I lost my job yesterday.

[auldfuckingspinster]

Dismissed due to 'poor performance' as there was a particular aspect of my job I couldn't master. Had worked there since February 1998. Shell-shocked.

Just to add to Newt's valid point re ACAS you can only trigger the early conciliation service with ACAS after you've served your full notice period, but I agree, it's definitely worth a try

I've had another look at my dismissal letter and it's such a load of bollocks. There are so many holes. I'd failed to notice that they had the option to offer me compensation under cabinet office rules but had chosen not to because of 'ineffiency'.

Could I appeal of the basis that I don't want my job back but the least they could do is pay me the compensation which should be a months pay for every year served (I think), pointing out that OH say I'm covered by the Equalities Act and otherwise I may be forced to take it further?

The Chief Exec who is hearing my appeal is a decent bloke who I've had plenty dealings with via my union work. He also has a special interest in mental health.

Definitely run this by your Union. I would validate your facts accurately re compensation as per your update ^ ensuring you cite Policy, and Occ Health.

Been in touch with my rep and she's meeting with the most experienced rep to work on my appeal.

Great news! Don't forget to keep us posted how it's going with your alternative plan, that of planning for your job search.

CV done and registered online with a couple of agencies. Applied for a few administration jobs. Dress code was very relaxed so I'll need to pick up some smart trews, a skirt and tights.

Well done auld. It's an instant boost putting out the CV. Re-empowering!

Yep. It certainly feels that way.

Try to arrange for some interviews. Even if they don't lead up to a job offer, they'll give you the practice to present yourself in an interview situation. You might want to check whether someone has done some videos on YouTube with good advice on job searches and interviews, it could be worthwhile viewing a few of those, but don't hesitate to immediately skip to the next one if any of the videos feels useless. Time is money, and all that...

Got loads of interview tips pins on Pinterest but will check out YouTube. Going to pick up some smart duds tomorrow at asda cos I'm a classy burd.

I've called to an assessment at a bank contact centre tomorrow, the recruiter says I sound perfect for the job - bit of a pay cut but it'll keep the wolf from the door for the moment.

What an awful experience for you, my personal experience is that when it comes to MH disability you just don't get any protection/consideration these places talk the talk but don't walk the walk. Partly because it can be difficult to specify what "reasonable" adjustments would make a huge difference, things such as having "a decent boss" is a bit tricky to request!

I hope it gets resolved, it does seem what vindictive/there was a target to meet...

wow 19 years, OP don't beat yourself up about it. You may find a change a" breath of fresh air" as I did last year when I was fired for "having too many days off" (I had a miscarriage and operation and no other days off apart from that) . Im now in a much better place and in a lovely new job. I think it makes you feel crap because they let you go but don't let it affect your confidence OP x

It used to be difficult to get fired from the Civil Service, but not in recent years since some pretty stringent performance management processes have been introduced.

@WantToBSupermum - pretty much no-one is on a final salary pension anymore, almost everyone has been moved to a new, career average scheme (only those close to retirement age still on the old scheme, I think)

Yeah, I had been moved onto the career average pension a few years back.

My bitch of a line manager had given me the lowest box marking she could which kicked off the performance monitoring.

I got around the question about why I left by saying there had been restructuring and my role had gone.

My appeal is going in today as well.

Well, there was restructuring and your role is indeed gone, so that was quite true. They look for a good enough explanation for why you are on the job market right now, not a confession of all the gruelling details. Don't start to cry when you see your recruiter, I did that once wasn't a big hit...

I managed to keep it together. The assessment day at the bank went well so fingers crossed.

Great! Keep up the good work!

Had a few headhunting calls and applied for more jobs. Should also hear shortly about the appeal hearing.

Depends on the 'new task'. I had to recently dismiss someone with over 30 years of service because I gave her 2 years and every opportunity under the sun to learn basic Microsoft Office skills (essential for her job) - she couldn't do sums let alone the vlookups etc I needed her to do as a clerical assistant, and she couldn't get to grips with PowerPoint at all. Her lack of skills led to the rest of us being really overworked - I had to Do overnights several times at work trying to complete her work and mine.

The new clerical assistant is amazing. Same age as the last lady but she has such a great handle on computers and the job overall she's likely going to get a promotion straight after her probationary period.

It was preparing documents for scanning, there were small errors that kept coming up in spite of doing my best, my error rate was higher than others. Most didn't have material effects on the process and could be easily spotted and rectified as they were scanned- which was invariably done by me.

What were you preparing? If invoices then they could he classes as accounting errors & cause legal problems if not fixed. If identification then the error might cause a customer to return/have their account closed. Appreciate they are minor but someone else has to fix them right, so they don't become a bigger problem later?

Glad you're doing better in your job - my advice for stuff you aren't good at is try and spot ways you can 'improve' the processes you own so you better manage them. I'm dyslexic & find spotting errors on paper difficult - big problem when you're a financial analyst, so I changed our entire document process from paper to software. We receive/process/analyse everything electronically and it's reduced errors across the board.

No it was front end scanning of statutory documents, we had to open the post and arrange them into batches which would then be scanned into electronic documents. There were certain ways they had to be arranged so the scanner could read them.

It was donkey work done for hours on end and I had lapses in concentration at times either due to my medication for anxiety or the anxiety itself. I was set up to fail - occupational health said I was likely to have a higher rate of errors than a person without my impairments but my targets weren't adjusted and no allowances were made. I had the lowest rate of errors for scanning out of everyone. My face hadn't fit for a while and it seems like this was a convenient way of getting rid of me.

What a terrible job - scanning documents - but important. I had a Health Insurance Office (where I live) miss to scan a medical certificate once, they had just scanned page 2 but forgot page 1. Everything got sorted out, though.

You deserve to get a second chance, but what you also deserve, I think, to let yourself test another and more personally fulfilling job, not just mere routine. (I wonder whether your job could have contributed to your anxiety, in a vicious circle...)

I think your ex-employers have been very stupid, they have so not followed procedures - makes my blood boil!