Ps. My opinion of ACAS is they are useless and quite often rude too! You'll make more progress alone.

Keep at it sweetie, u have done the worst part already. I know its almost tempting to give up, I feel the same about mine but don't give them the satisfaction! I had to close my thread for now in case employer saw it but am at the stage where my home insurance agreed to cover costs and tribunal draft is being sent to me for review. In meantime...after much ado, I managed to avoid having to physically attend the appeal since I got a full time job so have just written to them asking for an appeal response by post. The employer has been horrid but I'm gradually making progress. Solicitor gave me 60% odds on winning but I can't help hoping employer will offer to settle when they get papers, I just want it all over and to move on, its been so traumatic. I feel for u with your situation, must have been so awful with no pay and employer not getting back to u (mine reply quick but are nasty). Its the waiting which is the worst and employers know that. Keep at it, nearly there now! X

good luck with it all - i was dismissed today and will probably have to go down the same tribunal route as you. I hope your employer offers to make an agreement, but if not, at least you will cost them some money defending themselves !

Sorry to hear you were not sucessful at ET. Dont beat yourself up about missunderstanding stuff etc, its a REALLY hard thing to get your head around, its overwhelming. I am with SarEl on the issue of the lottery ticket. I just got dismissed from my "small friendly company" - and had a bad experience previously with another small company. Am now thoroughly put off working for small one-off businesses, they can be the worst for bullying. I only want a position in a larger more professional organisation from now on.

What a horrible situation for you both to have to go through, especially at early stages of pregnancy, I feel for you both. Am going through something similar with my "bully boy" bosses, just got dismissed and I dont even know what their official reason was, am waiting for the letter - I made a complaint back in November about one director making inappropriate physical gestures - rubbing my hand, kissing it etc, and since then they made my life a misery and tried to bully me into leaving. I too dont want to appeal (though I know I have to) since they will only hear the appeal themselves again (small company) and it will be pointless, but I need to do it for the tribunal case. Personally - my experience of ACAS is that they are useless and on occasion have actually been quite rude to me. I dont even bother phoning them now. Dont know if you already know this, but I found out my home insurance contents policy covered legal advice, and am taking my case through them now to save money. Good luck with it all, I know how hard it is just doing the research and emotionally coping with it all. Lets hope we both get the justice we deserve ! x