More work problems...

[Charlene1]

I have recently been working 2 jobs, one mornings, one afternoons. Morning one ended, long story, now got probs with afternoon one.
In a nutshell, I had been offered a job in July with a school, working pt, 17 hrs pw, 1-4.30 Mon-Thur, 1-4 on Fri. Job is term time only.
Accepted, told boss I would be doing various other temp or perm pt jobs in morns, so couldn't do extra hours unless given at least a weeks notice because of other job and/or childcare.
Job advertised was permanent. I clarified that it was 17 hrs pw, maybe more if busy, certainly no less. Was told it was permanent immediately.
Worked 2 weeks in July as a temp, started properly as perm staff in September. Got on fine, didn't think there was any major problems, odd teething trouble like in any new job. Colleagues had conversations like "when you've been here a year blah blah", "in summer you'll be doing xyz this way"

Had a "review" a month ago, where line manager said I'd made mistakes on jobs, she didn't like my "attempts at humour" in the office (only trying to be friendly/make small talk etc cos I'm new) and she didn't realise ladders and heavy lifting were a problem. I had been unable to lift a very heavy box of paper - never done it before, and was shaking going up a ladder as it was wobbly. I was unable to stack boxes above my head and they fell off and hit me and landed on the floor. She also said I would ONLY be doing photocopying and NO design work - which she knew full well was the reason I wanted the job.
Had just got fired from other job, so didn't take it too well, but made an effort to do what she had said to do to get her off my back.

I have had to rename thousands of computer files since I started. I have not got a desk or computer, I have to wait until one comes free and sit in the corner. That will be finished tomorrow and then I will have to scrat around for anything they can find me to do. It is SO degrading. I cannot make my own work, they have to allocate me stuff.

Original job description was 12 pages long, describing all the duties I would be doing eg SIMS, desk top publishing, photocopying, word processing, ordering stationery etc.
Nothing mentioned of heavy lifting of boxes of paper, going up ladders carryong heavy things etc. Nothing mentioned of job not being permanent, having probation period, or that they could change my hours at only a day's notice to between 1 - 37 pw. I did not receive a formal offer letter or contract, so carried on turning up for work, resenting the fact I was being given the crap jobs, but putting up with it for the fact it's term time hours and we need the money, and cos of problems I had with other job.

I went in today, and said "sorry, not had time for lunch, I will have to eat it as I go along".
I ate a sandwich whilst waiting for big copying job to finish. Had nothing else. Big boss saw me eating it. Everyone else was eating as well, despite it being past their official lunch break.

An hour later I was hauled in the office and told I had made 3 work mistakes - which to my mind I hadn't as my instructions were vague and my boss had told me last month NOT to ask them if stuck, I was expected to work it out for myself. I did my best with it and didn't think it was done wrong.

I was told NOT to eat my dinner at work, I don't start until one so should have it before blah blah. I explained I was late dropping daughter off to nursery as she had hurt her head at nursery yesterday, and I was a long time talking to staff about it, then got caught in post office queue blah blah, and I wasn't going to make a habit of eating at work, very sorry etc. I had gone in early today as I had left early last night because of my daughter having to go to hospital, as otherwise I would have eaten at home.

She asked if I had any problems with the job, I said yes, I didn't have any work most of the time and did not want to be laid off, and if there was going to be no work, I'd appreciate her telling me now. She assured me, as had my manager for the last 3 months, I would always be kept busy doing something like shredding or checking lists (???) - despite the fact there is loads of "interesting" work i could be doing.

Then I was handed a copy of a contract that she swore blind had been sent to me in August - I saw my manager typing it up before I went in and it was still warm from the printer. It was dated August but had "completed" typed next to things like "references checked" etc - which she didn't get until well after I started in September.

This contract suddenly states:
"as you are aware the job is temporary due to limited funds". Didn't say the length of contract or anything - to me that means it could end tomorrow, next year, decade etc.

They can give me a weeks notice of dismissal, but I have to give a month to them.

I am suddenly on probation for 25 weeks - never mentioned AT ALL by anyone ever.

My job is as the original description (which I am not allowed to do, cos my jobshare wants all the good jobs)

They can vary my hours as I said before with a days notice.

I queried it straightaway and the boss said, oh I'm sure it's a temporary job, I'll check. I said "er no, you and everyone else SAID it was permanent". She left me waiting in the office for half an hour - and then she went home without saying anything..
I cannot sign this contract, but I don't know what to do - she's expecting it back asap.

Cannot believe my job is getting screwed up again!!!! FGS, I just want to work in a nice office, with nice satisfying work, for decent money. I have turned down chances of interviews
for full time jobs, higher paid jobs etc, as I was being "loyal" and hanging on to it because term time jobs are so rare. I have had all the stress of trying to find and do another job to fit in with that - seems like for nothing.
When dd was ill, and again yesterday, I got DP to fetch her from nursery (he's 2 minutes away, I'm half an hour away) and stayed at work cos I was scared to go in case they use it against me - they had specifically asked in the interview if I had kids and what were my plans if they were ill, as they didn't want someone running off to look after sick kids every 5 mins.

If any of you had got this contract shoved under their nose, would you sign it, or refuse and leave?? I am madly applying for jobs yet again now. I feel so used and walked on, I don't trust any of them now.
I had took the attitude of "right I need to work perfectly so they can't get rid of me ha ha", but now I feel I have no choice but to resign cos of this stupid contract that they know I can't agree to. It was NOT what I was offered, and I would NOT have accepted the job on those terms - and they know it!!
Not looking forward to tomorrow.

Can you afford to get a solicitor?

Unfortunately not, i'd just get the free half hour and then have to pay full whack. Do you think a solicitor could help? DP has told me to look for another job and just sign the contract - but I argued, I'd be bound into giving a months notice then and having to work in an atmosphere as they would know I was leaving. I don't want to accept the terms in the contract, especially the "temp job" bit.
What they've done is breach of contract, as I have an implied one by turning up for 3 months, believing it's permanent and they let me tell everyone who asked me it was, whilst they sat and said nothing. DP says they are "managing me out of the business" by giving me this crap and I should look elsewhere before it goes the same way as my last job. Going in work now, dreading it. wish me luck!!

Maybe your DP is right. Don't feel bad, look for another job. It might be worth speaking to your local CAB about this though, before you sign the contract. Or Acas even. Will find the phone no. hang on.

here are their helpline nos. You have nothing to lose by giving them a ring. HTH and good luck with going in. Hold your head up high girl!!

Thanks for that, I forgot about "varying contracts" rules etc. Interesting website...
Think I'm going to have to object in writing and NOT sign anything. Oh well, we'll see what they say today. Let you know later!

Do you have anything in writing from them, eg the orginal advertisment, which "proves" that the job was intended to be permanent?

And if it is a job share, is the other person on a permanent contract? Does she also have to change her hours at a day's notice?

I don't have the original ad, but the boss said she had been told by one of the other people who interviewed me that the job was supposed to be permanent, so she will retype that page to "keep me happy, but it doesn't mean anything because I am still on a 25 wk probation and if I survive that, I would get another contract anyway".
I queried the probation and varying hours and she said everyone gets that in the contract and I should take it up with personnel if I can't agree to that being in there, but she said she would try and give me a months notice of planned changes to my hours - but my line manager demands I be available when she wants me, so I can't work anywhere else and would have childcare problems if they pulled that one. She doesn't care if they send me home when there's no work and then have to I pay for childcare twice to make up the hours.

DP says they have to go through verbal, written, dismissal procedures anyway to get rid of me, and probation means nothing in law these days.

My jobshare left the job and then came back 2 years ago, but won't tell me why, so there's something fishy about it. She hasn't got kids so can work any hours and is there permanent.

I have started applying for full time jobs and will see what happens, as it is only 3 wks to end of term. Boss didn't get round to printing my new contract, so at least it gives me time to decide what to do.

DP wants me to leave anyway, as we need me to get a full time job to be able to get a mortgage next year.

This job has turned out to be a dead end, menial job, when what was advertised and what I applied for would have been interesting and enjoyable to do, and used my qualifications and experience. Most of the staff ignore me as they only see me as "helping out" and don't even address me about the jobs, they walk past me and talk to my manager or jobshare - when they were told at start of term, it would be me dealing with xyz in future. They have complained about mistakes behind my back instead of telling me about it, so it makes things worse.
It is average money, and the boss and my manager don't want me to work anywhere else - and we desperately do need more money to pay bills and save up etc. But it is term time, and I probably won't get another job in a school ever if I leave this one. If I keep this job, I would get paid for summer hols and still be able to do a full time temp job to pay the fees/get extra money.

If I work full time, then I have a chance of getting a "proper" job and being treated as a proper respected employee - with my own desk??
We will eventually have money for a house that is ours and might even go on holiday next year.
But I'll have to put both kids in full time childcare in the holidays which will cost £300 pw - I would earn less than that for those weeks. I would have no time to take kids to school myself/spend time with them in the mornings/sort out bills/crap/do housework etc. I would have to take time off to cover things like school plays, appointments, lose money when they're ill (at the moment, I can look after them until lunch when either DP or inlaws can take over).
DP is convinced they want rid of me anyway, so thinks I should get in first this time and leave for another job before I'm sacked after hanging on and being miserable.

What is best for my kids and "family life"? Stay to possibly get sacked and left with nothing, or go to a new job, hope that doesn't turn out to be a bad choice, and start over again?

I feel for you Charlene. I've had similar problems with my p/t job (but not as bad as this) and have recently begun another p/t job with a view to jacking in the first - which I am going to do. There couldn't be more contrast between my jobs - the new one is lovely, so accommodating and with lovely people.
Charlene, I don't think this is the job for you. These people are arseholes.
Find a stop-gap job to fill in, and jack it in.

I'll keep reading this thread in the hope that after Christmas, you'll be telling us you've left. In the meantime, I'll be thinking about you.
xxx

Thanks, Droile - glad you've found something nice! I still haven't got a revised contract, I am sitting around with nothing to do as they won't give me anything, and they didn't even speak yesterday when I got there!! I said hello, and they just looked at me and literally turned away and started talking. At least I can think "tossers" now, instead of getting upset. My boss moaned she was snowed under and I thought - tough - she should have let me do things like I'm supposed to, She wrote me a list of things I'm expected to do eg photocopying, clean machines and top the paper up, rename files, input data. That's it. None of the jobs as described in the 12 page job description. She won't "allow" me to input the data as she wants to do it, then moans it's too much!! It will make her look bad when it's not finished - I'm just there to photocopy after all...
Have just applied to a new agency, am hassling the ones I'm already registered with and applying for anything that comes up. Just got to get through the next 2 weeks to xmas, then it's 2 weeks holiday. It will be a pain to go somewhere else and start again, pay out for fulltime childcare etc all year, but I don't have a choice - Dp says my next job shouldn't be in an "empire" where people think they're wonderful. Just hope something decent comes up that will work out long term.

Still no contract - surely they are breaking the law now, as I have been there over 8 weeks, or is it 8 weeks from "receipt of all references etc" and/or actually asking for one?

Also, found out that I am the only one from the office NOT invited to their night out on Wednesday, and my jobshare has sent all the other staff a xmas card apart from me. She has barely spoke to me all week (but my manager has sent me a card). Am I being too sensitive on this? She can't think I am "after her job", as they have made it quite plain that I will NOT be doing any of what she does.
The woman who works in the adjoining room has started referring to me as "whatsit" - in front of me - she has known my name for over 3 months.
This is like a very bad dream - nothing else on job front, as too close to xmas. Have been told the office staff are doing a secret santa next week, but I can't afford to go in it, so that will turn them more against me. 4 working days to go...

That really sucks Charlene. How miserable of them

Quick update on this saga , I have an interview for a ft job at 3.30 today. If I get it they want me to start asap.
The contract I was handed at work in November stated I had to give a months notice to leave. I did not sign this as various details were wrong and I STILL have not got a correct replacement. So, similar to another recent thread, does this mean I would HAVE to give a months notice as I had seen the contract but not signed it, or can I get away with giving a weeks notice or less?
I am not in work until Monday the 8th, so in theory if I was offered a job today (Tuesday 2nd), could I email notice today and only have to go in for Monday and Tuesday. Is that right/legal???

With regards to what to put in my resignation letter when I leave either way:

I asked for a contract on 30th November, although they had received all my references etc. by the week before that (c. 22nd Nov). So does that mean technically they had 8 weeks to give me a proper contract, from
a) day they received references
b) day I asked for one (30th Nov)
c) my start date (4th September)

If they have breached the 8 week rule by now, do I state that as a reason for leaving, or do I put something like:
a) I am giving a weeks notice from today signed me
b) I can't work here as (list all reasons they are horrible)
c) something else?

Don't know what to write, because obviously they will ask me why I am leaving and I don't know what to say in response. I am "scared" of them making snide remarks and them making the atmosphere worse when they find out, and I don't know what to tell the boss when she asks either. I know that sounds pathetic, but the only other job I left was at a supermarket, years ago, and my life was hell whilst working my notice - I had said my reason was another job with better money and less hours and my boss was a complete cow when she knew I was going. I didn't actually have a job to go to at the time, but I didn't know what to say then either.

Hopefully I won't get the result of my interview today, and I'll get loads of replies to this to help me !!! (Pleeasse.. )
Right got an interview to deal with, back later!!

Good luck with your interview, hope you geta fab new job with people who appreciate your skills, good pay and enjoyable!! I don't think I could put up with all teh grief you've had! With regards to handing in your notice, I'm not sure of the legal ins and outs re. length of notice but if you've no signed contract surely you wouldn't need to give any notice?! I don't suppose they'd think twice about terminating your employment with little or no notice, on the grounds that you were only temporary... Definitely contact the CAB re. notice and your legal rights, as although you might not choose to act on what's happened to you in this job, you may be able to avoid the situation for the future and feel more empowered. It sucks working in a bitchy environment, and it sounds like they knew they had you over a barrel in this job. Thinking of you and sending out positive vibes that your potential new job is in the bag

Please don't jeopardise the new job start date for the sake of legal wrangles with these arseholes who don't deserve you. I think you'll be ok to give a week's notice, citing that you have no signed contract because the one offered you was unacceptable. Really DO put in all your reasons for leaving - it will sound like you have a case for constructive dismissal, as they have treated you abominably. Once they see it all written down in black & white, they'll be happy to let you go quickly.
Good luck and let us know!!!!

Thanks guys. Interview went OK, just have to wait to hear now, they are thinking of doing 2nd interviews next week. Am waiting to hear back from other jobs, so fingers crossed.

I GOT A JOB, I GOT A JOB!!!
I am happily handing in my notice today, and dreading having to work a week's notice - but they don't speak to me anyway!! Just bracing myself for snide remarks and nosey questions as to why I'm going - I don't want to tell them.
Anyway, my new job is full time telemarketing, with wonderful promises of bonuses etc if I hit targets, and I REALLY hope that it works out this time. I will have my own desk, computer, phone, cups of tea from a kettle when I want them etc. I will be working with 12 people - roughly half of them male, others female and I signed my contract last night. They are flexible on start/finish/lunch times as they know I have kids - they just want me to work the required no. of hours and let them know if I have to change times.
Now is this too good to be true, or do you think I've finally found a proper company??
It is permanent, reviewed after 3 months, that's standard apparently. I start a week on Monday.

Oh, my jobshare at work has told everyone else she's pregnant last week - no one told me - I found out after being congratulated on my pregnancy - the person who said it is pregnant and had been told that "the blonde one in X dept is pregnant" - she assumed it was me - obviously as I am fat, they wouldn't think it was anyone else. So I put her straight and someone from the next office started calling my jobshare "mum" in front of me - and she still didn't say anything. I was really hurt. Surely it is common courtesy to tell your jobshare that she might get to increase hours - or she might be getting replaced for 6 months etc??
They're in for a nasty shock Monday morning as if she can't do my job e.g stand up for 3 hours/lift boxes/go up ladders/use dangerous chemicals etc. they are SCREWED!! They have a week to half term after next week, but I doubt they'll get anyone desperate enough to replace me quickly - not that there's enough work for someone anyway most days.