Jack Doyle
Super member
This is incorrect, there are certain grounds where instant dismissal is legal and justified.
-
the Daily hi thread
-
All contentious threads including politics, religion, crime, immigration, laws, elections etc are banned & will be removed. There is still a Gun Related Politics section for relevant topics.
Got a verbal warning at work today
- Thread starter snipperuk
- Start date
brother caleb
Super member
An undocumented verbal warning is not worth the paper its not written on! your company handbook or employment contract should have details of the companies disciplinary procedure and your right to appeal, if it does not then the company is in breach of law.
She clearly has no clue how to run a business and will at some point get found out either financially or legally. However I would also make a rule not to go to battle on the behalf of others they rarely back you up when the chips are down.
If you do decide not to push this then at least ensure you know what your companies procedure should be, what she did is not legal and I suspect that she will not take kindly to you pointing it out.
She clearly has no clue how to run a business and will at some point get found out either financially or legally. However I would also make a rule not to go to battle on the behalf of others they rarely back you up when the chips are down.
If you do decide not to push this then at least ensure you know what your companies procedure should be, what she did is not legal and I suspect that she will not take kindly to you pointing it out.
Correct. Gross Misconduct is one reason as would Violent conduct.
Can an Employer Sack an Employee Without Warning? | Peninsula UK
The simple answer is yes – employees can be sacked without warning under UK law. But only if they commit certain acts or behaviours. Find out more here.
I once got a verbal warning on my record when I was doing a part time in-betweeny job to pay my monthlies.
The warning was because I was a minute late for a shift. No kidding - 1 minute late.
I knew it was because someone else working there was often late and they were trying to manage them off the payroll. It had to look like fair play all round, so, I was given the warning.
Knowing this, I didn't take it personally.
About a month later, I was held up on an imporrant phone call and it looked like I was going to be late by 5 minutes for a shift - so, I switched the phone off, washed the van and had a cooked breakfast.
I went to work about 2 1/2 hours late for my shift and the manager was apoplectic, asking where I had been.
I told him, I was going to get a warning anyway, so might as well do it properly.
I never did get a warning for that one.
Now that's not my cunning rapier wit, that decided to be clever.
Someone once did that to me, when I was a manager in a previous role.
What goes around...........
The warning was because I was a minute late for a shift. No kidding - 1 minute late.
I knew it was because someone else working there was often late and they were trying to manage them off the payroll. It had to look like fair play all round, so, I was given the warning.
Knowing this, I didn't take it personally.
About a month later, I was held up on an imporrant phone call and it looked like I was going to be late by 5 minutes for a shift - so, I switched the phone off, washed the van and had a cooked breakfast.
I went to work about 2 1/2 hours late for my shift and the manager was apoplectic, asking where I had been.
I told him, I was going to get a warning anyway, so might as well do it properly.
I never did get a warning for that one.
Now that's not my cunning rapier wit, that decided to be clever.
Someone once did that to me, when I was a manager in a previous role.
What goes around...........
Rudolph Hucker
Member Extraordinaire
39yrs in the job and get a verbal warning
Long story short our gaffer died 2yrs ago and left everything to his daughter who hasn't a clue ... 3 full time staff and 1 part-time accounts and we have been running the place since and she pops in once in a blue moon .
When she comes in she basically has an idea and rolls with it off her own bat and is just a waste of money (website shop that's to expensive, advertising in wrong places ,new phone system that's a nightmare and more ) .latest was an apprentice that will cost another wage when there's no money for a pay rise.
Yesterday I basically pointed out all her short comings in a discussion Infront of my other 2 work mates .
I seem to end up being spokesman for what is felt between us all
Today comes up to me and says she won't be spoken to like that in front of everyone and take it as a verbal warning
Told the other two lads and one who's last job was very union orientated and said she was out of order and can't do that
I'm old school and just shrugged it off buty daughter said get InTouch with acas ?
Is it making a mountain out of a mole hill ?
Daft as it sounds I just hate money been wasted .....she seems to like coming up with ideas that's a waste of money but I suppose it's easy to spend money when you've not earned it .
Good luck with that one mate
I've got one of those teams meetings things with an HR lady tomorrow
....... I'm determined that I'm going to wake up on a good day tomorrow and, be on my best behaviour all day
Last edited:
snipperuk
Member Extraordinaire
edit * best not be to rude *
Last edited:
2506sendero
Member Extraordinaire
This is an extremely shallow & sexist remark to make if i may say so, and why i have always liked you
Identical situation to many I have witnessed.
Parents who built up a viable business, die or step back, leaving control to their children.
Normally, having witnessed a parent's work ethic, the children carry on and it is the grandchildren who will eventually destroy the business.
However, I am familiar of one case where a particularly narcissistic daughter,having no children of her own, is determined to accelerate the process. So similar, I had to review the OP and check location to ensure we were not referring to the same lady.
If going to an Employment Tribunal, one must first attempt to go through the company's internal grievance procedure.
Normally conducted by someone one step removed from line manager, this would be problematic for a company with only 4 employees.
39 years service accumulates a fair amount of redundancy pay, the upper age limit having been removed in 2006. It is more than likely, knowing the cost, the lady wants you to resign and her actions are focused towards that result.
Important to realize the company, in its present form, is not the identity you have served loyally for many years and concentrate on maximising returns for your benefit.
Avoid conflict, keep contemporaneous notes of all meetings and work to your Contract. so if unfair / constructive dismissal is on the agenda you have a cast iron case. Do not discuss with other employees. Even when you try to help them, people will stab you in back.
Parents who built up a viable business, die or step back, leaving control to their children.
Normally, having witnessed a parent's work ethic, the children carry on and it is the grandchildren who will eventually destroy the business.
However, I am familiar of one case where a particularly narcissistic daughter,having no children of her own, is determined to accelerate the process. So similar, I had to review the OP and check location to ensure we were not referring to the same lady.
If going to an Employment Tribunal, one must first attempt to go through the company's internal grievance procedure.
Normally conducted by someone one step removed from line manager, this would be problematic for a company with only 4 employees.
39 years service accumulates a fair amount of redundancy pay, the upper age limit having been removed in 2006. It is more than likely, knowing the cost, the lady wants you to resign and her actions are focused towards that result.
Important to realize the company, in its present form, is not the identity you have served loyally for many years and concentrate on maximising returns for your benefit.
Avoid conflict, keep contemporaneous notes of all meetings and work to your Contract. so if unfair / constructive dismissal is on the agenda you have a cast iron case. Do not discuss with other employees. Even when you try to help them, people will stab you in back.
Don't cut of you nose to spite your tongue.
Si Titor
Member Extraordinaire
I wonder if her ears are burning? 
I knew an Irish muck shift contractor based in Manchester. He compared women to his fleet of wagons :-
Burning oil, Rough cab, Chassis showing signs of fatigue and Slipping clutch, all being perfect allusions to some ladies we encountered.
danw71
Proactive member
so glad I'm a 1 man band and not employed anymore, I'd be up in HR all the time, I'd upset soooooo many people nowadays, life's too short for other people's 
and dramas
and dramasDon`t know the leagality of it but the only time I`ve been hauled in to a meeting was when the then boss was giving me carp that I thought was totally unjustified, borrowed a dictaphone and recorded the whole meeting, walked into the workshop canteen and played the tape back in front of the foreman, word got back and I was left alone!
Claypole
Super member
Simply saying “Take it as a verbal warning” is a rather vague way of dealing with a member of staff, and in reality it doesn’t t really mean much, if anything.
An ‘official’ verbal warning should be given in a private meeting, with a full explanation of what the warning is for. Any company will have a proper disciplinary procedure for such matters, and this normally involves informing you of the verbal warning in writing, just so there’s a record of it.
Otherwise, (as in this case) it’s nothing more than being told off by the boss who doesn’t even know how to tell people off.
An ‘official’ verbal warning should be given in a private meeting, with a full explanation of what the warning is for. Any company will have a proper disciplinary procedure for such matters, and this normally involves informing you of the verbal warning in writing, just so there’s a record of it.
Otherwise, (as in this case) it’s nothing more than being told off by the boss who doesn’t even know how to tell people off.
TD_boy
Member Extraordinaire
Completely wrong...
You can jump into the disciplinary process at any point depending on the severity of the offence.
Also, in general, you will need to have been employed for 2 years or longer to bring an unfair dismissal to an employment tribunal.
chris l
Member Extraordinaire
Can you join a Union?
My management backed right off when I turned up to 'a meeting to discuss your health issues', accompanied by a rep.
I said, even if this is not a formal disciplinary hearing, as you claim, (it was), it could lead to one, and thus I am entitled to be accompanied by a 'friend' to advise...
When I pointed out that I had been advised that my condition put them at risk of committing acts constituting discrimination, under the Act... they became all sweetness and light, 'I must have misunderstood' . I bloody understood alright!
I used to say to colleagues, remember that managers have a record, too, and don't want a black mark on it; like a discrimination legal case!
Also I got free legal advice/cover through my Union and they would pay the high cost of a tribunal if necessary
Like having a big brother...
My management backed right off when I turned up to 'a meeting to discuss your health issues', accompanied by a rep.
I said, even if this is not a formal disciplinary hearing, as you claim, (it was), it could lead to one, and thus I am entitled to be accompanied by a 'friend' to advise...
When I pointed out that I had been advised that my condition put them at risk of committing acts constituting discrimination, under the Act... they became all sweetness and light, 'I must have misunderstood' . I bloody understood alright!
I used to say to colleagues, remember that managers have a record, too, and don't want a black mark on it; like a discrimination legal case!
Also I got free legal advice/cover through my Union and they would pay the high cost of a tribunal if necessary
Like having a big brother...
Last edited:
chris l
Member Extraordinaire
Required, even... if the person may repeat the action or be a danger to themselves or to others in the workplace
wilkinss77
Super member
Not completely wrong at all, other than exceptional circumstances that warrant instant dismissal, the 3 warnings rule still stands after 2 years employment.
Exceptional circumstances.
wilkinss77
Super member
Those are exceptional circumstances.