End of my Tether

[weeal]

I started a new job 7 months ago, small sales team with two guys and myself. From the start I have been treated differently eg, I was categorically told no use of phones in work so mine is on silent in my bag. The guys use theirs freely throughout the day, and also the work phone to ask "whats for dinner" etc.
We were all put on a 4-day week after xmas and sales are down, but I am being singled out and picked on every day by the boss. Lots of stupid things, false accusations and general p!ss taking. I have been trying to stick up for myself which is seen as 'defensive' but am slowly being nudged towards the door. T
he guys are trying to save their own jobs and I know that one of them is bad mouthing me to the boss. Looks like I will be going soon but how they'll play it I'm not sure. I dont know if I would have a leg to stand on if they got rid of me.

[dot.hawkes]

is that the entire staff of the company? do they have the power to perform you out of your job? If they don't they can't do anything but make your life difficult, and they may think that is acceptable. You should make a formal complaint to your line manager or if one of them are you should ask them what is your company grievance procedure

[weeal]

hi Dot, there are 10 staff.
2 Directors (1 is the owner), 3 sales, the other 5 are mixed jobs some part-time.
There are no line managers and no structure, is us and the boss and it stinks.
We were put on 4-day week with no letter about it or formal notice of it and Im sure he can kick me out just as easily too.

[weeal]

18 LAY-OFFS

18.1 The Company reserves the right to lay you off or put you on short-time working where the needs of the Company�s business make this necessary. You will be paid statutory guarantee payments during a period of any lay-off or short-time working.


Can anyone tell me what this actually means? statutory gurantee payments?

[Twenty20]

Have a look here about laying staff off and Statutory Guarantee Pay....

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Redunda ncyAndLeavingYourJob/DG_10026693

As youve been in your job for less than 12 months your employer can dismiss you without giving a reason, so long as its not discriminatory, pregnancy related etc. Good practice would mean that they should go through, for instance, a disciplinary procedure, but there's no requirement in law to do that. You cant claim unfair dismissal until you have 12 months continuous service, unless as said before they are discriminating (but from what youve said here this wouldnt be the case).

You wont get redundancy payment until youve had two years of continuous employment.

[weeal]

Hi, thank you twenty20, I've had a read over that and its as I feared, not a leg to stand on then unless the bullying gets worse.
I will just have to sit it out.

[brenda]

weall---you must be very miserable at the moment, and feeling vunerable.
I do not know your position under employment law and others here will advise you, but I do know how to protect your self at work having been there, so----
1. Try not to react to things , just do your job accurately.
2.Do not leave anything that you are working on lying about, even on a toilet break, lock it up if you can or take it with you in your handbag.
3. If you have a computer , change your entry code or pass word.
4. Keep all items that await your attention , in your drawer or reverse side up on your desk
5. When you get home keep a record of things that have happened to you during the day. Keep this record at home please.It does help to write things down and may even help you to plan a strategy for the next day.
6. do not trust your 2 guys an inch , these are make or break times for all.
7. Be business like in your dealings with these two and the boss.Pleasant but no more than that.
8 Remember to be vigilant at all times.

Sincerely good luck.

[weeal]

Brenda, thanks so much and I am sorry to hear youve been through it.
I have tried the 'sticking up for myself' plan and thats not worked so I had made up my mind that this week I will just nod and agree and as you say just be business-like. Every few days the goalposts move and I cant really win as what was the rule last week is no longer valid this week etc.

I have no breaks, I dont even have one drawer would you believe just a desk and we all use the same server and database with access for all but I will be extremely vigilant. We even have to answer the phone or see to clients in our lunch 'half hour' and I will now be going out for the half hour (which will only draw attention to myself).

I am writing things down and the more I read it all I realise that I will have to find another job in any case as its not a good place to be. Fingers crossed for an early end to this credit crunch and jobs start appearing again.