Work sucks! Shit story of the day

**cheese** · 1st March 2010, 20:41

Everyone seems to love shit work stories...

Anyway, my workplace has been a bit shit, we have a problem person here that is quite a pain and I've been tempted to leave a few times. So I've been just hanging in there as the money is pretty good and My work conditions are reasonable, but today almighty shitburgers happened.

So I got my mother in law a job here doing the accounts work. She has done accounts work all her working life and has never had any complaints for any work place only praise. So the boss hired her and all was well or so I thought.... to be fair there has been a little bit of a personality clash, which I think is what has driven this but anyway.

This morning they basically fired her, no warnings, no performance talk, nothing. Just a we are going to have to let you go, and were reasoning some of it saying that she has made many mistakes blah blah blah, but in reality it was a warning situation not a firing one. So mother in law said fine, walked out and left the building. It was a pretty clear case of unfair dismissal.

So now I feel like shit. I’m in a job I’m unsure of that I want to be at. I feel more loyalty to family over work.

**Love my Bonnie** · 1st March 2010, 20:44

ph this dude
He is an employment lawyer
Mark Nutsford 09 525 1110

**flyingcr250** · 1st March 2010, 21:07

burn it down.....

**Virago** · 1st March 2010, 21:12

You need to talk this over with your mother-in-law.

It sounds like she was happy to walk away from an unhappy situation. If you decide to resign in sympathy - or worse, start action on her behalf - she might be quite upset.

Talk to her, not us.

**Woodman** · 1st March 2010, 21:13

They can't do that. Even if it is serious misconduct like theft or something, the employee should be stood down on full pay, and a meeting at a later date needs to be arranged to discuss the accusations, a support person or a lawyer is to be over encouraged to the point of insistence. After the preliminary investigation a stand down period of at least 24 hours is to be given before another meeting where thye accusations are to be discussed and then both parties are to adjourn, and then and only then will the outcome be revealed.

**Oakie** · 1st March 2010, 21:20

Yup. Personal Grievance material there if it's about mistakes unless one was a huge one. Even then she needs to have been given advance notice of the meeting and an opportunity to have a support person in attendance. Regardless of the circumstances leading to her dismissal, that procedural failure is your personal grievance done and dusted.

**Ixion** · 1st March 2010, 21:31

What people said. On the facts cited a personal grievance is bound to succeed. But your MIL may not wish to pursue the matter in which case you are best to let it drop.

**Mudfart** · 2nd March 2010, 08:56

dude you get on with your monster in law?
mine aint happy unless she has got everyone around her miserable, then she sits there all smiling and smug.
if everyone IS happy, she sits there miserable as a shit that wants back in the anus. unless you give her money for the pokies, then she is also happy. she aint allowed round here anymore. pity, its the only grandparent my kids have got left.
she has got some 57 grandchildren and 20 odd great grandchildren. she never sees any of them, I wonder why?
pity she never asks herself the hard questions either. she dont care, as long as she can blow all her money on pokies.

**mynameis** · 2nd March 2010, 12:24

Hang on a tick there I've got a few questions for you before I jump to any conclusions?

How long has she been working there for?

Do you know what kind of contract/agreement they had with her? Casual, Contract work with notice period, Probationary period? Or was it full time permanent job?

Did they ask her to resign and she willingly resigned and left?

How long have you been working there for?

Above advice is some what correct but a lot of assumptions there.

How fresh is this incident?

Seems like to me your acting emotionally at the moment (I could be wrong) but what you need to do is not take her firing personally and be professional about your work/career.

It should not have any bearing to you. Take things easy slow and have a good think about it.

Answers to those questions then we can talk

**cc rider** · 5th March 2010, 02:00

Originally Posted by cheese

Anyway, my workplace has been a bit shit, we have a problem person here that is quite a pain and I've been tempted to leave a few times. So I've been just hanging in there as the money is pretty good and My work conditions are reasonable, but today almighty shitburgers happened.

I’m in a job I’m unsure of that I want to be at. I feel more loyalty to family over work.

cheese, I am sorry that your work place is not so good anymore.. I do empathize with you. I have been in similar situations twice. Not a great way to live your life. You sound like you already know what you want to do. Your mother-in-law's situation may be seeming (to you) a handy reason to follow through on it.
You refer to the money & the work conditions, yet no mention of enjoying the actual work or your co-workers.

You also mention 'we' have a problem person here.....
are there other co-workers having issue with this 'problem child'?
Is this an ongoing issue?
Can it be dealt with internally?

As others have said. Don't do anything rash & take the time to think all your options through. Please discuss how you feel with your family.
I admire your loyalty to your family. Talk to mom-in-law. Get her opinion.
Please keep us up to date on how things go for you, cheese.
Good Luck
CC

**Trouser** · 5th March 2010, 16:51

Some one I know very well got a job at a bakery and within 3 days was told to not come back. They took it to court and were awarded $?,000.00. No contract either.