Sacked this morning for gross misconduct. Any advice please??

[miniwedge]

Have worked for the company for 10 months.

I am party technical, partly sales.
My job involves spending 3 days a week visiting sites/prospective clients etc.
The meetings are logged on a google calendar which my bosses have access to.

I have had some issues with my company, I am contacted constantly on holiday, bollocked if I don't answer the phone on holiday, exceeded targets regularly but told I am not performing enough.
Too many issues to go into really but thought it might help to give a little background.

I was asked to attend a "sales meeting" this morning.
I arrived, was called straight in to see my two bosses (they own the company) and told I was being dismissed immediately for gross misconduct.
They alledge that on two occasions I have lied about my whereabouts and intimated that there are many more occasions I have lied.

They took my phone, laptop and car straight away.
They named two companies but didn't give dates when the offences were supposed to have taken place.

I have no opportunity to refute this because I have no access to emails/phone/dates etc.

I have exceeded my target this month, I am due £1100 in bonus on top of my salary.
They informed me that I don't deserve it and I'm not entitled to it. They said it is discretionary and are therefore only going to pay me a weeks salary on the 21st August.

PLease advise if there is anything I can do to at least get my bonus. This leaves me financially fucked.

Absolutley - go for it, ask them if they are offering a compromise agreement, and then you will be able to see a solicitor - as said, that they will pay for. You may even get more! Don't just accept it without at least pretendning to think about it

Fab news, what complete arses they have been.

Great news! Hope you find some nicer employers who appreciate your talents

What an appalling experience for you, I'm glad that standing up for yourself looks like getting you somewhere. I'd pursue the agreed reference.

Get the settlement then come back to name and shame them, they need outing!

Well done

Just read this thread and glad to hear it has a happier outcome than first envisaged.

What appalling treatment, and you're probably not the first. Hope it comes back to bite them.

something similar happened to dh, and believe me once i dug up every bit of employment law and threw it at them, they hated me, just started making up crap and dug themselves a deeper hole.

they threatened us and told us to stop any legal action.

he took them to tribunal and they crumbled before they got through the door, as they knew they had no chance.

glad its sorted, and i agree about the agreed reference.

good luck and hopefully they stick by it

Hi all,

just thought I would update you.

I wrote the email usng the points that Hilda et al suggested.
There has been some fannying around but I have received a letter today offering a compromise agreement totalling just over 1 months salary.

They are refusing a written reference but have stated in their letter that my standard of work was not an issue and they are sorry to lose me....

Anyway, my ex boss was very stressed today, have had several calls before the letter arrived by courier. The courier was asked to wait for my reply!!!

Short story is, after initially agreeing to pay bonus etc boss then came back and said no money at all.
I wrote to them again, cited my offer letter as proof of breach of contract and gave 14 days notice of issue of proceedings.
I asked for more this time;
bonus
weeks notice
equivalent to a weeks salary for the privte health care never materialising
up to 4 weeks for not having a proper contract

So, then lots of flurried phone calls, their solicitor called me, said stop being petty. I told him I was merely asking for what I was entitled to.
He then called bck, offer two weeks pay, I refused.
Lots of calls today from boss telling me we could be amicable about this, I said sure we can if you pay me and treat me fairly...

Letter pinged into my inbox about 5 mins before the courier turned up with hard copy!

AM very surprised at the amount of fannying around for a reltively small amount of money (just under 2k) but I wouldn't have got anything without you ladies and my wonderful solicitor.

So thankyou everyone once again!

Oh, and did I mention I have a new job already??

Fab news, I can't believe that there are such scummy companies around that behave like this! It's ridiculous because,as you said, you were a good employee.

great news, and congratulations on the new job

Congrats. Now will you name and shame? I think they need to be outed.

What an APPALLING company!

Brilliant news - am really pleased for you. I remember reading your initial post but don't have any experience in this field. Onward and upward!

"They are refusing a written reference but have stated in their letter that my standard of work was not an issue and they are sorry to lose me...."

errrrr is it too late for a tribunal. You have IN WRITING that they had no issues with your work? WTF are they sacking you for then?
IDIOTS
name and shame, backwards and upside down

s
i
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t

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then get the post deleted tomorrow.

So glad you have a new job

Well done you - and what an appalling company. They obviously do this on purpose to play the employment laws, what a disgrace. Are they covering your legal costs? I hope so.

Well done I've been following this and keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I used to work for a company that felt it could treat it's emploees how they wanted - smoking was allowed in all offices at desks until it became illegal, we were allowed to be part of a union but whenever a member of staff requested a union officer be present it was refused and they were escorted off site (obv private property), stopping people having time off for maternity appointments, wrongful dismissal etc the list is endless.

I left voluntarily before the year was out, bloody horrible place it was like working for the mafia. You face either fitted or it didn't.

If anyone knows the Mansfield, Notts area it is a large family run business there that fabricates window and conservatory casings yuck yuck yuck steer clear!

No legal costs, the lovely solicitor didn't charge me a penny. He advised me over the phone and I did all the contact with bastard company.
He said they had behaved so badly he felt he couldn't not help. I heart him.

I won't name and shame until the cheque has cleared, I think that's wise.....

I really can't tell you how much I appreciate all of your support and help though, I've been so low with it all that I think I would have rolled over if not for you lot, the lovely solicitor and my very patient even when i have been a cow DP.

miniwedge, delighted to hear the news. I wouldn't name and shame if there's a chance that they could take revenge by screwing things up with your new employers. A private phone call to make life unpleasant for you, for e.g.

Miniwedge, it's so rare to hear of an employment story which has a happy ending so soon. Well done - what crappy employers. You're better off out of it.

mw - don't name and shame the company, but do let us know the name of the solicitor you used so that we can take our hats off to him.

Quick update.
Despite numerous text messages from ex-boss claiming to have raised my cheque etc I still haven't had any money.

I had the last text on Monday night claiming to have posted my cheque. I'm going to wait for todays post, if it isn't there I'm going to issue proceedings.

I have a good body of evidence now, ie text messages, emails and hard copy of the compromise agreement offered as well as a copy of the signed one I sent back with the courier.

Fucking bastards.

Oh solicitors are LD Law, I don't wish to say which branch or person though as that would out me. They are bloody fantastic though.

Did the cheque arrive miniwedge?