Problem with my work, advice needed!

[Mammie81]

When I first fell pregnant, it was during a time when I was looking to leave my workplace. Obviously having been here 4 years, I didnt want to miss out on my mat leave pay so I thought ok, stick it out for another 9 months.

However I was then signed off for stress at the start of the pregnancy (I had a threatened miscarriage - baby ok but I was really very stressed). It was also to some degree work related in that I was under quite alot of pressure at the time.

I admit that Ive not been at my best lately, I have made some errors, particularly with regard to invoices (I forgot to process 2 and held on to some charges as I was waiting for receipts - I admit I didnt chase them up) and I am now being taken down the informal route of 'Capability Issues'. I have been extremely tired with the pregnancy, still being sick at 8 months and SPD as well. I just dont think I perform well when pregnant!

Now while Ive made no more errors with the invoices since then which is what this process hinges on, I do feel that everything else I have done has been picked on. Even when there is no fault of mine etc. And I have two friends who used to work here, who also faced the same situation and were eventually dismissed (I admit that one of them may have deserved it for lack of work)

My review date is the 3rd Nov and I leave on the 12th for a year. What is the best advice you could give me, if I fail and go down the formal route (which would involve this being recorded on my work history)

Sorry its long!

i know it doesnt solve the problem but if you were to be signed of work sick maybe with stress or your spd you wouldnt have to go to this meeting and then you'd be on maternity which means 9 months paid off - the problem might still be there if you decide to go back though, just a thought?

Thing is, if I dont pass, then the formal process will carry over to when I go back. And then if I decide to leave, it could be in my reference... Perhaps being signed off is the answer?

I would say that anything 'informal' doesn't matter for future references in a work situation, as far as the company attempting to do anything with regards to your work record, it has to be 'formal' or nothing (I hope I'm making sense to you)

I'm guessing that you're having a quarterly review prior to maternity? if so your company can bring this up in your review, but it won't be on your record re references or anything unless they decide to give you a formal verbal warning (this should all be detailed in your standard/any standard contract anyway)

Have they said it's a review? or have they invited you to a review pending this incident? as the wording can matter.

Just for the record, you can request to see any future references provided by whom ever you have requested them from and it's not worth any company giving a bad reference, in face most choose to say virtually nothing at all, than give a bad reference, as it's not worth the legal costs of having given a bad reference!

if you wernt planning to go back (think u mentioned looking for another job) then u dont really need to go back to this job.

Are you a member of a union?

Well, its not the formal route yet, Im just pre-empting that it might be made formal and that once I do return and decide to leave then, it will be on my reference. Ive kept to the objectives set and while they seem to be watching my every move, I dont think they can fault me on those. They've said we will meet to review my progress on the 3rd Nov.

And I wouldnt go back if I didnt have to, but if I dont return for at least 6 months, I have to pay back my maternity pay

Can I really see my future references? Because if it does go formal and its not on my ref, then its not really an issue (as the capability process can take months).

You can see your references by requesting them from a future employer.

It's perfectly possible for performance problems to be mentioned on a reference, and it's incorrect to say they can't be mentioned unless formal action has been taken.

References need to be an accurate reflection of the individual in question, so if a future employer asks about performance, your current employer could mention concerns, as long as they can demonstrate that those concerns were raised with you.

On the other hand most employers would probably not do that because lots of people assume you are not allowed to give a bad reference and lots of employers stay very cautious about references and just don't say much.

FBB said it far more elloquently than I did
I wouldn't worry too much, all employers should give you a standard review just before you go on maternity, they usually use this to chat about when you'll be coming back too or if your considering taking any further time off than you've already notified them about etc etc. To be honest you're pretty bullet proof at the moment!