Forced to work

[Mice!]

3 hours ago, ordnance said:

If you are in a union would they not take it on if they thought you hade a case, or the equity commission etc. I would think the unions will be trying some test cases, if they are successful then there will be lots more.  

The union were brought in at my last place and frankly did nothing,  they've been at a few places I've worked at and made no difference, they've still shut.

[ordnance]

3 minutes ago, Mice! said:

The union were brought in at my last place and frankly did nothing,  they've been at a few places I've worked at and made no difference, they've still shut.

If a company is going to close then theirs not much a union can do, they are more useful for legal services employment law unfair dismissal etc.

[Lloyd90]

On 27/01/2021 at 20:33, WalkedUp said:

I went to her site meeting this morning in her place and called her on the way back to tell her what she needed to action. She complained to me that she’s an architect, not my PA - why do I keep giving her administration work to do? I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. 

And women wonder why supposedly it’s harder for them to find employment. 
 

Have heard of many companies who will plain refuse to employ young women (but won’t publicise it!). 

 

[WalkedUp]

4 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

And women wonder why supposedly it’s harder for them to find employment. 
 

Have heard of many companies who will plain refuse to employ young women (but won’t publicise it!). 

 

We have just employed another 30 year old female architect too. The best candidate at interview by far but I imagine we will be facing similar issues in 2 years’ time. 

[Mice!]

12 hours ago, ordnance said:

If a company is going to close then theirs not much a union can do, they are more useful for legal services employment law unfair dismissal etc.

They might be but I've yet to work anywhere where the union has done anything useful.  These days most places are pretty good with H&S but those who aren't wouldn't have the unions in anyway. 

[Vince Green]

On 29/01/2021 at 02:25, Lloyd90 said:

And women wonder why supposedly it’s harder for them to find employment. 
 

Have heard of many companies who will plain refuse to employ young women (but won’t publicise it!). 

 

Some years back we had a young woman join our team, she had just got married and moved to be with her new husband. In five years she was virtually never at her desk, she had three children, each pregnancy involved lots of time off "resting", Then she had maternity leave and lots of other excuses. She was a nightmare when she was at work too 

[12gauge82]

On 27/01/2021 at 06:38, WalkedUp said:

I’m in an ongoing dispute with one of my employees as she’s chosen to get pregnant during the pandemic and now wants to work from home due to her vulnerability. Unpaid leave or more likely furlough seems the best option but we would have to hire to replace her. Our solicitor believes there is a mechanism to do so but my partners are dead against the idea on PR and moral grounds. It’s madness that entitled people think the money can keep flowing with no work getting done as if every business is sat on a good mine with endless reserves. 

Wow, you must be employer of the year after reading this thread. You want to be glad your employee doesn't know your views as you'd be done for gender discrimination. 

[Fisheruk]

On 28/01/2021 at 11:03, strimmer_13 said:

Well im in the situ where I work for the council. At the start of this lockdown I was told, by the town clerk who's my employer, I could work from home to help with the home schooling as the misses is working from home, (me doing lessons in the am, her the pm) they would provide work for me in the am and I'd go in after lunch. Still recieve full pay as technically I'll be doing training courses in the morning. Great. I offered to work overtime to make up morning hours, but I'm not allowed as it's lone working and I've got a illness and I'm the first aider... Also my holidays are all used. I also requested furlong for the am only, it made sense. I'm the only one with a kid in primary school. Was then told they are looking into it. 

Yesterday I get told, I'm having a zoom  meeting with the clerk, mayor and legal representative whilst being recorded, that they are not going to pay me anymore (despite what the town clerk promised and set up work for me to do at home) my hours will be docked into next year's holiday and I'll owe every hour. 

I offered to work. They refused. They now telling me my pays going to get docked. So I've been 5 years, in my interest it makes perfect sense to go off ill as I'd get paid. They've treated me like **** from day one, I have absolutely no loyalty to them where as every small firm I've ever worked for has been a far better employer. 

lll never work for the council again, or recommend it. 

Oh and I'm in work being essential atm painting a bench. This lock downs a joke

TBH there seems to be a very simple answer to your dilemma. You are not happy with your employer. You’re a Painter and Decorator. Go self employed. You can then choose which hours you work and you get paid for the work you do. 

[strimmer_13]

36 minutes ago, Fisheruk said:

TBH there seems to be a very simple answer to your dilemma. You are not happy with your employer. You’re a Painter and Decorator. Go self employed. You can then choose which hours you work and you get paid for the work you do. 

Thats the thing, I'm not a painter or decorator. I'm a groundsman. Half the year I cut grass the other I cut hedges and trees 😅currently I've got about 30 acres of ash dieback and Elm disease to sort out. Anyway they've let slip that the council has no intention of furlong staff as they have to pay double tax?!? I've done a fair bit of research, public sector employee's there are different rules for what they get. 

I wish I had the hindsight to join a union years ago, maybe with a good kick up the councils *** things wouldn't of got to this stage. Also I'll be leaving asap, but health problems are piling up atm. Infact the docs said I've got to give up doing what I do plus I'm now got lumpy rearing his ugly head on my tit. Been a stressful year for sure 

 

[AVB]

59 minutes ago, strimmer_13 said:

Thats the thing, I'm not a painter or decorator. I'm a groundsman. Half the year I cut grass the other I cut hedges and trees 😅currently I've got about 30 acres of ash dieback and Elm disease to sort out. Anyway they've let slip that the council has no intention of furlong staff as they have to pay double tax?!? I've done a fair bit of research, public sector employee's there are different rules for what they get. 

I wish I had the hindsight to join a union years ago, maybe with a good kick up the councils *** things wouldn't of got to this stage. Also I'll be leaving asap, but health problems are piling up atm. Infact the docs said I've got to give up doing what I do plus I'm now got lumpy rearing his ugly head on my tit. Been a stressful year for sure 

 

Can you explain what these different rules are for public sector employees and what this double tax thing is you refer to? I’m intrigued. 

[strimmer_13]

12 minutes ago, AVB said:

Can you explain what these different rules are for public sector employees and what this double tax thing is you refer to? I’m intrigued. 

12 minutes ago, AVB said:

Can you explain what these different rules are for public sector employees and what this double tax thing is you refer to? I’m intrigued. 

The double tax I've no idea. Only what the mayor is spouting at the clerk which has got back to me. This other stuff I've been sent 

I've the meeting on Thursday so I'll find out the outcome then, or more to the point the reasons. 

 

[AVB]

5 minutes ago, strimmer_13 said:

The double tax I've no idea. Only what the mayor is spouting at the clerk which has got back to me. This other stuff I've been sent 

I've the meeting on Thursday so I'll find out the outcome then, or more to the point the reasons. 

 

I believe the restrictions are there because you are paid by the Government regardless of whether you are furloughed or not. So there no point in furloughing.  But they should still be able to put you on paid leave as though you were ‘furloughed’ if your case warrants it. 

[mel b3]

39 minutes ago, strimmer_13 said:

The double tax I've no idea. Only what the mayor is spouting at the clerk which has got back to me. This other stuff I've been sent 

I've the meeting on Thursday so I'll find out the outcome then, or more to the point the reasons. 

 

The way I read is .

If you're able to work you get paid.

If you're not able to work because of covid,  you still get paid .

 

[discobob]

One of my wife's jobs is a Direct Payment PA - We have had no end of the Council trying to weasel out of paying - her Client/family have self isolated - once during the first lockdown and once with the UK variant. She has started back this week but had to take holidays for that couple of weeks and was even told that if she didn't she wouldn't get paid. The client is the employer, but the funding is from the council.

[Lloyd90]

1 hour ago, discobob said:

One of my wife's jobs is a Direct Payment PA - We have had no end of the Council trying to weasel out of paying - her Client/family have self isolated - once during the first lockdown and once with the UK variant. She has started back this week but had to take holidays for that couple of weeks and was even told that if she didn't she wouldn't get paid. The client is the employer, but the funding is from the council.

Direct payments are very different from working for the council. 

 

Even as a PA carer working employed for a company you would not be employed by the council, even though the council pays the company to do the care. 
 

Your wife is employed directly by the person she cares for therefore it will depend entirely on her employment contract with them. 
 

I don’t think it’s quite fair to say the council try to weasel out of it. 
People have asked for more control over their care for years. Having direct payments almost detaches the process from the Local Authority. 
 

 

 

Unless the LA are trying not to pay the direct payments? Sorry if I’ve misunderstood. 
 

 

 

 

 

[discobob]

39 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

Direct payments are very different from working for the council. 

 

Even as a PA carer working employed for a company you would not be employed by the council, even though the council pays the company to do the care. 
 

Your wife is employed directly by the person she cares for therefore it will depend entirely on her employment contract with them. 
 

I don’t think it’s quite fair to say the council try to weasel out of it. 
People have asked for more control over their care for years. Having direct payments almost detaches the process from the Local Authority. 
 

 

 

Unless the LA are trying not to pay the direct payments? Sorry if I’ve misunderstood. 
 

 

 

 

 

All I know is that it is the council are the ones calling the shots - not her employer! She is contracted to do x hours.

[Stuarta]

On 01/02/2021 at 13:41, Vince Green said:

Some years back we had a young woman join our team, she had just got married and moved to be with her new husband. In five years she was virtually never at her desk, she had three children, each pregnancy involved lots of time off "resting", Then she had maternity leave and lots of other excuses. She was a nightmare when she was at work too 

I have made it an unofficial policy to not employ young women for many years for the same reason.