A good deed turning very nasty !

[scatooony71]

Hi,

 

I am going through a bit of a torrid time at work at the moment and hope someone can help me out!

 

I have been at my current employment for about 6 years or so, i have an unblemished record and have probably had about 4 days off sick in the time i have been there.

 

On tuesday i was received a phone call offering me a job with the highways agency but the offer was subject to passing a medical and C.R.B checks, if these were ok i would officially start April 1st 2009. I was also asked if it was ok to contact my current boss for a reference in the next few days.

 

I only have to give one weeks notice to my current employer but as a courtesy to them i informed them of my plan to leave if my medical etc was ok. this was to give them time to employ/train someone to work my machine and as i was the only first aider to give them time to sort this out.

 

My boss was fine about it and asked if i would write down the dates so he could let the owner know, i did this and gave him a piece of paper saying "if i leave my last week of employment will be 23rd to the 28th of march 2009" and that was all, No date,no signature nothing.

 

The next day the manager called me into the office saying the owner wants it signed, i refused as it wasnt actually my notice. that would be handed in 1 week before i finished. twice that day iwas spoken to about signing it, again i refused.

 

Today the owner took me into his office and said i need to sign the dates so it can go on record, i stood my ground and refused, this went on for half an hour. He was insisting that i must sign it.

 

In the end he gave up asking and said he would decide how to deal with me on monday!

 

So, After that long winded story my question is can i be made to sign this in anyway? The fact i have wrote down some dates cant be used as my notice can it?

 

work has been slow these last months and i have a feeling that he is somehow going to use it as a way to get me off the payroll without having to give me any money.

 

hope someone can help.

 

Thanks as always.

[Sali]

Certainly when I gave my notice at my last job by email, I was asked to print it out and sign it too, for their records. There is no way that anyone can or should make you sign something against your will. Do you belong to a union? Perhaps they could advise you. Certainly you should at least ask your boss to accompany you to the meeting with the owner, and refuse to attend if the owner doesn't accept this. I cannot see that he would refuse if there is nothing underhand about it. Then you will have a witness to any intimidation from the owner and I would have thought a very good case if the owner does get rid of you, assuming you don't get your other job. I think it's worth keeping a diary of events and if things do turn nasty, to ensure you communicate in writing, just in case you need it for a tribunal. Good luck!

[Ellie May]

God that's awful. Still a sign of the times I would imagine. You are quite right don't sign it, though to be honest even if you did I don't think it would constitue notice as it says 'if I leave', not I am giving written notice to terminate my contract of employment. Still that said you have even less of a problem if you don't sign it at all. And no he certainly cannot make you.

 

If he is to try and use this against you he will have to be very careful as this could be construed as wrongful dismissal. Considering leaving your job is not cause to dismiss you or take disiplinary action against you.

 

Finally, and maybe a bit off topic but for what its worth I would get out as soon as you can anyway as your boss sounds a nasty piece of work and we all spend too much at work to be miserable there. Best of luck and chin up.

[Monty2007]

Hi,

 

I am going through a bit of a torrid time at work at the moment and hope someone can help me out!

 

I have been at my current employment for about 6 years or so, i have an unblemished record and have probably had about 4 days off sick in the time i have been there.

 

On tuesday i was received a phone call offering me a job with the highways agency but the offer was subject to passing a medical and C.R.B checks, if these were ok i would officially start April 1st 2009. I was also asked if it was ok to contact my current boss for a reference in the next few days.

 

I only have to give one weeks notice to my current employer but as a courtesy to them i informed them of my plan to leave if my medical etc was ok. this was to give them time to employ/train someone to work my machine and as i was the only first aider to give them time to sort this out.

 

My boss was fine about it and asked if i would write down the dates so he could let the owner know, i did this and gave him a piece of paper saying "if i leave my last week of employment will be 23rd to the 28th of march 2009" and that was all, No date,no signature nothing.

 

The next day the manager called me into the office saying the owner wants it signed, i refused as it wasnt actually my notice. that would be handed in 1 week before i finished. twice that day iwas spoken to about signing it, again i refused.

 

Today the owner took me into his office and said i need to sign the dates so it can go on record, i stood my ground and refused, this went on for half an hour. He was insisting that i must sign it.

 

In the end he gave up asking and said he would decide how to deal with me on monday!

 

So, After that long winded story my question is can i be made to sign this in anyway? The fact i have wrote down some dates cant be used as my notice can it?

 

work has been slow these last months and i have a feeling that he is somehow going to use it as a way to get me off the payroll without having to give me any money.

 

hope someone can help.

 

Thanks as always.

 

It is unfortunate that you did not post this up before you went to see your manager since you have compromised yourself by being too honest with your employer. It is never a good idea to give any indication that you are leaving until you have a signed contract with your new employer. I have see this go wrong before.

 

Hopefully the new job will come through and you can move on. You are under no obligation to advise them that you may be leaving subjet to contract (i.e. acceptance by a new employer upon passing a medical etc). You have to look after your own interests, irrespective of training a new employee, if this was an issue then they should have agreed a longer notice period with you such that during that time you could have trained a new person.