no subject

[taimatsu]

the point is not 'I lost my job' but that I lost my job *now* after my boss told me I wouldn't lose it till the end of next week. i have been pretty thoroughly screwed over in various ways. I am damn well pursuing a grievance procedure although it will get me nowhere because boss's boss will support her.

robert is away for the weekend at a gaming event and i cannot get hold of him. I am all by myself and at some point I am going to snap.

Comments

[aardnebby.livejournal.com]

Im so sorry :(

You could come to Reading tommorow? Know you arent really into Camstuff right now, but getting out and seeing people may help.

Steve

[suave-steve.livejournal.com]

I have to work so can't offer to come over.

[ixwin.livejournal.com]

I don't blame you, given how you've been treated. So I'm not going to say "don't snap", but I'm going to hope you do it, if you do, as containably and repairably as possible.

Needless to say, if I can be of any use, just let me know...

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

You'll probably find they do this routinely to people in your job every six months precisely so that they never have to deal with anyone accumulating employment rights. I still don't know who your ultimate employer is.

[taimatsu]

no, my predecessor retired after 13 years.

ultimate employer is probably the personnel department of the unoversity of reading.

[halibut.livejournal.com]

Aaaargh!
So very, very sorry to hear this.

*big, warm, tight HUG* and another *HUG* with more *HUGS*

Shit. Do pursue the grievance procedure. Sounds like you've been used abominably. Any clue about the further politics behind it you might use?

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

*positive thoughts*

[randomchris.livejournal.com]

*sympathy*

Definitely go through with the grievance procedure. At least it'll make sure that they think about the way they've treated you, and don't pass it on to anyone else. Good luck.

*hugs*

[omentide.livejournal.com]

Much sympathy.

Something very similar happened to me. Extended probation (immediate boss happy with my work, next boss up very unreasonable). Eventually told my services would not be permanently required. At which point they downgraded the job and took on a friend of the hostile one.

I couldn't pursue a grievance because I was still on probation. I was, at that time, a Unison member.

I know what a blow this was to my confidence. It took me a long time to pull myself out of that particular hole. Especially as none of them was prepared to write me a reference.

Hang on in there and remember it is not you. Don't let the bastards grind you down. You are a competent person, it's those who can't recognise that who have a serious problem. Take advice. Pursue grievance procedures if you want. But I do know, again from personal experience, how stressful these can be.

[stronae.livejournal.com]

Ergh... that does, in fact, suck. But you knew that they weren't for you anyway, so in some sense they've progressed the inevitable. ::Comforts::

[taimatsu]

well, actually i kind of wanted to keep the job, given that my employment with the university was crucial to my being able to afford to do a part-time degree there... but you're right, i wouldn't want to work with evil boss any longer anyway.

[winterthing.livejournal.com]

Losing jobs is horrible. I've had it happen twice and both times it really really bashed my confidence. The most important thing to remember is that it doesn't make you a bad or useless person - it means that this didn't work out. Everyone loses jobs and you are worth so much more than a job which was making you miserable.

I would call, but your LJ says you're trying to go to bed now - so sleep well, and I really hope you feel better soon. Try and get out and see people if pos. Twil be good for you.

Lots of hugs as well.

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

Go with the grievance procedure - you've clearly got a very good case and as others have said, at least it might make them think a bit.

Nick and I are away for the weekend in Hitchin, or I'd invite you to come to ours for at least some of the time until Robert gets back. Bum. I can't wish our plans were different as we'll be seeing my parents and Liz and Matt and it will be lovely, but I wish we were going to be here for you as well.

Take care, and let us know if there's anything we can do.

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Mrrrrr. *hugs* I'm with everyone else in that you should pursue a grievance procedure. Also, is there a human resources person you can talk to, or is whoever it is on the side of evil? Because they're not allowed to treat you like this.

[taimatsu]

the personnel person assigned to the library is on the side of evil, but i got in touch with someone else in the department before this happened in order to clarify things, but we couldn't arrange to meet until next week which of course turned out to be too late.

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Meet anyway! You still can!!!

[andrewwyld.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry I didn't get to you earlier -- the truth is, I've been going through something very similar and have been rather busy!  However:

http://www.acas.org.uk/publications/pdf/CP01.pdf

This document is basically a bit like the Highway Code for employers -- you aren't legally obliged to follow it, but if you don't almost no court will find in your favour.  It sounds very much to me as though you have good grounds for claiming unfair dismissal.  Incidentally, going through grievance procedures first is definitely good, but I'd give this a really, really close read.

If they didn't inform you in writing of what they intended to do, then I think you will find that they have broken the law.