More work problems

Hi Robert123, so sorry to hear you have had such a rough time recently - from what you have posted in the past, it comes across that you really care about your job and want to do the right thing.  From what you have said about your last employer, you are better off out of there and somewhere better.  I just feel sorry for the people they should be caring for.

Perhaps you might want to join a union such as Unite just in case you have to face similar issues in the future.

It's something I'm seriously considering myself given my past experiences in the workplace.

They were really desperate to get rid of me.

I was still in a initial 6 month probationary period.

The hearing was after only 4 + 1/2 months.

One of their main arguments was the amount of support and help I needed to do the job properly.  And they even contradicted themselves.  One argument they used was that I wasn't using all the help and support that was available.  Then they argued that the help and support I had used was excessive and the cost to the company was too much.  And the manager who wanted me sacked went on and on about the cost and the cost.....that was being spent to help and support me was excessive.

People are such tosspots.

Not as in sound recording.  Just that it was stated that my complaint of bullying was withdrawn by me.  With no further explanation given.  Then the full details of allegations made against me were presented.

"Recorded"?

As in covert sound recording?

If so, this is illegal unless you agreed to it.

My rant about the disciplinary hearing etc.

The work involves shift work. Shifts are typically 7h, 7.5h or 8h without any breaks.

On the day before my hearing I was on the rota to work back to back shifts with no breaks, totalling 14.5h.  I queried this with the management explaining that this is unreasonable.  They smiled and explained that it was an honest error.

On the day of my actual hearing I was on the rota to work 13h on that day. Again I queried it and again big smiles and it's an error.

And there is no way I can prove whether it's deliberate or human error.

A few months earlier I had made a complaint of workplace bullying against my line manager.  She responded by making a list of counter complaints against me.

My employment advisors persuaded me to withdraw my complaint, as an act of good faith and go back to work and try to make a fresh start.

At the actual hearing I discovered that my withdrawal of the bullying complaint was recorded.  And my complaints were inadmissible.  But she had not withdrawn hers and these stood and we're all repeated.  The hearing went downhill there.

And I was fired.

I totally understand the situation you're in.

Staff at my company are told not to use their phones in "secure areas" such as the helpdesk and it's apparently a big frustration for my department manager.

Yet this same department manager who complains about personal devices being used and tells us we're not allowed to open office windows in the office because otherwise we'd lose our ISO certification [which I think is total BS] allowed a TEMP (yes that's right, a temp, some random guy that was working for the company for a month) to use his personal iPhone and Apple laptop as work devices.

Logically you'd think that such rules would be applied even more strictly to a temp, who's more of a security risk than permanent staff.

I also regularly notice various members of other departments with their personal phones blatantly sitting on their desk or being actively used in view of everyone.

It's for this reason I became very irritable a couple of weeks back when I lent a colleague one of my Philips LED lamps so he could try before he buys - he was going to take it home for a couple of week but on the morning I brought it to work I set it up behind his monitor for a laugh so when he walked in the panel behind his monitor was glowing neon blue.

The dept manager walked in and asked why there was a light there, so I explained exactly as I have above (just for a laugh,etc) and he started behaving like a petulant child, pulling faces as he walked over to his desk. I watched him the entire time and his behavior enraged me - he looked like he was about to cry so I called him out on it and his response was that it was an unauthorized device (hinting that it's a security hazard) to which my response was to tell him that "it's just a lamp, it has no network connections or internal storage" and disconnected it / threw the mains adapter on the floor, said something abrasive like "there you go" and walked out of the office in a huff.

He doesn't seem to understand [or care] how hypocritical he and many other managers are there, or the effect it has when staff members see such behavior.

Just like another manager who has a reputation for abrasive and bullying behavior lecturing staff on respecting each other in the workplace.

This coming from someone who's caused two staff members to leave and attempted to weaponize my mental health and stir trouble with my line manager because I challenged her for breaking a rule she insisted everyone else follow just because it wasn't convenient for her and her staff at the time. 

He also does things like leaving passive aggressive Post It notes on laptops because the asset tag (label with the computer name on it) isn't perfectly aligned with the display bezel, which apparently gives our clients the impression that we don't care. Yet he let staff re-cable the office, the result of which is an absolute joke. They had the idea of attaching Intel NUC (very small form factor) PCs to the bottom of the desks using high strength Velcro and forcing the various cables and mains adapters into trays that are clearly too small.

So now the supposedly important area of the building that has to be kept free of personal devices, food and bins because of potential and existing clients being shown around now has cable trays hanging down by a single fixing, cables dangling everywhere so that users are coming into contact with it and NUC PCs with faulty Velcro that are dangling purely by their various cables.

I asked him if he'd considered a better solution such as some form of cage or plate that'll allow it to be securely mounted to the desk rather than the s**tshow he have now and he insisted on continuing to use the Velcro.

It's exactly this kind of selective thinking that contributes to the meltdown I had last week.

The man clearly thinks he's superior and that rules apply only when it suits and it makes me angry and frustrated.

This type of thing is precisely why I no longer make much effort to make friends at work and is a large contributing factor in why I'm cynical and distrusting of people.

I've had nothing but problems at work because of people like this.

At yesterday's hearing I was warned not to rant, go off topic or express opinions.  Just state the facts.  So I'll do the ranting here instead.

I was in a suitable job, supporting people with complex mental/physical disabilities.  Helping them to lead better lives.   Unfortunately I did not tick all the boxes of the essential skills needed to do the job independently.

I understood the needs of the clients and felt genuine empathy for their problems and difficulties.  Rather than just doing the job for the money as some of my colleagues.

I got along with half of my colleagues at work.  And managed to work with them as a team.  Unfortunately the other half were suspicious of me and my motives for working there.  I was even asked by someone if It was true that I was a spy for the management ?

Many of them felt that I didn't belong there.

I got off on the wrong foot with the management right from the start.  And it was downhill all the way.  Their mind was made up inside the first week that I should go.

As the old saying goes.  " You only get one chance to make a first impression"

I will save the anecdotes of some of the dodgy things that went on there for future posts.   I was warned by my support worker not to mention these at the hearing because it would sound like me whinging and whining.

The only word I can think of at the moment is this..

****

Just finished with my disciplinary meeting with company chief executive, two managers and two people from HR.

On my side was a mental health employment specialist.

I'VE BEEN FIRED.   EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!!!!

• It looks to me like she is bullying you if what you tell me is true. If you were using your phone all the time I would understand why she took the action she did but for one isolated incident this seems way over the top and would indicate to me she has issues of her own. It's odd she said the rules must be followed to the letter yet openly flouts them herself. She is not fit to be in charge of people and perhaps you have a counter-claim that you are being victimised. I wouldn't think the people at the disciplinary meeting will take her claim very seriously and probably conclude it says more about her than you and I'm sure they have better things to do with their time.

You can't record such a meeting unless both parties agree.

Wat?

They can't fire you for that.

I also hate hypocrisy... and bullying.

My final probation/disciplinary meeting is this Wednesday.  I'm still undecided how to approach the whole event.  

The panel of people I will be facing are: the chief executive of the company, two senior HR people and the two top managers of the centre I'm working at.  Co workers who saw this list were surprised and shocked!

In fact I'm not sure if I want to stay in this job.  Some of the complaints about me are petty and trivial. And many existing experienced staff are worse than me.

Some of the working practices I've seen here recently are both shocking and almost funny.  A recent example being creams being mixed up. An anti fungal cream meant for a female clients groin being applied to her face.  And anti eczema cream intended for her face being applied to her groin.  I pointed out the error by referring to her customer care plan.  I don't know if I should report the error to the management. If I do.  I suspect the staff will send me to Coventry.

If you can't take someone with you could you take a recording device such as a dictaphone? Explain that due to disability reasons you struggle with taking written notes and listening at the same time, if you do.

Also, at the end of the meeting write up notes and email them to HR stating that that is your recollection can they please add any comments if they disagree. This helps to produce a paper trail and keep your HR accountable.

I have taken a previous employer to an employment tribunal and that's two strategies I used.

You could talk to the ACAS helpline about the law and strategies for dealing with troublesome employers. I found them to be incredibly helpful.

I understand what you are saying.  Looking at the Citizens Advice Site it says the following which might help. 

Possible companions if you're disabled

If you're disabled, your employer has to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate your disability. It may be a reasonable adjustment for your employer to allow someone else, such as your carer to accompany you.

What if you are not a member of a trade union?

You do not need to be a member of a trade union. You can ask an official from any trade union to come with you. The union doesn't have to be recognised by your employer.

These problems have been going on for months.  The real problem is the unwritten unspoken rules of behaviour.

There is a company handbook.   And at previous HR management meetings I have pointed out that I was following written procedures when I was formally disciplined. The HR response was contradictory.  She pointed out that rules and procedures must be followed to the letter. And added that sometimes we must ignore the written procedures, otherwise nothing will ever be done.

Rules on smartphones are loose.  We are allowed to use them occasionally when needed.   But not neglect our work while doing so.

My complaint here is the hypocrisy.  The woman who ordered me to stop using the phone. Spends hours playing on her's because she's bored.

Rules on being accompanied to disciplinary meeting are as you say.  Work colleague or union official. Must give 5 days notice.  Work colleagues are afraid for their own jobs and I don't belong to union.

I would always suggest (and you may be already planning to do this) that you attend the meeting with a work colleague or even if possible a Union Rep so you have some one independent on such a serious meeting where dismissal is an issue.  Get them to make notes from both sides on what is said.  This does seem a bit hypocritical but does the company have something about smart phone use in the company handbook ?