Thank you Robert, this really helps. I will take your advice. I have made an appointment with my line manager on Monday and I am going to bring this up. I will have a word with my gp if they don't take me seriously. I just think they think I am making up a load of fuss over nothing. Thank you.

Hello, Hope you don't mind me coming in on this, but I did a lot of research into this for a friend not so long back. Regluations for fixed term contracts changed in 2002. Under the Fixed Term Contract Regulations (prevention of less favourable Treatment) 2002, it i now unlawful for a fixed term contract to just come to an end. Where a contract is not renewed it is automatically classed as dismissal. There must be a legal reason for this dismissal. This also means that you would have the standard dimissal rights, such as the required notice, a statement of reasons for dismissal, and the right not to be unfairly dismissed. You would also have the right to appeaL. If you have been employed by the same company for over two years you also have full redundancy rights, including redundancy pay, and the right to be offerred alternative suitable employment where it exists. This is regardless of whether you have a fixed term contract or a permanent one. You would have to look into the stake on your job, as it was to cover someone else, but in the worst instance you do have redundancy rights. Please look at the Direct.gov.uk website and look into fixed term contracts. Also look at the ACAS website on the fixed term work section. All the above info is on there. You could speak to an adviser there about your situation, who can let you know where you stand. Hope this helps, Jo

Thanks sidewinder. I did feel that the risk assessment we did was just a bit of a pointless paper exercise, as nothing come of it. I dont want to be a problem to them, but I dont want to put my baby in danger. I think when I see my manager I will say that from a H&S point of view I don't want to be doing the lone visiting anymore, its just if they say I cant stop. I will have to see what they say, but I will take all your advice. Thanks

Thank you again for your replies. I did know the risks, and am fine with them in normal circumtances, it just obviously different at the minute, I am in effect taking one of my children with me to the duty. I have spoken to someone from HSE. They said that by law if a high risk is identified to my unborn child I should be removed from the risk, and if they cannot find alternatives or put correct measures in place, be suspended on full pay until my maternity leave starts, and not start my maternity leave 3 months early. There are other duties that I could do even within my own role, which I would much rather do than be off work extra time. I am going to speak to my manager to ask if I can stop this duty, thanks for all your help.

Thank you for your help. I am not in the union, but I will have a look on the hse. I don't want to cause any problems at work and don't want to be unreasonable, I just don't feel very safe doing what I am whilst heavy pregnant. thanks, Jo

Hello, I am just wondering if someone could advise me on this issue. I work in the Education Sector, my role being that of trying to re-engage hard to reach teenagers. A lot of this involves lone working and home visiting in some of the towns most run down places, which are quite rough to say the least, with some quite violent families and young people. I have had many incidents in the past, including being shot at with a pellet gun, and being locked in a crack house! There are many risks, most of which havent really bothered me too much until I became pregnant. On news of my pregnancy my employer did a risk assessment. The above were identified as high risks. The advice from this was to "use my common sense" and carry on as normal. I wasnt really happy with this, as I didnt think this advice really cut out the risk to my child. I arranged to meet the H&S rep at the organisation. He said that they had 3 pregnant women working off site and we were "testers" whatever that means. He said just follow the policies we have for home visiting and lone working as normal, and if anything does happen out and about or in one of the houses, to let him know as I might not be able to go back there again (isnt that a bit late!) He said in the worst case scenario, if I couldnt continue I would have to start my maternity leave early (what!!!) I am now six months pregnant and about to ask my manager to review this situation. I don't think I should be trailing around these places anymore, and going to these homes, especially on my own, but it is a big part of the job. I am not sure what my next step should be, or what I should say to my manager, but I don't think that my unborn child is very safe at the minute. Any ideas? Thanks, sorry for the length, Jomc

Hi thank you for your reply. They do exactly the same job. You are right about the job, I should always be one increment higher, as the two people who started before me are always above me in there salary. I just didnt know legally if this had a knock on effect on me. There are only 5 of us at the minute. Thanks a lot for your help

Hi there. I have a bit of a strange question to ask. I am part of a small team and we all do exactly the same job, Our salary is based on four increments, starting on the lowest. one increment is increased each year of service in the job until you come to the top of the scale. I have been doing the job for over a year now and I received my second increment in April. Two new employees have just started on the first increment. However our manager advertised the job at a higher salary than what it should have been by mistake, and the employees accepted the jobs based on this salary. This amount is equal to the second increment. After arguing the case the company have had to pay the new employees at this higher salary and rightly so, it was the companies mistake. (I am getting there!!!) This is my bit of a beef! Because of this mistake it means that I am being paid less than the two that have only just started, when actually I should be on the next increment up to them as I have done a years service. So they will be on a higher salary for doing the same job for less time. Does this mistake mean that the company should re-assess the salary for all of us, or should it just involve the two new ones? Thanks a lot, hope it makes sense Any advice appreciated, X

Hi Sharkie and Bigmac, Thank you for your replies, that really helps. XXX

Hello, I am reclaiming £733 from Halifax. I have sent the letters, had a standard letter about my complaint that said they were in the right. I sent a letter to say that I would be taking them to court they dont settle. I havent had a response from this, so my next step I know is to begin court action. But what I wanted to ask is, is it worth giving customer relations a call first to see if they will make an offer before I file, or should I just go ahead with it? As anyone had an offer by calling first? Thanks, any advice greatfully received, jo

Thank you for your help regarding the bank trying to fob me off. I sent my SAR my recorded delivery. When the 40 days was nearly up I phoned them but they said there was nothing on the system so they would order me some statements but it would take a further 3 weeks. I came on here thinking I had blown it but you told me that they were just playing for time, and to stick to my time scale. I sent an email to halifax to let them know that as my request under the DPA had been signed for, I still expected to receive this information within 40 days of my original letter, so they had up until 9th April to comply. Although I didnt get a reply on the email, I received a letter a couple of days later to say that my information was on its way, and I received six years worth of statements the day after, all in individual envelopes! I have been through them and I have just over £700 in charges. So I am now going to use the template for LBA and send a break down of charges to them. Thank you, I will keep you posted

Thank you! I lost a bit of confidence there for a minute, you have restored that now!

Thank you, If it wont do any harm I will email the comlaints at halifax and tell them the conversation I have had today with the employee and that I still expect them within the forty days of the original letter, other wise I will report them to the comissioner Thanks

Hi, The cheque was cashed on the 10th March and I did send it recorded delivery. It was signed for on the 28th Feb. I am concerned now though because he said it will take three weeks, two weeks over the 40 days. Should I still report it to the comissioner if it is not here after the 40 days before my letter? Thanks a lot for your help

Hi everyone. I am a new comer, read a lot on this site and felt very prepared to start the ball rolling. I sent my letter on 27th Feb by recorded delivery. I have tracked this and it was signed or on the 28th February. I sent it to Trinity road, and I was requesting under the data protection act all my bank charges from the last six years ( I used the template) and said they had 40 days to respond and if not I would report to the information comissioner. As they have only 13 days left I called the Halifax and he said there was nothing on the system. He said that it didnt look like they had been ordered, so he would order my statements. I said I dont want to pay for all the statements, I want my information under the data protection act. He said he was putting a note on the system that the information has already been requested, and he would re-order them at no cost. When he did this he informed me that they would take three weeks to reach me. I am really mad with myself now, I just felt gasumped when he said that. Now I feel that he has conned two weeks out of me. Does my letter of requesting the information within forty days still apply? Could I email halifa and tell them that if I dont get this within 40 days of my letter I will report to the information comissioner? I hope that I havent ruined thi already Thanks in advance for your help,

Hi everyone, I am on the first hurdle so am a bit of a novice. I sent off under the data protection act for my bank charges over the last six years, but have heard nothing yet. I have just called the bank and they said there is nothing on the system so he would put the request in again, but it could take 3 weeks, there is no other charge as I sent off a cheque for £10.00 with my letter. I did state in my letter that they only had 40 days to reply, but now he is saying that because they havent been ordered yet he has had to do it again, and this will take three weeks. This is two weeks over the forty days. I feel like they have just conned me out of another two weeks. Can I still request them under the original 40 days and report them after this if they are not here? I feel as I have ballsed up already!