!

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 14:18

apologies about drip feeding info on this story:

along with job description and letter re enquiry was a copy of the company's Disciplinary Policy and Procedure. It said that people on probation and in first year of employment can not be subject to Disciplinary hearings. YAHOO!!! said me and DH. Also said that any comments re the application of this policy and procedure shoudl be made to HR. So DH does so. HR replies: look at Co handbook. So we do this: Co handbook has been updated - DH was sent OUTDATED copy of proc and pol with job description and disc letter.

The company should be ashamed of themselves. but what redress would DH have? only been there half a minute.

OP posts:

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 14:20

no mention of gross misconduct. will answer more later. sorry, but busy with little ones now

no news yet and i must not phone.... up to him to ring which he will do.

OP posts:

ilovemydogandMrObama · 15/07/2010 14:27

Presumably though if he was successful at the assistant manager's position, they could 'demote' him back to that level?

Sounds as if that valued customer complained, and they trumped up the charges to make it more serious than it actually needs to be.

geordieminx · 15/07/2010 14:35

Hope it gets resolved.

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 15:50

News is that his 2 week trial period in the Manager role has been extended by another 4 weeks.

But that means that they avoid paying the promised £3000 pa increase plus bonuses for another 4 weeks.

Never mind: it's over for the time being.

THANK YOU for your support, everyone.

It was a crap few hours.

DH will start job searching again while staying in this role for the time being.

OP posts:

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 15:52

hmm
gl;ad it's over
in the meantime can he get some legal advice

StealthPolarBear · 15/07/2010 15:52

how did they address the issues? Does he know what is expected of him?

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 15:53

Yes, I think we should look into that, StealthPolarBear.

Thank heavens that's over for now at least.

OP posts:

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 16:01

He did not have time to tell me details when I rang him (the meeting lasted 45 min and I have been waiting for nearly 3 hours!!)

I will find out more tonight when he is home.

I suppose what is expected of him is detailed in the job description - and of course he only got that 4 days ago.

There seem to be many procedural irregularities but it is a case of one man against a company with resources that the man lacks

OP posts:

Lavitabella · 15/07/2010 16:18

Glad things are looking a bit better. Hope they have clarified everything properly and your husband is feeling a bit more positive.

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 16:20

OP posts:

muddleduck · 15/07/2010 16:56

what a bizarre way to run a company.

rookiemater · 15/07/2010 19:07

He should look for another job as quickly as possible.

DH was hounded out of a job where he had been working less than 6 months and was basically told by the union that he was better resigning before Disciplinary rather than having it on his record. He had done nothing wrong as evidenced by his subsequent contracting where he has always had his contract extended and receives excellent references.

It sounds like someone in the company has it in for your husband and if he has any opportunity at all he should move somewhere else.

Original poster

Numberfour · 15/07/2010 20:18

Rookiemater, that must have been awful for your DH. I know from how things have been for us this week. DH is now home and we have been talking about what took place today.

Ironically, DH is 100 times more confident today than he was last week! Only the man that issued the letter was at the meeting. And he told DH that he wanted to get rid of him last week!! Turns out this person is desparate for the branch to get sales.

Def a case of someone having it in for Dh as happened in yours.

DH even offered to have the trial period extended for 3 months when the national sales manager said it was extended for 28 days. DH said he could get the depot turned around in 3 monhts but that 28 days was a bit short.

He insisted on 28 days. there were no witnesses to the meeting.

OP posts:

BeenBeta · 15/07/2010 20:26

Numberfour - this is bizarre. Was this entire thing designed to stop DH getting his bonus and pay rise?

I do not believe he will ever get it even if he turns the depot round. Should he not be talking to the person above his immediate boss?

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