Dismissal Question

[hammerman]

This week, my wife has become acting manager of a care home. The first thing she needs to do is to sort out the staff by getting the decent ones onside and getting rid of the rubbish.

One particular lady....she's the cleaner, is hopeless. She's lazy, doesn't do what's asked and her work standard is simply not good enough.

She was employed by the last manager but has only been there for 3 weeks. Can her employment be ended at any time (with or without a reason ?) She's on 3 month probation period.

I would imagine the answer to be yes but just need to clarify it and make sure there would be no comeback on my wife or the care home.

Many thanks

[murraymints]

yes..no real reason needed ..that is why there is a probation period...just tell her she is being let go

[EDDIE51]

You need Ratter on this , right up his street.

[Peter Pedant]

and what would ratter say ?

Yes I think you say - after your probationary period, you are out.

There IS a section of the ERA about written reasons
but I dont think it is applies to her ( probationary, lack of two years service )

[hammerman]

Thanks guys.

I'm presuming she doesn't have to complete her probationary period....employment can be ended any time within this period for no reason.

[EDDIE51]

Yes, just tell her she has to go and escort her off the premises.

[RATTER15]

No need to give a reason, she can be dismissed within two years with no need to give a reason.

[Hopkirk]

I hope the staff aren't on her side, or this could cause more problems than it solves.

[RATTER15]

Shw will be looking forward to a very turbulent few months, many care staff get very set in their ways and really dont like change. Get the good ones onside like you say and filter the others out slowly, be warned, good care staff are not easy to get, you tend to get many applications from young girls who just cant get jobs elsewhere and they will often get the dreaded "weekend sickness" where they fall ill on Friday evening at 7pm and need to go home, really winds me up!!!

[Broseph]

I'd watch out personally and not rock the boat blatantly and instead ask your wife to do it stealthily as another user here just got a new job and started making noise about the way the care home was ran and was fired immediately leaving the long term safety of the residents he was trying to protect lives in jeopardy.

This reminds me of a story I once heard,

"There are two bulls standing on a hill overlooking a pasture full of cows. The younger bull, eager, but lacking experience, says to the old bull “Hey, let’s run down there and f@#k a cow.” The old bull, who has spent season after season in this pasture, turns to the younger bull, chuckles, and says “No, let's walk down there, and f@#k them all.”

So running in with a gung ho attitude screaming and shouting is not the way to go, but observing and anonymous emails are the right way to go imo.

[Prudie]

There may not have to be a reason but there might be a period of notice required, what kind of T&Cs was she given on appointment?

[RATTER15]

Prudie, they usually get over this problem by asking them to leave the building and paying them for their notice period.

[lcg]

during a probationary period.....you can be let go at any time, for any reason. simple as.

[hammerman]

Thanks everyone.

There are only 2 or 3 staff, employed by the previous manager (who was in her "I don't care less" mode because she was leaving) who are not fit to do the job. The rest are fantastic, hard working caring people who want to work for my wife.

[Hopkirk]

Thanks for getting back to us, it's a pleasure when someone bothers to do that.

[ukbod2015]

I`d have her in and give her one month to up her game with specific recommendations and a job description - then if she fails to come up to standard she has no excuse. Take your deputy in with you so she cant say you said things that you didnt.

[Canary42]

Care ? 'nuff said.