Published on 12, July, 2020
I started a new job last Monday, and after a very frank review with manager on Friday afternoon I'm considering quitting after only a week.
The basic theme of the review was that I'm not showing an aptitude for the work and not engaging with the clients well enough.
I will start by explaining some of my background and situation.
I, unsurprisingly have had long gaps in my employment and need money desperately. And I cannot be choosy! So obvious route is finding paid employment. Any paid job!!!!!
Other routes are trying for more benefits. One debt advisor suggested I apply for PIP. The next three professional advisors ( same week) laughed at the suggestion. Saying that my social skills problems are minisule compared to some people they deal with.
I have and had multiple advisors giving me all types of contradictory advice.
In applying for this job, one of my employment advisors actually changed my answers.
For confidentiality reasons I will not give specific details but the job is full time at the minimum wage and involves supporting people with complex physical/mental needs. Over the past twenty years I've been involved in doing this type of work for family and neighbors, so I am familiar with the issues and can emphasize with most autistics and their problems.
The problems are that I'm not showing enough enthusiasm and the will to get involved in specific tasks while shadowing existing workers. I am too reserved.
And the end of week review was very very negative.
Should I quit? Or turn up tomorrow morning and carry on ?
At the moment I'm intending to continue and apply for other jobs simultaneously. Just doing application for work at local poundstrechter.
How are things going, Robert? Have you decided on a way forwards?
I have not turned up for work today. Waiting for their reaction.
I'm still worried that I have no formal written proof that I was even employed in that place.
I have sent a comprehensive email to the quality care commission outlining my misgivings about the way the place is run and the risks to clients/customers.
I am not a lawyer, but it sounds like you do have a contract of employment, even if it's not a signed, written one. They probably will have grievance and disciplinary procedures too (if not in the handbook). I'd suggest asking for a copy of all of those.
'reserved' and lacking enthusiasm are just impressions by another employee. You may have been getting the work done, but not expressing emotion about it. Although you don't have full employment protection because you haven't been there 2 years, they still have to abide by the Equality Act in respect of your impairment.
Tom's thoughts seem very relevant, and good to hear the benefits people were of some help. Good luck.
Having proof is very important. Just look at the problems faced by the Windrush generation.
In this job the only proof is a text message which only includes a time, date and address. But no further information what this data refers to.
In past jobs I always had a formal letter on headed company paper. Giving me the essential details about job title, hours , rate of pay etc.
In this job I was given a handbook which includes a section stating that a formal letter will be sent separately from this handbook which includes all this information about terms & conditions of employment, pay hours etc. So far I've received nothing, either by physical letter nor email.
I was working at a huge educational institution and they didn't have me sign anything when I started. Now they are trying to hold me to a contract they never provided to me (despite the fact that I asked for a copy of it several times). Come to think of it, I have worked at several large educational institutions n different countries and I know there was at least one other in which I never signed anything when I started.
Emails and texts do carry some weight legally, as long as you can prove they are genuine.
Robert124 said:As for proof that I was working there.
I am not sure how helpful I am being here, anymore but... with regards to answering the rest of the Post containing what I quoted, I can only say the following...
The whole situation may be a sham, only for the reasons I began upon my own other Thread there.
BUT - With no written proof of anything? This seems highly suspicious to myself. At the very least, someone must have made you, Mr.Robert-Sir, SIGN something. When signing something, get copies of that, right there, right at that moment. INSIST upon this. Get copies and proof of everything at every opportunity. Pay no attention to "excuses" offered, just gain Hard Copy Documentation!
I may be showing my age (40+) about this, but EMails and Texts do not carry so much weight - but you may SCREENSHOT these as they arrive, confirming Date and Time and whatnot. Hopefully someone else can give more precise advice towards what I am trying to convey, here.
Good Fortune to all here anyway, from myself.
Well... all I can say is that in my first job, there was a service user who had no learning disabilities, but who had suffered great abuse in her life which had affected her severely. Her symptoms and behaviours were much more like PTSD. In my first week, the (abusive) deputy manager and his (equally abusive) wife (who was a Senior - how right is that in the same home?) told me to ignore her if she started saying things like 'So-and-so has asked me to lend them some money. Is that alright, Tom?' because, as they said, she 'likes to wind people up and set people off against each other.' It wasn't long before I could see through all of this. I knew they were taking money from her, and otherwise exploiting her because of her condition. All of this went into my report. But they didn't prosecute because there was no 'hard' evidence.
More anecdotes from my work.
One of the support workers warned me about a particular female client to be very careful what I say and do around her. Because she complains to her family
And a couple of workers have been sacked as a result and it goes on their DBS. Others have been banned from working with her or going into her flat.
I was once left alone with her giving her a wash in the bath with the door closed.
Is this moral, legal or questionable ?
That's good. So, as far as they're concerned, you're off sick. You've done the right thing.
Thank you for your advice.
I will write an email to the head office rather than obnoxious manager of the local centre I was working at. Her attitude towards me was from the start. 'just do as you're told and keep your mouth shut'.
As for proof that I was working there.
Just voice call asking me to agree starting date. With promise of written confirmation. Which I expected to a written letter on headed company paper. It turned out to be a text message with address+ date and time. Nothing else.
So.
No written offer of employment.
No written contract. With any terms and conditions of employment.
No mandatory photo ID badge
No payroll number
And no pay to date.
Possibly there is a better way than just not to show up for work, because just doing that without giving an explanation can be said to reflect badly on you. It might be good for you to send an email to someone at your employer and tell them about your concerns and why you feel unable to continue working until they are addressed. Also make it clear that you will need a written contract with your duties clearly specified, and you will not do anything not on the list because you are concerned for the safety of the people you are caring for (for example using a lift when you are not properly trained). There is no decent employer anywhere who would permit you anywhere near a forklift without certification, for example, so the fact that they are expecting you to hoist human beings with a lifting device without training is absolutely unacceptable and it furthermore puts you in danger of having legal action taken against you if something goes wrong, particularly if there is no documentation (i.e. an employment contract) saying that you are actually permitted and expected to be there in the first place.