24 months for a first and final written warning.

ukdk · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:29

As per the title has anyone ever heard of a final written being given for this length of time ?

The reason for asking is the wife has just been given this, she has nothing else on her record and is deeply upset about this.
What makes it worse is two of them where accused of the same things but the other person got away with not much more than a verbal warning while she got this.

I don't wish to go into too much detail as this is ongoing but any input or advice would be appreciated.

MR_Punk · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:34

My company follows 12 months for a written warning. I've not seen a 24 month one before.

adam cool dude · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:36

Written is 12 month as is final but my senior manager is the only one to dish those out. I can only do up to written. I would appeal tbh but need to be careful of the severity of what she has been done for. If you can prove someone else has gotten less than her for the same thing she will get away with it. The amount of times I have done someone for something that a more lenient manager has given less means they get away with it if they can prove it.

Does she have any sort of union? Those guys can wriggle out of anything

.

ukdk · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:38

Thanks for the reply.
Neither have we seen this before but have a feeling this is personal as they provided no evidence no written statements or anything.

ukdk · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:40

No she is not in a union.
It is only a small company 6 people in total, everything was fine until the owners wife came on board and then the problems seem to have started.

VincentHanna · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:40

Owners wife....

With all due respect, she's never going to win that battle.

If she gets unfairly dismissed she could take it to tribunal of course but i'm guessing you don't want it to come to that.

In such a small company I can only assume they were overheard slagging her off or something?

ukdk · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:42

I know but you have to try.
The wife has described her as intimidating and a bit of a bully who likes to shout a lot.

adam cool dude · 2 Mar 2020 at 14:47

ukdk said:
No she is not in a union.
It is only a small company 6 people in total, everything was fine until the owners wife came on board and then the problems seem to have started.

That is a tricky one. The company I work for employs thousands so rules need to be followed and there are ways to deal with disciplinarys. A company with 6 people and the owners wife seems dodgy as is. Something like that would go down as corruption in our business alone (The owners wife being given a seniority role in big business without a fair interview).

I guess you could always take it to court but then your wife would have to leave after that anyway.

wildman · 2 Mar 2020 at 15:10

ukdk said:
I know but you have to try.
The wife has described her as intimidating and a bit of a bully who likes to shout a lot.

working in the home office ?

dowie · 2 Mar 2020 at 15:24

I think it is a bit different if not performance related... like you mention two people being accused of something and another getting away with it to some extent.

Hades · 2 Mar 2020 at 15:32

wildman said:
working in the home office ?

Sorry it's not funny for the OP but I found that amusing

Feek · 2 Mar 2020 at 15:42

Without hearing both sides of the argument from an impartial third party, nobody in here is able to say whether this is an acceptable decision or not.

If it were me, or my wife then I, or my wife would be looking for alternate employment straight away.

Uther · 2 Mar 2020 at 15:49

Feek said:
If it were me, or my wife then I, or my wife would be looking for alternate employment straight away.

This unfortunately. Whatever the circumstances you're very unlikely to win this one. Time to move on.

SPG · 2 Mar 2020 at 16:10

Yes, and do not forget to take the client list

peterwalkley · 2 Mar 2020 at 16:34

SPG said:
Yes, and do not forget to take the client list

And once safely in another job, leave an honest review on glassdoor.com

Greebo · 2 Mar 2020 at 16:49

Its only a guideline that employers should give 12 months for final written warnings.

There are circumstances sometimes where employers, certainly at the other end of the scale, where they're taking a step back from dismissal and they may say at that point, "Well, look, rather than giving you a 12-month period here, we're going to extend it to 24 months". And then you look at the contract of employment and they won't have the power or the ability to do that. But ultimately, in those circumstances, an employee who has been given an extra life in terms of employment isn't really going to make a complaint about that.

Out of interest what does her contract of employment/handbook say about length of final written warnings?

But if i was your wife I would be looking at moving jobs ASAP. If she gets another job I would still consider taking my old employer to a tribunal if they have broken the rules.

Curio · 2 Mar 2020 at 17:23

ukdk said:
No she is not in a union.
It is only a small company 6 people in total, everything was fine until the owners wife came on board and then the problems seem to have started.

Ugg. That sounds like a horrible situation. I'd suggest she look for another job ASAP as I suspect things will go downhill from here. Best of luck!

kindai · 2 Mar 2020 at 17:42

Need more details to be honest. What was the supposed incident, what evidence do they have etc? Is it a good job? does it pay well? Did you wife have plans to leave?

Steampunk · 2 Mar 2020 at 18:00

ukdk said:
No she is not in a union.
It is only a small company 6 people in total, everything was fine until the owners wife came on board and then the problems seem to have started.

The owner's wife wants your wife gone. Best to look for another job and not deal with the hassle she's going to have over the next year until owner's wife finds an excuse to sack your wife.

Ayahuasca · 2 Mar 2020 at 18:50

She wants all the women, or at least the attractive ones out.

New job time.

24 months for a first and final written warning.

Sgarrista