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Post by santy on Oct 21, 2014 16:26:15 GMT
I'm not fully sure where I stand here, or who to turn to as an agency worker so anyone with a bit of knowledge would be appreciated.
Initially I had been told outright I was sacked (employed through an agency, 0 hours contract, 24 hours notice etc) for gross misconduct. Obviously annoyed I asked why I was getting sacked for actions that some (and my previous) team leaders had encouraged. The jist of it was basically each team had to hit a % target, and having been at 40% or below previously the target was to get above 75% so padding numbers was encouraged quietly. A new team leader pulled me up on this and told me it wasn't allowed (this was around two months before I was told I was sacked and since that point I did not do it again).
I had brought all this up at the time and still told I was sacked, but then two days later I got an e-mail saying I wasn't sacked, but while they looked into it I could not be on site. This means with a zero hour contract obviously I'm not earning. I was called, a statement was taken and I was expecting them to take that then confirm I was sacked, but it now I've had another e-mail asking me if I know of others who were told the same and such so its coming across as a bit odd as they haven't just sacked me and gotten rid of me, so I suspect there must be something I'm unaware of.
There are people I know who were told the same, and they may confirm if it I asked, but they have no idea what situation they'd be putting themselves into and neither do I which has caused reluctance with the first couple of people I spoke to about it who are in the same workplace. No idea where to turn at this point but we're getting on for two weeks without income and I don't want to keep sitting idly by possibly doing the wrong thing here.
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Post by LL Cool Dave on Oct 21, 2014 16:47:30 GMT
My advice is move on, get a job that's not a zero hour contract.
As it sounds, a zero hours contract is worth nothing.
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Post by santy on Oct 21, 2014 16:53:56 GMT
My advice is move on, get a job that's not a zero hour contract. As it sounds, a zero hours contract is worth nothing. Well it's happened just before permanent contracts are due, they are actually meant to be sorted in November and its a hefty pay rise (around £6k per year) and then on top are bonuses etc so there is something that makes it worthwhile. |
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Post by LL Cool Dave on Oct 21, 2014 17:00:10 GMT
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Post by santy on Oct 21, 2014 17:13:56 GMT
Well they seemingly changed their mind on being dismissed (sacked initially and then that was taken back) when I asked directly if I was sacked they told me I was still employed, but they reiterated I was on a zero hour contract so wouldn't be paid during this time. They keep stalling and then asking me for further information - at this point now asking me to get colleagues to confirm what I was told.
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Post by rogerjonesisgod on Oct 21, 2014 17:42:29 GMT
Is there a colleague who can confirm what you were told to do but didn't do it themselves so they wouldn't potentially be in the same situation?
It sounds as if they're building a case against the team leader(s) who gave the instructions.
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Post by tazi on Oct 21, 2014 19:01:50 GMT
In my opinion they're looking to fcuk those involved over and get to the bottom if it all whilst not giving a toss who they have to fire.
They may take any information that you may decide to give them into consideration and employ you in the end, then again they could just as easy fcuk you off and give a reason if they wanted to that they'd fired you because you went along with it.
In my opinion is it worth it in the hope of getting a job, and even if you did get a job could you live with it that you'd dogged those others in whilst you yourself had indeed gone along with it once. There is also a possibility that someone could take retribution towards you.
Either way it's your call as to what you decide to do but if that was me I'd tell them nothing, cut my ties and look around for something else.
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Post by Gods on Oct 21, 2014 20:36:49 GMT
What do you do mate?
I don't understand any of the terminology.
Is it sales? I'm not sure what "padding numbers" is, is it exaggerating your sales numbers in the hope they come at a later date or something like that?
I'm just trying to get a feeling for what the allegation is regardless of whether it was actively encouraged or not.
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Post by santy on Oct 21, 2014 22:01:57 GMT
Not sales, its to do with customer surveys specifically - basically the team leaders were getting it from above due it being massively below target and so the 'solution' was myself and others were advised to just do them ourselves as it would still count.
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Post by pricey21 on Oct 21, 2014 22:34:48 GMT
My advice is move on, get a job that's not a zero hour contract. As it sounds, a zero hours contract is worth nothing. Well it's happened just before permanent contracts are due, they are actually meant to be sorted in November and its a hefty pay rise (around £6k per year) and then on top are bonuses etc so there is something that makes it worthwhile. If I am understanding correctly and I might be stating the obvious but it seems to me that they have got rid so they don't have to give you a permanent contract. It has happened to me so many times with agencies. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 23:23:32 GMT
Same as happens to me before mate your fycked
I found out my contract was with the agency not my work so if work got rid I still had a contract with the agency so wasn't really fired if that makes sense cus the agency hadn't fired me but work had
Agency got me another jib but only a few days but I hadn't really bin fired cus I was never payed by my work anyway
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Post by Gods on Oct 22, 2014 10:29:55 GMT
Not sales, its to do with customer surveys specifically - basically the team leaders were getting it from above due it being massively below target and so the 'solution' was myself and others were advised to just do them ourselves as it would still count. Nothing trivial then! If the management response to a problem of too few completed surveys is really to simply ask the employees who are supposed to be gathering the information from the public to fill a few in themselves then then the place sounds corrupt to the core  |
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Oct 22, 2014 13:23:02 GMT
Not sales, its to do with customer surveys specifically - basically the team leaders were getting it from above due it being massively below target and so the 'solution' was myself and others were advised to just do them ourselves as it would still count. Nothing trivial then! If the management response to a problem of too few completed surveys is really to simply ask the employees who are supposed to be gathering the information from the public to fill a few in themselves then then the place sounds corrupt to the core I'd be treading very carefully, it sounds like you've potentially been complicit in fraud. {Receiving a wage for something you've falsified.} I don't suppose the Team Leaders ever gave written instructions for you to do this? It's going to be difficult to prove either way. Are you the only Agency person who's been suspended/treated this way by the firm? As Pricey says above, with Agency work your contract is usually with the Employment Agency {there'll be different pay rates and holiday entitlement etc.} I'd be on to the Agency pronto, {I'm surprised they havn't contacted you, because they'll be losing money by you not working} and ask them to find you some alternative work. Or book yourself an appointment at the Citizens Advice Bureau for some guidance. They do sound like a bunch of charlatans, I wish you the best of luck. |
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Post by followyoudown on Oct 22, 2014 13:34:13 GMT
Nothing trivial then! If the management response to a problem of too few completed surveys is really to simply ask the employees who are supposed to be gathering the information from the public to fill a few in themselves then then the place sounds corrupt to the core I'd be treading very carefully, it sounds like you've potentially been complicit in fraud. {Receiving a wage for something you've falsified.} I don't suppose the Team Leaders ever gave written instructions for you to do this? It's going to be difficult to prove either way. Are you the only Agency person who's been suspended/treated this way by the firm? As Pricey says above, with Agency work your contract is usually with the Employment Agency {there'll be different pay rates and holiday entitlement etc.} I'd be on to the Agency pronto, {I'm surprised they havn't contacted you, because they'll be losing money by you not working} and ask them to find you some alternative work. Or book yourself an appointment at the Citizens Advice Bureau for some guidance. They do sound like a bunch of charlatans, I wish you the best of luck. You can also try ACAS for legal advice but basically I'd say there isn't much of a leg to stand on, as is said it is pretty much fradulent to do what has been done, the only thing you can do is threaten to go to the end customer (presumably the results of these surveys are sold to someone ?) to let them know exactly what has been going on. |
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Oct 22, 2014 14:20:53 GMT
I'd be treading very carefully, it sounds like you've potentially been complicit in fraud. {Receiving a wage for something you've falsified.} I don't suppose the Team Leaders ever gave written instructions for you to do this? It's going to be difficult to prove either way. Are you the only Agency person who's been suspended/treated this way by the firm? As Pricey says above, with Agency work your contract is usually with the Employment Agency {there'll be different pay rates and holiday entitlement etc.} I'd be on to the Agency pronto, {I'm surprised they havn't contacted you, because they'll be losing money by you not working} and ask them to find you some alternative work. Or book yourself an appointment at the Citizens Advice Bureau for some guidance. They do sound like a bunch of charlatans, I wish you the best of luck. You can also try ACAS for legal advice but basically I'd say there isn't much of a leg to stand on, as is said it is pretty much fradulent to do what has been done, the only thing you can do is threaten to go to the end customer (presumably the results of these surveys are sold to someone ?) to let them know exactly what has been going on. I don't think I'd be going down the exposure route followyoudown, not until I'd got another job at the very least. You'd risk alienating yourself from the Agency, and potentially putting other peoples' jobs at risk. I wouldn't be giving the company the names of other people who received these instructions {see Tazi's post above}. My personal course of action would be to draw a line under this and get the hell out before the shit really hits the fan. I get the sense {as far as is possible from the details} that even if they did offer you a permanent contract {unlikely} you'd be under scrutiny from managers and colleagues alike, and it'd be a pretty shitty environment to work in. I would book into CAB, and be talking to the Agency. |
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Post by santy on Oct 22, 2014 15:30:18 GMT
It had been the strangeness of being told I was sacked and then that I wasn't that caused the confusion in the first place. It was discussed out in the open and wasn't even something kept quiet or hushed up, obviously everyone who I know/speak to is aware now. It does indeed seem like just putting it behind me is for the best, bit shit with the time of year mind.
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Post by followyoudown on Oct 22, 2014 17:12:30 GMT
You can also try ACAS for legal advice but basically I'd say there isn't much of a leg to stand on, as is said it is pretty much fradulent to do what has been done, the only thing you can do is threaten to go to the end customer (presumably the results of these surveys are sold to someone ?) to let them know exactly what has been going on. I don't think I'd be going down the exposure route followyoudown, not until I'd got another job at the very least. You'd risk alienating yourself from the Agency, and potentially putting other peoples' jobs at risk. I wouldn't be giving the company the names of other people who received these instructions {see Tazi's post above}. My personal course of action would be to draw a line under this and get the hell out before the shit really hits the fan. I get the sense {as far as is possible from the details} that even if they did offer you a permanent contract {unlikely} you'd be under scrutiny from managers and colleagues alike, and it'd be a pretty shitty environment to work in. I would book into CAB, and be talking to the Agency. Key word was threaten mate otherwise you have take it on the chin as you say. |
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Oct 23, 2014 0:25:22 GMT
It had been the strangeness of being told I was sacked and then that I wasn't that caused the confusion in the first place. It was discussed out in the open and wasn't even something kept quiet or hushed up, obviously everyone who I know/speak to is aware now. It does indeed seem like just putting it behind me is for the best, bit shit with the time of year mind. I'm currently growing a white beard and saving up for a red suit. If you can't get work at this time of year.... Santy. We're all fucked. Chin up... run at 'em.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2014 7:07:09 GMT
Walk away.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2014 10:33:33 GMT
It had been the strangeness of being told I was sacked and then that I wasn't that caused the confusion in the first place. It was discussed out in the open and wasn't even something kept quiet or hushed up, obviously everyone who I know/speak to is aware now. It does indeed seem like just putting it behind me is for the best, bit shit with the time of year mind. I had a similar experience a few years ago, was bought in to do a specific job, they changed their minds and gave me a totally different role, that was a bit of a poisoned chalice, and then got sacked, then they changed to redundancy, I'd not been there a year, so thought I'd not got a leg to stand on, however, that is a bit of a myth, eventually took them to a tribunal, via my insurance policy with Barclays, and got full and proper severance pay with all holiday pay due...The look on the twats face was priceless.... Check with your Bank if you have insurance for all legal costs...Mine were friggin awesome.... |
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