Can they sack me?

Smiffyz said:
If you get sacked for simply saying what you said then the job is not worth it. What a bizarre reason to sack someone...
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Yeah, I'm probably overreacting and the manager just wants my take - I just got a little worried when asked not to go in to work yesterday. When on the phone I did mention that I was shocked that this was happening and asked the worst case scenario.

He said that there are a bunch of options they might take but worst case would be termination of my contract. He says it all depends on what I have to say tomorrow.

So it does feel as though I am fighting for my job in a way because of the very reason I outlined in my original post. It's pretty scary.
 
89wy89 said:
Yeah, I'm probably overreacting and the manager just wants my take - I just got a little worried when asked not to go in to work yesterday. When on the phone I did mention that I was shocked that this was happening and asked the worst case scenario.

He said that there are a bunch of options they might take but worst case would be termination of my contract. He says it all depends on what I have to say tomorrow.

So it does feel as though I am fighting for my job in a way because of the very reason I outlined in my original post. It's pretty scary.
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Make sure you take in a witness, better still a union rep if you're in one.

Also don't sign any notes taken on the meeting - they will have to- if they don't include all the details.
 
You wont get sacked, if you do my word there is a case for unfair dismissal that I'd guarantee you'd win. If what you have told us is true.

Hopefully your HR dept is not completely brain dead and they'll have a chat with you about persons preferences and sensitivity.
Long story short, dont give out any information at work that is related to a personal opinion, as there is always going to be a;
- Anti-abortionist
- Terrorist sympathiser
- Tory donor
- People with severe illness/injury or even invisible ones
- Someone with an opposite view.

No issues with it, but not worth going down the route in the long run with a randomer at work, choose who you tell personal things to carefully.

Zefan said:
What have we become?
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Crippled by pandering to the weak.
I have no issue with certain words and views being outlawed for reference, but when you had police turning up at people's doors for snide comments, we were only heading one way.
 
sidimmu said:
You wont get sacked, if you do my word there is a case for unfair dismissal that I'd guarantee you'd win. If what you have told us is true.

Hopefully your HR dept is not completely brain dead and they'll have a chat with you about persons preferences and sensitivity.
Long story short, dont give out any information at work that is related to a personal opinion, as there is always going to be a;
- Anti-abortionist
- Terrorist sympathiser
- Tory donor
- People with severe illness/injury or even invisible ones
- Someone with an opposite view.

No issues with it, but not worth going down the route in the long run with a randomer at work, choose who you tell personal things to carefully.


Crippled by pandering to the weak.
I have no issue with certain words and views being outlawed for reference, but when you had police turning up at people's doors for snide comments, we were only heading one way.
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OP claims to be new to the workplace, so presumably won't have the 2 years of service that is required before you can bring a claim for unfair dismissal in the UK. Thank you Tory government. :eek:
 
Mr Badger said:
OP claims to be new to the workplace, so presumably won't have the 2 years of service that is required before you can bring a claim for unfair dismissal in the UK. Thank you Tory government. :eek:
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I could be wrong with this, yes they can just get rid of you without reason. But you would still have protections under discrimination laws that could still be in play if they (stupidly) told you why they got rid of you.

Tribunals are taking a dim view of employers discriminating against employees rights in areas like freedom of expression and beliefs, now regularly handing out 5 or 6 figure sums.
 
Mr Badger said:
OP claims to be new to the workplace, so presumably won't have the 2 years of service that is required before you can bring a claim for unfair dismissal in the UK. Thank you Tory government. :eek:
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Yeah, won't have any grounds for unfair dismissal. Will keep you guys posted tomorrow though and let you know the outcome.
 
Jokester said:
I could be wrong with this, yes they can just get rid of you without reason. But you would still have protections under discrimination laws that could still be in play if they (stupidly) told you why they got rid of you.

Tribunals are taking a dim view of employers discriminating against employees rights in areas like freedom of expression and beliefs, now regularly handing out 5 or 6 figure sums.
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I like the sound of this though...
 
@89wy89 how long have you worked there? as @Mr Badger points out - if you've been there for less than 2 years, you can be fired for pretty much any reason (so long as it's legally sound) regardless of whether it's fair or unfair.

Not that it helps you now, but I have a golden rule not to talk about any of this **** ever at work, getting it wrong in a conversation about trans folk, abortions, or whatever these days - it's like walking around Berlin dressed as Hitler.

Jokester said:
But you would still have protections under discrimination laws that could still be in play if they (stupidly) told you why they got rid of you.
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If it's "unlawful discrimination" then I believe there is no qualifying period, but it would have to be like - racism or homophobia or something. (I think).
 
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Screeeech said:
If it's "unlawful discrimination" then I believe there is no qualifying period, but it would have to be like - racism or homophobia or something. (I think).
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There’s various protections, there’s been several cases recently where people have been sacked for saying along the lines of “women don’t have penises” and then won huge payouts, the belief that sex matters is now a protected belief in the law under human rights legislation, where you have protections for privacy, religion, freedom of expression, freedom of belief etc.
 
My wife and I had a miscarriage late last year following our first round of IVF after 2-3 years of trying naturally and failing. I can completely understand why this lady would be upset. Several times a day, I'll see something or hear something that is a stark reminder if exactly what happened and how traumatic and upsetting it was. So, whilst I don't think you'll be getting the sack and nor do I think you should, I think that many of the comments here are very flippant; you don't know what people have been through and how it makes them feel. Quite honestly, I'm on the verge of tears just writing this brief comment.

Putting myself in her shoes, I hear every day about someone's kids or someone else is pregnant, or whatever it might be. The one that upsets me most is when people moan about their children; I'd love to have a child to moan about. It is really upsetting, but only my directors and HR know, so I put on a brave face. I chose not to tell anyone, so I can't be surprised when they have a completely normal conversation with me about children not knowing that I'm dying inside. As such, I really don't think you're to blame.

Good luck.

Ps. I'm delighted you didn't go through with the abortion.

PPS. Sorry for the life story. It was cathartic for me.
 
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dirtychinchilla said:
My wife and I had a miscarriage late last year following our first round of IVF after 2-3 years of trying naturally and failing. I can completely understand why this lady would be upset. Several times a day, I'll see something or hear something that is a stark reminder if exactly what happened and how traumatic and upsetting it was. So, whilst I don't think you'll be getting the sack and nor do I think you should, I think that many of the comments here are very flippant; you don't know what people have been through and how it makes them feel. Quite honestly, I'm on the verge of tears just writing this brief comment.

Putting myself in her shoes, I hear every day about someone's kids or someone else is pregnant, or whatever it might be. The one that upsets me most is when people moan about their children; I'd love to have a child to moan about. It is really upsetting, but only my directors and HR know, so I put on a brave face. I chose not to tell anyone, so I can't be surprised when they have a completely normal conversation with me about children not knowing that I'm dying inside. As such, I really don't think you're to blame.

Good luck.

Ps. I'm delighted you didn't go through with the abortion.

PPS. Sorry for the life story. It was cathartic for me.
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Sorry to hear that, man. That totally sucks. I have been thinking about that a lot this weekend: how might it have felt for her knowing that she terminated her baby yet hearing me talking about having a thriving 21 year old? She currently has a 1 year old and I know she's been with her bf since 2020 so this terminated baby would have been between 2 and 3 now I reckon, but then her current child would never have existed. It's all a bit weird. I'm beginning to suspect that she's not in a good place in general. Checked her social media accounts earlier and notice that she has put on a tonne of weight in the last few months - she looked a lot better before the pregnancy.

More than this: the whole conversation started by her bringing up the fact that she was a Trump supporter (common in the UK from my experience) and from there she started talking about his various policies, and this is how we got onto abortion. This would mean that she would presumably, had she the chance to, be voting for someone who actively campaigns to roll back women's rights in this regard. Really strange given how upset she has gotten over the whole thing.

Sorry to hear about your story though. This thread has gone in directions I never thought it would when I joined the forum in the early hours of yesterday morning. I hope you keep trying and don't give up hope if that is what you guys still want.
 
Screeeech said:
@89wy89 how long have you worked there? as @Mr Badger points out - if you've been there for less than 2 years, you can be fired for pretty much any reason (so long as it's legally sound) regardless of whether it's fair or unfair.

Not that it helps you now, but I have a golden rule not to talk about any of this **** ever at work, getting it wrong in a conversation about trans folk, abortions, or whatever these days - it's like walking around Berlin dressed as Hitler.



If it's "unlawful discrimination" then I believe there is no qualifying period, but it would have to be like - racism or homophobia or something. (I think).
Click to expand...

Jokester said:
There’s various protections, there’s been several cases recently where people have been sacked for saying along the lines of “women don’t have penises” and then won huge payouts, the belief that sex matters is now a protected belief in the law under human rights legislation, where you have protections for privacy, religion, freedom of expression, freedom of belief etc.
Click to expand...

I believe the Equality Act 2010 is the relevant piece of legislation. There is no length of service requirement to take your employer to an Employment Tribunal if they are stupid enough to sack you for something that would count as being discrimination against a protected characteristic. But they would have to be pretty clueless to fall into that trap.




www.gov.uk

Discrimination: your rights

It is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of their sex, religion, disability or certain other personal characteristics ('protected characteristics')
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
Just put your version of events calmly, and be careful about getting onto emotive topics with people you don't know well in the workplace in the coming months.

If you had been there longer there'd be little chance of sacking, but as you are new...

Are you a union member?
 
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