New job problems. Help.

I would be questioning the belief that you ‘need money desperately’.

I agree with the sentiment that health is always more important than money, but I think it's up to the individual to know their circumstances best, and what they need or don't need - and how much being without money, with the worries that can bring, can further damage health and wellbeing.  No one else can make that judgment, BlueRay.

It's your decision, and I respect your taking it.  I have done it myself in the past, as a result of severe workplace bullying which wasn't properly dealt with because the bully was part of a clique which included senior management.  If I'd belonged to a union, I'd probably have had a case for constructive dismissal.

Walking away from a job - especially in the early days - can be difficult, though.  It's unfair, but people are penalised for it by the DWP.  You need to speak to an adviser at your Job Centre or at the CAB.  If I was in that situation now, I'd probably go sick... then let them get rid of me.

I think you've been very unfairly treated.  A review after one week is ridiculous. 

Actually, in 13 years in care in both residential and day centre settings, I've never yet worked anywhere where CCTV has been installed.  There are all kinds of issues regarding privacy, dignity, confidentiality, etc.  A properly-run place, with properly vetted staff, shouldn't need it.  On the other hand, I take your point.  In my first job, abuse was institutionalised, so it needed a few of us to record incidents and make statements to CQC (or CSCI as it was then) to get action.  There's been a lot of tightening up in the light of exposures like at Winterbourne View... but sadly, it still goes on.  Another point, of course, is that not all abuse is 'visible'.  Psychological abuse, emotional abuse, etc.  Some abuse is also unintentional.  Such as, in my last job, unnecessarily aversive action being taken against an autistic person due to inadequate staff knowledge of ASC.

It needs good, vigilant people and a more rigorous selection process for care staff - such as they have in countries like Canada.  In this country, anyone with a basic education and a clean criminal record (or, at least, with no convictions of a sexual nature, or relating to serious abuse charges) can get a job in care.  The sector is desperately short of staff, and because the pay is generally very low it often attracts (I hate to say it, but it's true) people who can't get a job anywhere else.  They aren't always suitable people.

Having said all of that, I think the matter of CCTV is under review.

Legal issues regarding the use of CCTV in care homes

Well done Robert, I would not tolerate or do well I’m that environment either. It takes courage to follow your heart. I applaud you. 

With that added info I would also agree that leaving is the best option. It’s not acceptable to use lifting equipment without training and being left alone with clients while shadowing. It sounds like they’re breaking all the rules and in situations like these, the ones following rules are usually the ones to get scapegoated. 

There is nothing wrong with experiencing the buzzers as loud and if you find the comings and goings of people too much then it’s not the best environment for you, which isn’t a reflection of your abilities but simply a reflection of your ability to be in certain situations. 

Why not call a review and bring up all the points that you have mentioned here. Do any of your work coaches offer you support in this area? For example, could one of them accompany and support you at a review that you have called to discuss your concerns? From what you have said, this doesn’t sound like a great company to work for. 

Do you agree or disagree with the review? 

Of course I come from a different perspective than most people and I would be questioning the belief that you ‘need money desperately’. But you could start with the review. 

Do you agree or disagree? It sounds like the financial gains that you will get from this employment are the most important aspect in this story, therefore, the question is, do the financial benefits outweigh any so called ‘negative’ aspects? If so, you are getting what you want and can therefore go ahead and enjoy yourself regardless of other people’s views of you. Of course, if you want to keep the financial rewards, you will have to do what you can to ensure you keep the job but if the motive is the financial reward, then it will be a pleasure to do what you can at work because you know it is simply a means to an end. 

Well done and congratulations on getting the job. All your hard work and consistency, turning up for appointments etc in the snow, paid off and I’m pleased that you are already enjoying some financial rewards. You’ve done great Robert, I hope you haven’t forgot to congratulate yourself on your achievements. 

If you like being back in work and the job isn’t so unbearable that one more day would be the straw that breaks the camels back, then giving it a bit more time might be wise, it’s early days so it might turn into something really great. 

Well done and best of luck with whatever you decide to do. 

Do you think it was criticism because they felt you would never be good at the job?

Or could it be constructive criticism for you to consider during the course of next week?

The training and getting to know the team may be hard. If you look beyond that to the job itself and the client relationships - is that something you could be comfortable with? 

I've decided to leave.

I cannot cope with an atmosphere of bullying and intimidation and backstabbing colleagues.

Working there is a case of I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

And I only see things getting worse with a two faced management in charge.

No CCTV? Sounds like another place that'll be in the news in the not too distant future, then.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/08/somerset-care-home-staff-bullied-autistic-residents-review-finds

There is no CCTV.

I did receive a staff handbook on my first day.

But no contract of employment nor ID badge.  Although the handbook states that all staff will receive a photo ID badge which must be worn by all staff at all times while on duty.  In two weeks, I have not seen anyone wearing a single ID badge.

My main problems are with my co workers and the management.  Not with the clients we are looking after.  I can feel sympathy and empathy with people who are disabled both physically & mentally and are on a cocktail of drugs to control all types of conditions including epilepsy, antipsychotics, antidepressants etc.

@California is right, don't quit without something else to go to.

Do look for something else though. Get a job offer that is better, and then jump ship.

w.r.t. "sleeping on the job", how long was the moment that your eyes were closed? 10 seconds? Assuming you were not actually asleep, but merely collecting your thoughts after dealing with a challenging client, I think it would make sense to "grab the bull by the horns" and actively seek a few minutes with HR to put your side across - after all, I assume there is a CCTV recording somewhere that backs your version of events? You could ask HR what they thought of the recording. If they have even half a brain they'll see that your eyes only closed for a moment, but someone else was stood nattering for ages.

If HR haven't seen the CCTV recording, you could state your version of events and politely point out that if they have no other sources of data that it is their word against yours.

You can also make the point that briefly closing your eyes posed no risk to the client who was engrossed in the TV (if there had been a risk, the qualified support worker would not have been able to stand there nattering, right?).

Unfortunately, if you have just started a position, most employers are able to let you go within your probationary period without even informing you of a reason - and this is why it's rather surprising that you are receiving quite so much attention. It is almost as if they want you to quit rather than have to fill out the paperwork required for a termination.

There are also lots of clear rules and regulations in a written staff handbook which I followed but others ignored.

Main ones are clear warnings about not doing specific tasks unless one has received clear training and has been judged to be competent.

Yet they expected me to get hands on involved straight from the start without training.  Like using mechanical lifts and hoists to move clients from bed to wheelchair to baths and toilets etc.

Then there is the rule about being left alone with clients in a flat.  Two days ago while shadowing a senior support worker.  He made it clear that as an untrained beginner, it was illegal for me to be left alone with vulnerable clients in a flat and I had to leave a flat with him whenever he left.

Yet,. Before that, I had been left alone many times for 5 or 10 minutes at a time,  while staff went to other flats as required.

I feel quitting is the best option.

I'll never understand why people behave like this. Isn't that also making it all feel like a really unsafe place to themselves, where you have to be on your guard constantly because otherwise you may be the one that gets stabbed in the back by their colleagues?

I haven't quit yet.

But it's getting worse.

This morning I was called into the general managers office to explain my behaviour over two incidents from Monday.

One is serious the other almost laughable.

The existing staff are openly critical about pay, working conditions and changes to working conditions and bureaucracy.  But I was overheard commenting about being surprised about the loudness of the buzzers and how frequently various people keep coming in and out of the flat.  The general manager in charge of the complex demanded to know what I meant about the buzzers and people coming and going.  And that I was reported to have said it within hearing distance of one of the clients.

The second incident is more serious, I have been accused of sleeping on duty.  After an eight hour shift dealing with a disabled woman who has challenging behaviour, she likes to shout, sulk, head butting, sniffing people, licking my arms etc. At change over time we were sitting down watching TV.  The client was quiet engrossed in the TV show.   The qualified support worker and her replacement were deep in a gossiping session (of no interest to me).  My eyes closed for  a moment and straight away she shouted at me that sleeping on duty is a sackable offence.

Today I was formally warned that a report about my sleeping is being sent to HR and the offence is very serious.

DragonCat16 said:

Get everything in writing or record everything.

I support this advice. It is the best defence, add dates and as much as possible. Argue your case, yet try not to be hostile about it and stay logical and focussed about everything.

To Rachael...

You finally replied outside of your own Threads!

Good on you, very much.

Please reply to others more often.

Be brave and strong, and be yourself. Not easy, but keep trying.Please not just here, but to others. 

Thank You for any SUPPORT, Rachael.

Better neurotypical for better job well . 

This is what NTs don't understand about our lives. Everything is made more difficult for us because of the way they automatically treat us, without even realising why they are doing it.

Why is your manager expecting you to be perfect when you are only being paid minimum wage, anyway? That's totally ridiculous. It sounds as if you are in training, if you are just shadowing other workers. It is unreasonable to criticise you after only one week. Being reserved shouldn't be criticised. If you were failing to do as you were asked, that would be one thing, but they seem to be assuming that you should know exactly what you should be doing when you obviously haven't been told.

Try to find some relief in the fact that you are drawing a salary right now and that you are applying for other work, so you will soon be able to take charge of your own situation and have the option of leaving.

Make sure you disclose your disability and ask for reasonable adjustments as necessary. That will make them think twice before they give you another bad review or fire you. Then at least you will keep getting the salary that you need.

Ask exactly what you can do differently that will result in better reviews. Ask for it in writing, perhaps in the form of a checklist, and then you can tick off the items on the list as you accomplish them. Then they will have a difficult time giving you a bad review again. Get everything in writing or record everything.

I know how it is to get an unfair negative review. You shouldn't have to put up with that kind of treatment, and, from my own experience, I am almost certain it arises from the fact that you are on the spectrum and your colleagues have picked up on the fact that you are different and vulnerable, even if you haven't disclosed your condition.

That's the kind of work I do.  I think a review after just one week is more than a bit premature!  It can take people a long time to settle into a job like that.  There's a huge amount to learn - even if you've had some experience - and it takes a while to get used to the client group.  In my current job, which I started last September, I was only in role for a couple of weeks when I decided it wasn't for me.  It was a change of client group to working with purely autistic people, and I missed some of the other people I used to work with.  I applied for a couple of other jobs and had interviews for them.  I even got offered one.  But it came at a time when I was beginning to settle a bit more.  I was getting more used to working with the clients, and getting to know them.  I'm now glad I didn't leave.  8 months down the line, I'm properly settled.

I think they really need to give you a bit more of a chance with it.  They don't sound very helpful.  Rather than telling you what you're not doing it would be better for them to offer to help you more in role.

Have you told them you have ASC?  The employment adviser who ordered you to lie is a disgrace.  Sounds like they were more interested in hitting performance targets rather than helping you to find a suitable role.

Robert how long will you have to shadow? You are happy that you will be ok when you are not shadowing aren't you? That being the case i would stay on. 

're the answer changing advisor, I would have to report them to some one. They are not doing their job and are ultimately putting you at risk.