I Was Fired!

Qua Sae

Full Member
My (ex) boss was kind enough to let me work my whole shift today & waited until 5:30pm to call me to his office & let me know that he has reviewed the last 6 months of my employment & doesn't think that it's going to work out. He wouldn't elaborate on this at all & I managed to squeeze out some crap about there being some unresolvable issue. He'd obviously taken some legal advice before firing me this evening & did it with our resident accountant, who is a huge *****.

I don't know what to do. I have bills to pay! OH & I were struggling a crazy amount while I was working!

Can they do this to me? Can they really fire me for no reason? What do I tell future possible employers? This is so awful & the second time in a year that I've been fired! God, it makes me seem like an awful person :(

The first time I was fired, I was done for 'gross misconduct' - even though I'd done nothing wrong. The boss made up a bunch of excuses (like I was late all of the time.. I was NEVER late.. In fact, I was always 10 minutes early to set up!) I phone ACAS & they told me I'd have a case for unfair dismissal if I'd been there longer, but I'd only been there 2 months.

& now I get fired again for no real reason! OH & I have a few ideas, but nothing is concrete because there was no reason given. :(

I don't know what I'm feeling right now.
 
Get yourself to the citizens advice asap. I'm fairly sure they have to give you a valid reason for firing you, although if you were on a probation or trial period, it may depend on your contract.

On a practical note you should apply for benefits asap. It can take ages for the money to actually start coming through, so best to start that straight away just in case the job hunt takes longer than you'd like.
 
It's hard to tell without knowing the full details, but basically if you have been with a company for less than twelve months (even if you are past your probationary period) they can let you go without following the dismissal procedure. Here is some further info.

So I'm afraid there isn't really anything you can do here.

Regarding future employers, if possible I would probably leave the first job you got fired for off your CV, you were only there for eight weeks, so it's probably best to just gloss over that.

You will need to mention this one though, I would probably just say 'it wasn't working out' don't elaborate. If you are asked to give references, just give someone else that you worked for, it is unlikely that they will insist one of the references must be your last employer.

Sorry to hear about this :( and good luck with finding something else.
 
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so sorry to hear your bad news, hope you find something soon love. Have lots of huggles with your fur babies x
 
Unfair dismissal only kicks in after a year of continuous employment unless some sort of statutory Discrimination is involved.

Wrongful dismissal might be of use to you as that is about getting proper notice etc - were you given and paid notice? What is the notice period in your contract? The statutory minimum is a week after one month's employment.

Are you and other half entitled to any working tax credits? Have you tried this checker?

Check your benefit entitlement
 
Hi ya, were going through this exact procedure at the moment, My mate ( who lives with me) was fired 3 weeks ago for no good reason. She had been there nearly 2 years, so we are making a case for unfair dissmisal with ACAS.
However, having done lots of reading about all this, down sizing my curves just said you have a case for wrongful dissmissal if the ACAS code was not followed correctly, link posted above i saw. ie they should discuss the issue with you, then if not resolved issue a letter, then arrange a meeting, give correct notice and pay in lieu if they dont want you to work the notice, and pay any holiday entitlement that you are owed. You get these rights from 1 month of employment.
The CAB have been really helpful to us, and there is a wealth of information on the internet.
 
Hiya, I'm so sorry this has happened to you, it really is a horrible feeling getting fired :(

I work in HR for a council (only admin, but I've picked up a few bits) and as far as I'm aware if you're in a probabtionary period they don't have to give you any notice so can get rid of you immediately and cut your pay off from that day (you will get paid for up until your last day in other words) and I don't think they actually have to give a reason, but it seems to me like a bit of a twattish (wonderful english i know) thing to do not to tell you, which would point to there not being a concrete reason.

What b*****ds :( Just try to think positively about it (i know that seems impossible) and move on, just think this could be the door being opened to something even better!
 
I would send them a formal letter by registered post asking for an detailed explanation of the reason they terminated your employment..
 
They said they would be paying me in lieu of my notice period so I guess there's nothing more that I can do. Apparently after they fired me, the manager went downstairs & told all of the employees that I'd been 'let go' & it was 'the hardest thing' they'd ever had to decide. My probationary period was only 2 weeks long, after that I entered into a full contract.. But I'd only been there for 7 months so I guess there's not much more that I can do.

I have an interview on Monday but I don't want to come off as desperate.

I am desperately trying to stay on track with my eating.. Even to the point that my kitchen is now cleaner than it's EVER been! Lol. But then my Grandma gave us some chocolates & cake & biscuits! So guess what I've been gorging on for the past 10 minutes??

Coljack - I honestly don't believe that they would reply with any answers. They'd sought legal advice before firing me & just kept repeating the same rehearsed line over & over again, telling me that there was nothing more that they were allowed to say. This makes me think I was fired for a reason that I shouldn't have been fired for.. If it was my behaviour or mistakes or illness then they could have just gone through the proper procedures but they didn't. :/

The guy I took the job over from was doing an accountancy course, he's now finished it & because I had his job, he had to go a position below what he was doing originally & he was kicking up a fuss about that. He's obviously taken this job back now because I have been kicked out!
 
What does your contract say about disciplinary procedures etc? I should think they would only be able to let you go on a permanent contract in cases of gross misconduct, but you say that you've done nothing wrong.

Get some legal advice (you can usually get half an hour with a solicitor for free) and take them to a tribunal - this doesn't sound like a fair dismissal to me.
 
It says nothing about termination other than they need to give me one week's notice. Which they decided they didn't want me to work & are just paying me for instead.

I am going to call ACAS on Monday & see what they say about the situation but I'm not hopeful.

I can't believe they are allowed to do this to people. I kept saying to them that I was pretty sure they couldn't fire me without a valid reason & he said that I could say that all I wanted but he'd spoken to the appropriate people before calling me in & they'd told him that as long as he sticks to his lines then he will be ok to do it.
 
hmmmm, all sounds pretty dubious to me. Speak to the CAB ( we saw a employment specialist) and see what ACAS say when you call them.
But still just not sure what rights you have as under 1 year employment.
The ACAS website is pretty useful too, as in the CAB website, lots of info you can read up on before you see/call anyone
 
What an awful thing to happen. Surly he has to give you a valid reason and can't just fire you. Hopefully ACAS can give you some advice on Monday.
 
Really feel sorry for you hun. I hope you get some good advice from ACAS and get answers.

Perhaps take this as an opportunity to move forward and get the job of your dreams! The place you worked sounds like they are run by a bunch of clowns and i would be thankful to not be working there anymore if that is the way they treat employees.

Good luck for job hunting.

xx
 
The guy I took the job over from was doing an accountancy course, he's now finished it & because I had his job, he had to go a position below what he was doing originally & he was kicking up a fuss about that. He's obviously taken this job back now because I have been kicked out!

Ding ding ding - I think we have a winner!!!

I would definately seek advice about this one - if nothing other than for your own self confidence. It does sound as though they got rid of you to give him his job back

Good luck for your interview on monday - knock em dead

:hug99:
 
Ding ding ding - I think we have a winner!!!

I would definately seek advice about this one - if nothing other than for your own self confidence. It does sound as though they got rid of you to give him his job back

Good luck for your interview on monday - knock em dead

:hug99:


I agree - they can get rid of YOU because you're a new employee still in their probationary period, and this other bloke obviously doesn't expact to come back to a lower job when he's been off training to get better qualifications - and he's been there longer so can do them some damage. Hmm. So unfair on you.

Good luck with your interview on Monday. Please try to feel positive, despite what's just happened. Let us know how you get on.

xx
 
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