I feel like I’m being forced out of work. Can you help?
Unauthorised disclosure of my personal information - what can I do?
Notice during absence - Do I have to give it?
Failure to pay wages or holiday pay on termination
Paying for training costs and course attendance
Should I attend a meeting on my day off?
Can my employer cut short my notice to avoid paying me holiday pay?
Disability and reasonable adjustments
Time off for hospital appointments and using holiday to attend
What is the minimum notice required to resign?
I feel like I’m being forced out of work. Can you help?
Q. I had my 6-month appraisal review with my direct line manager and the managing director. During the appraisal it was made apparent by the managing director that there are a number of problems with my performance which was news to me - I was hearing this for the very first time and proceeded to get quite upset.
Some of the things I was told for the first time were:
That he questions my ability
I give attitude and push backs when asked to do anything (no examples given)
I show disrespect to the MD and team (no examples given)
I waste team resources by not doing simple tasks alone (no examples given)
I’m always making silly mistakes all the time
I act in haste all the time
He asked me if I felt I was treated differently, I said yes then immediately got shot down and told it’s all in my head
The above is not an exhaustive list.
Now, I’m sure you can understand that from my point of view, i feel very attacked and essentially bullied off the back of this. I feel like it has made things very uncomfortable for me and I feel as though I am being pushed out of the business given the MD has taken a disliking to me, again. This isn’t the first time he has treated me this way.
3 months prior to the meeting I had a pay rise because of great performance, and 3 months prior to that (6 months ago) I had my annual appraisal whereby I was told I was exceeding expectations and that I was very humble for stating that I thought I was meeting expectations as this isn’t the case.
So sorry for the long email, but I’m understandably stuck in a situation that isn’t going to get any better, and for my own mental health I need some advice / guidance.
A. Firstly, I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you're facing at work. It sounds like a challenging situation, especially when your recent experiences contrast so starkly with the positive feedback and recognition you've received in the past. It's important to approach this situation carefully and with a clear understanding of your rights and options.
Document everything: Start by documenting all instances of the behaviour you've described. This includes the appraisal meeting, any contradictory feedback you've received, the change in your office space, and the use of disappearing messages in the work group chat. Documentation is crucial if you need to escalate the matter.
Seek clarification: Request a follow-up meeting with your manager or HR to discuss the feedback from your appraisal. It's important to seek specific examples of the issues raised. If performance is a concern, it’s reasonable to ask for clear and actionable steps for improvement, along with examples of the alleged attitude or disrespect issues.
Utilise formal procedures: If the follow-up meeting doesn’t resolve your concerns, consider using your company's formal grievance procedure. This is a structured process for raising and addressing workplace issues. It's there to ensure fairness and should be outlined in your employee handbook or HR policies.
Mental health support: Given the impact this is having on your mental health, consider speaking to a professional counsellor or therapist. Many employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that provide access to counselling services.
If the situation does not improve, or if you feel you are being unfairly targeted, it may be worth considering your options. It may be that the treatment you are receiving is capable of breaching the implied term of mutual trust and confidence between you and your employer and that you can no longer continue to work for them. This could leave you with a claim for constructive unfair dismissal.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a workplace situation may not improve. It's important to consider your long-term career and mental health. This may involve looking for opportunities elsewhere where your contributions are valued and the work environment is more supportive.
Remember, it's crucial to maintain professionalism throughout this process, even when faced with challenging circumstances. This helps to ensure that you're seen in the best possible light, regardless of the outcome.
Unauthorised disclosure of my personal information - what can I do?
Q. I was looking for some advice if possible. I work as a Personal Assistant for my employer. I have come on shift & a contract along with 3 other PA’s contracts (something we haven’t had before) have just been left out on the side for anyone to see which includes our address.
They haven’t been left out by him but someone who is named on my contract of who will deal with the ‘day to day management of my work’
Am I right in thinking this is a breach of GDPR & DPA 2018? Can I go anywhere with this as the other person who is named on the contract as a person who will deal with the day to day management of my work is my Mum who I have been estranged from for 2 & a half years, who didn’t know where I lived & I wanted to keep it that way, but is now likely to know my home address.
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