At the time I got my job I was unemployed so didn't really have a lot of room for manure, If I turned the job down no JSA, and I never found out about the overtime clause until I had been in the job 2-3 weeks. I will be brutally honest, I'd rather not be there at all let alone stay any longer than necessary so this over time clause kills me. We already work 45 hours basic let alone over time, Is there anyway out? I know all about the 48 hour limit but its averaged out over X amount of weeks. Its the fact all plans have to be dropped as and when asked or your marched into the office and reminded about the contract, I missed my kids nativity play over it at Xmas. Its all a major pain in the behind for £6.20 per hour.

Hello all i too have been stopped at a shop for shoplifting (it is very stupid of me and i do regret it) and i have undergone the as before mentioned procedures. i was told i'll be receiving a letter by RLP to pay a fine and i'm currently waiting on this letter. i have read on this forum a lot that i should ignore the RLP fine, however i would like to know how people on this forum know about the lack of significance of RLP. It has been reassuring, but I would like further reassurance. I am very worried about my CRB record as i have had no criminal history before, and i would like further information about why RLP should be ignored, and why the shop that i have shoplifted from won't call the police after i have been taken to the back and warned etc. Many thanks

Hi I work for the NHS my line manager has told our department that we can only book our leave one month before we want it e.g If I want my two weeks leave in July I cant ask for it until June which leaves it a bit late to book anything as we may not get an answer until two weeks before the holiday date Also if there is a problem with to many staff booking the same days , we have to fight amongst ourselves as to who is having it regardless who booked first Does anyone know if there is a set criteria for notice periods when booking block leave in the NHS or is it up to your manager to make the rules up

http://news.sky.com/story/1283024/kfc-asked-girl-to-leave-over-scarred-face

You know when you are on your annual leave, booked a few months in advance and you have made arrangements to go somewhere, you know, book a coach trip for a day out and all that. Then a week before you are due your annual leave work puts a notice up stating there is compulsary training to be attended for one day while on AL, do you have to attend. I was on AL last week, and a week before I went off a notice for CT was put up. Well me and the mother had made arrangements to visit family in Wales all the week, so I wrote a note for the manager stating I would not be able to attend, as prior arrangements had been made. When I got back to work, she was not very happy, now I have noticed on a notice for new training for a few weeks time, it states "all must attend, even when on annual leave". This has never been stated on notices before. I thought my annual leave was my own to do with as I want, I will gladly go on training any other time of the year. But we always go somewhere when I am on AL, we NEVER stay in town, we either visit family or book trips/ short breaks to go on, and do not see why I must forsake these trips just 2 attend a 2 hour training course in my AL week. Are they allowed to do this, even when things are arranged months/weeks before any notices go up. So, say I book my AL and book an actual holiday, months in advance, all paid up for etc. Then months down the line, work decides to put a notice up for CT for the week I am on AL and on this supposed holiday. Would I have to cancel my holiday, who will pay for the loss of deposit/ full payments etc and all that?

Dear Caggers, I have worked for NHS as a community nurse for nearly 30 years now. Last financial year (April 2013 to end of march 2014) I had two major operations. The first operation was in may 2013 and I took 4 weeks paid sick leave. Then I had a second more complex one in October which landed me in a coma for 10 days. I had 3 months sick leave. I went back to work on 20th January 2014. I was put on a phased return for 6 weeks ( which incidentally was pretty much full time work) . My Case load was very busy and no one at work mentioned to me I ought to use up my annual leave before the end of the year. Then around beginning of march I was asked to go and take up post in a different team that was short of staff to help out for a short period of time ( one year). I agreed to go and started in the new team on 7/4/14. On my part I assumed because of my special circumstances I would not have any problem carrying it over. Recently I have had my annual leave balance from last year checked. I was told from my yearly entitlement of 33 days I had only taken 13 days which leaves 20 days annual leave to carry over to this year. Well my new manager is not happy and is quoting Trust policy that if any one goes on long term sick (21 days and over)then the amount they can carry forward in the next year is based on a 28 day 'statutory' entitlement. However if they were able to take their full 33 days within that period of a year it would be fine. My case is, I argue, exactly that after returning from my sick leave in Jan 2014 I was put on 6 weeks phased return. After that I was then asked to go and help out urgently in a different team who was short of staff. As stated above I picked the new team on 7/4/14. I argue that no management person or occupational health ever informed me of this supposedly recent change and no one encouraged me to use up my leave upon me returning to work in January. On the contrary there was an urgency for me getting into a new team to help out. There was also very little time left for me to exhaust all of my 33 days annual leave from last year. I feel I am being penalised for being unwell. has any one experience any such problems? can anyone provide useful advice?

Hi All, I left work with a popular health service organisation back in July 2013. Over the course of the last week I've received letters stating that I was overpaid for annual leave in July, and the organisation are demanding £410, repayable immediately. They have enclosed an invoice and very crude excel breakdown of the financial aspect of this, although it isn't well presented and is difficult to understand what the calculations mean. I'm thinking that, as this overpayment supposedly arose due to annual leave being overtaken, I should first of all request a detailed breakdown of what they have on file for my annual leave entitlement/taken to make sure that there hasn't been an admin error (although I don't have a personal record of annual leave taken and therfore have nothing to check it against other than my own memory) Assuming that their calculations are correct and I do owe the money, what position am I in legally? I left the organisation over 8 months ago, so for them to demand instant repayment having not mentioned this in the months since I left seems unreasonable -and unrealistic considering I'm currently looking for employment. any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated with this thanks

We have an agreement for the rather unusual term of 7 months - it's a Fixed Tenancy Agreement with a letting agent. We moved in on 1st November 2013 and our bedroom window became very mouldy back in January. We weren't just putting up with mould, but also with "mushrooms" that were growing in between the outside single glazed window and the secondary glazing unit. The mushrooms would squeeze in through the secondary glazing and drop onto the window sill. We took pictures and emailed them to the agent stating it was a health & safety hazard and that both of us had had bad chests as a result of breathing in the spores during this time. It is now 13 March and whilst they've sent a couple of workmen over to evaluate it, work still hasn't begun. We dread every time it rains. We now wish to leave a month earlier than our agreement. The contract states the end of the agreement is 31 May 2014. Can we leave earlier on the grounds that the works still haven't started and the mould is still there? We don't wish to risk losing our rent paid in advance or our deposit of £1,150.

Hi, I'm new here and only found this lovely place by looking on google. I have been working for my current employer since June 2011 (temp till 12 Dec 2011 made perm). My company was well aware I had long term illness issues which I do everything in my power to control. Last year I had a PIP done (Performance Improvement Plan) as they said my sick leave was to high. I accepted this and tried to make sure I was here as much as I can be. But now since I have had time off again it has been brought up again. This time there are going back to the time I started I have had 32.5 days off sick (24 individual occasions), 9 of those were related to my chronic lower back injury and pain, 6 to migraines, 1 for time off with stress, rest thing like cold ect... Now they are using it all saying I have to go back to the occupational health nurse who prior wrote a report to say I am classed under the disability act and that the conditions were ones that were not going to change at all. Some background, I have had 2 surgeries on my lower back for collapsed L5/S1 disc. Both failed. The last operation caused damage to my sciatic nerve, which causes chronic lower back pain, back spasms and stiffness. I suffer from Migraines caused by stress. I am currently receiving help from a psychologist for stress. I worked my butt off to get off my PIP and even came to work when I really should not have. What is my standing on how to go to HR and deal with all of this as my manager is now calling into question my capability to do my job.

Hi I really could use some help with my situation. Im employed by a large UK organisation as a Project Manager. I have a contract which says location - home based, and travel to national offices as required. I have worked there almost 6 years. Im currently on maternity leave and due to return to work in May. The main office I have to travel to is London and I live in the Midlands, they pay my expenses but a normal working office day is leaving home at 4.30am and getting home at 8.30pm - sometimes I stay overnight in which case I leave the hotel at the second day at 7am so both days Im in the office at 7.30am and leave about 4-5pm depending on meetings. I was placed under a new manager in Nov 12 and was pregnant at the time, I unfortunately had a very late loss of my baby in Jan 13, spent a month off sick, returned to work but was pregnant again within a few weeks. I only worked 1/2 days per week in the office during the majority of my time with the organisation until Dec 13 when I went on maternity leave. I met with my manager today as we agreed we would discuss my return to work. He says his vision of me coming back is 2/3 days per week in the office, happy to pay my expenses and I can choose whether I commute daily (16 hr day) or stay over - I have a 3 month old,9 yr old and 15 yr old at home. The meeting has really upset me as I wasnt expecting what he said. My query is whether they can insist I do this, or whether this is a change to my contract as I've not had to do it before? I said I thought the days required were excessive and were they accounting somewhere for the commuting time, as my contract is home based so I earn and clock up working hours as soon as i leave the house, but he said that they had previously been accomodating bcause of my two pregnancies and now that wouldnt happen because the business requirement is for me to be in the office much more. In addition, when I first became pregnant and they allocated staff, I recieved an email telling me the other person in my role (theres two of us managing a team) would be managing all of the staff "because you are pregnant" - I argued this in writing and said I felt discriminated against so they changed it and I got 50% of the staff allocation - I lost my baby shortly after, and then last November a staff member under my management was off sick with depression and my manager decided to do her interview at home rather than me, and wrote in the confirmation letter "normally Emma would do this interview but as she is pregnant I will be visiting you" The reason was actually because she was in the London office, I was only in the office 1 day per week and she decided unilaterally that she would go, and didnt give me a choice. I guess what I am asking is have I got grounds to ask for just 1/2 days per week in the office? And have they been behaving a bit badly with the constant references to my pregnancies? I think I can apply for flexible working, but I think I already have this by virtue of my contract. And if they refuse then can I be in the position of looking for constructive dismissal? Many thanks for any help - I feel very down about this.

Hi, I work 2 days a week (weekends) for a small boutique and have been there for 7 years. I have been offered a new job and have accepted this. My contract states that I have to work 8 weeks notice but I need to leave after just 5 weeks. I know I will be in breach of contract, but small shops, employing part time wont wait 2 months, which to be fair does seem excessive. Can someone please tell my what could happen to me if I leave after 5 weeks instead of 8. My boss is pushing for 8 weeks notice and is not answering her phone so I have put this to her in writing.

Hi all FiL died and in his last few days i was off work and spent alot of it in hospital with him and my wife. After he died i had to take 2 more days off for the funeral. I have had my payslip through for last month and i am marked for 3 days absent and 2 days holiday. I had called them to let them know i wouldent be able to work whilst he was dying in hospital, after he had died i called and asked about bereveent leave to which i was told with regards that i had just had 3 days off and for anymore i needed to use holidays. My question is are berevement days (i understand you are allowed 3 days) paid or unpaid? as them 3 days represent almost 20% of what i would have been paid for this period so i am quite short after the extra expenses of getting funeral clothes, childminders while in hospital and for the wake etc as well as it being a long period since last pay day.

Hi I started a new job at the beginning of october. The day before starting I broke my wrist. However, I've been able to do my job and as far as I know there were no issues with my performance. Last week, the day after I had my splint removed I was asked to lift heavy boxes (not usually part of my job) and shortly after my wrist and hand became sore and started to swell. Few days later it was so swollen I couldn't dress and now have to keep it raised. Was off work for three days last week after being advised complete rest for it and having it raised to reduce swelling and had hoped to return today but still have to see the doctor. It's still swollen though not as bad and I have some limited movement in it. I'm really worried how this will affect my probation period. I'm reluctant to take any more time off incase I'm let go but I'm worried going back too early could leave permanent damage. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Im on mat leave and due to go back next May. I still regularly speak with people from work, however everytime I speak with someone it always comes back to the same subject. Whats going to happen when I go back to work. When I left in August they promoted someone to my job and in turn 4 people have been promoted to fill the spaces through promotions due to my leaving. However... they all are saying they have not been informed that its only for maternity cover and they will be returning to their other roles once I return. This is especially for the person who has taken over my job, he has made it plain and clear to me that he doesnt know whats going to happen once I go back as hes got his new contract and they cant take it off him and demote him when they didnt say it was only to cover me. So I just basically want to know if work are allowed to do this? Its going to make it very very awkward for me when I go back.

Hi Guys I have a query regarding EOS. I signed off JSA over 9 months ago after referral to the WP, since then they are continually trying to contact me asking me where I am working. They never found me employment and I therefore do not feel obliged to provide them with any information. In any event it is my private info. I have ignored their calls and they have now started contacting my parents asking them for details. Why are they so persistent ? Any advice welcome. Thanks

Please could someone offer some advice. My fiancee has been working as a receptionist for a company for 9 years (since 2004). Four years ago (2008), she fell pregnant with our first child, and had nine months maternity. She could not work as a full-time receptionist, so they offered her a part-time weekend job, which she accepted at a reduction of her salary (apparently her responsibilities were less so they reduced her wage from £7.50 an hour to £6.80 an hour). Last year, she fell pregnant and has taken nine months maternity again. This time, she has had a couple of meetings, and they have told her that they cannot offer her the weekend job back, but there is a role in the canteen (which are at awkward hours). They have also offered her redundancy, but apparently they can only offer her redundancy of her new job, since she's been part time, so they are only paying her 4 years redundancy (£750). Are they in their rights to offer her a redundancy to her new job? I would have thought it's when you have been employed, regardless of what role?? It seems to me that they want to get rid of her, and they want to pay as little redundancy as possible (hence paying part-time wage than full-time). Any help would be appreicated.

I have worked for Local Government since 2003. Last year I changed from one authority to another and continuous service has been recognised in respect of an extra 5 days paid annual leave. However, we've just been told that employees who started work with the authority after 2011 (I started with them in 2012) will have to use 2 days of their annual leave over the Christmas period, those who were in post prior to 2011 will be 'given' these 2 days. My manager has suggested that I will have to use the 2 days as I started work with them after the cut off date. But...my thoughts are that as I've got extra annual leave due to continuous service, was I not already 'in post' from 2003? Any thoughts gratefully received (together with any evidence etc if possible).

Hi guys, I have been with my current employer for 5 years and the maximum i have taken off for annual leave is 2 weeks during this period. However in december 2012 myself and my family planned to meet up for the first time in august 2013. So decemeber 2012 i got in there first to request annual leave with my line manager along with a couple other holiday requests before that time (odd few days..etc). The odd few days got accepted but he mentioned for 3 weeks off (i work 4 days per week) have to go through a director and that he will get back to me. Its now july and 3 weeks till i have a non refundable very important holiday to take and despite contacting various managers face to face and via email (6 times now) i have had zero response. Furthermore there are 2 or 3 of my colleagues that have young thai girlfriends that causes them to take 3 to 4 weeks off and sometimes twice per year every year without fail. They never get rejected or ignored. I also spoke to 2 of my other colleagues and they have been accepted to take 2 and a half weeks off and 1 week respectively during the time period i want off. These colleagues requested this holiday 3 months AFTER i requested it and they work 5 days a week. I understand the law states the employer can basically choose when i take off on annual leave, but due to the time frame i have given them and the fact they have accepted other colleagues requests after my request for the same time frame AND the fact certain other colleagues get 3 to 4 weeks off each time every single year do i have any sort of case to take this up with anyone? i really feel discriminated ever since i raised a issue with HR about not willing to defraud customers out of money and fiddle the figures. Really appreciate some advice.

Hi there, We received the 2 months notice from our landlord as he wants to get the property back. We found a new flat and want to vacant this property 3 weeks before the end of the 2 month notice given by landlord.We told him we want to leave 3 weeks earlier but he tells us we have now to give him one month notice on the day our contract gets renewed as per the contract states. If we do that, we will be leaving only on the date in which the landlord wants us to leave as per his original notice. We are on a rolling contract, after receiving the notice from Landlord are we still required to give notice to him? This doesn't make sense to me? Any help is much appreciated! Nataly

Hi all im hoping someone can give me a bit of advice. Im due to go back to work on June 3rd after being off on maternity leave (my older posts explain the problems i had there, but ive now got a lovely little boy called max) My maternity pay finished 2 weeks ago and i am now using up 4 weeks holiday from last year. A couple of weeks ago i popped into where i work and my boss (a new one not the one from my previous posts but hes just as bad) approached me and asked if i could pop into work one day to discuss my rota when i return to work....he already knew the date i had proposed to come back and he was fine with this. We had the above mentioned meeting yesterday and he sat me down in the canteen, my son was with me as i have no one to look after him, he got his diary out and asked again when i was returning to work so i told him and he then asked what i wanted from this meeting......i thought we were talking about the work rota not having a meeting. He asked about my circumstances, about my parents, about my sons father......some quite deep probing questions that i didnt think were relevant, but i told him as he then cant turn round and say i said nothing. Now this is where im kicking myself because he asked about my working hours and what can and cant i do........as i hadnt made a written request for flexible working within 28 days of my return. Have i completely blown any chance of working around my childcare? I have no one, and when i say no one i mean no one, to help me with my sons and im scared to death now im not going to be able to work the hours he wants me to do and i think he knows hes got me over a barrel. Ive had so much going on since having my son, losing my home, being the victim of DV, going to court for restraining orders, being made homeless again by my sister kicking me out.......my head hasnt been where it should be so i never even thought about flexible working request. Anyway i told him i had found a nursery for my baby just around the corner from where i work, that had been a struggle in itself as places are few and far between. The nursery is only open monday to friday 8am - 6pm, i said to my boss i would like to work 9-2pm monday to friday....i cant work weekends as ive got no childcare, i cant do 6am starts as ive got no one to take my other son to school and i cant do 10pm finishes as i dont have childcare and i dont have anyone to fetch my son from school......my sons school is 14 miles from where i live so he cant walk. Ive been told by my boss that he cant see how this will work as im a "team leader and in effect im there to run shifts and manage the staff" and "if i start at 9am monday to friday there will already be a manager there whos been there since 6am so there would be no point me being there" Hes said he can look into moving me to another store but he doesnt think anyone will want me due to my working hours. He said he will have to speak to HR to seek advice and if they tell him i can come back on my requested hours then "hes stuck with me on those hours" if they say i cant do those hours then he doesnt know what im going to do. Have i totally ballsed this up by not putting in a flexible working hours request? I cant see his reason as to why i cant do those hours as being a valid reason, but again ive put nothing down in writing so i dont think i have a leg to stand on if he says no. Stressing out here and thats not good Help! Thanks in advance x

Hi, i'm currently on maternity leave from a large company, the business is currently in the process of switching so i could be facing redundancy if i am unsuitable for home working. There was a job opportunity for a promotion to team leader, which i was told may be coming up, but was never actually informed that they were accepting applications etc and they have now allocated the jobs out. does this sound like i have been discriminated against as i was on maternity leave and not given the opportunity to apply or be interviewed? Thanks, Marie

have been on sick leave for quite a few months and have been told by employer I have acrued holiday pay, in order for it to be paid I would need to be signed off as fit, then go back on to sick note, my SSP is about to expire, I would not as my contract states be able to carry over any unpaid unused holiday, and at present it is not looking good for me to return to this type of work anytime soon or if at all. My question is does this sound right? is the employer being considerate or does it look like something they should not be advising?

Hi I signed a 2-year fixed contract with an IT consulting company in October after completing their 8 week training programme which also required me to sign a 'training contract'. Part of my job requires me to geographically flexible and for the past 6 months I have been. However recent developments back home mean that I need to move back in and take care of my sister who is mentally handicapped and is undergoing an eye operation in April. Now, my company wants me to move to Glasgow for 6 months after already being in Southampton for the past 6 months, while originally being from the Midlands. The practicality of working in Glasgow does not work with my obligation to take care of my sister and despite explaining the situation to my line manager he insists that I must go else it will go to HR and could potentially get 'messy'. According to my contract if I leave inside 2 years I have to payback £17,500 + VAT in training costs. What should I do?

Hello All, I finally managed to secure myself my next job, however I am not too clear about somethings before i hand in my resignation letter. Our holiday period runs from Beginning Feb 2013 to end Jan 2014, and I am entitled to 20 day per annum which means every month i work i should get 1.67days. When I work my notice do i still build up holiday entitlements? i.e more days as i want to take those days at the end of my notice period so I can start my new job earlier.

I CCA'd my 2 accounts with NDR, both was valid, now ive sent a letter asking them to freeze interest and charges and accept £10 a month (for a 12 month period), they replied with 'it doesnt reach their minimum payment' and they wont freeze charges and interest. is there a follow up letter for once they refuse? I saw one before but cant find it now not sure if it was on this site tho. They also said if I dont get upto date they will forward onto a 3rd party - which i wouldnt mind, they wouldnt be able to add charges, and would probably agree to a lower payment. But I also recieved a letter saying it would go to court, wish they'd make up their mind!