welll today...... I got fired..... dont worrie I'm not that bumbed, I'm quite cheerful...... alough I feel the need to write a short story of what happened. so stop reading now.....

well this started because my friends (noon and his brother) used to hang out at the shop for the duration of my shift. once my boss found out about this he didn't like it, he also made the point that my work hasn't gone down even when they are there? but still doesn't like it?
so he told me once not to let them in the shop for more than 5mins...... I ignored him...... a few months later a new employee told him they were there because he didn't know the boss didn't like it. he told me again, saying that if it happened again I would get a written warning, and he set up the video cameras (which wern't turned on) to record my shift....... I let them stay anyway.
so then I got a written warning, not outlining why he doesn't want them in the shop, just saying they arn't allowed in! he didn't tell them this or anything.
so in an attempt to understand why the emplyee before could have friends in but not I..... I asked for a contract of emplyment....... he didn't like this? he seemed to take it persoanlly, he said he didn't apreciate the hassel just before he went on holiday?
so a few hours later I had my shift.... I turned up and he had justed typed out his 'contract of employment' which included things like 'no family or friends in the shop for more than 5 mins' and 'all problems are dealt with by the boss who has a fair and just opinion'...... oh and there were spelling mistakes!!
he asked me to sign it, I said I want to think it over tonight... he said sign it or your out.... I said I wont sign it now....... he fired me?

but thats my story, I'm going to see a union rep' to find out what to do.......
yes this is boring I told you not to read it
but I just felt like wrinting it soemwhere.....

Sriontoc

That is terrible. You fight him as far as you can as he has no right to do that. God some people make me so ANGRY. Good luck with pursuing this, I hope you win.

sriontoc
well this started because my friends (noon and his brother) used to hang out at the shop for the duration of my shift. once my boss found out about this he didn't like it, he also made the point that my work hasn't gone down even when they are there? but still doesn't like it?

sriontoc...... It's pretty common practice for employers to disallow mates of their employees to hang around work places for for the duration of a whole shift... Be they work in an office, a shop, a science lab, drive trains or teach children in a classroom... even if the emplees work isn't suffering...

It's not actually considers good PR for any business to encourage this and can get in the way of the running of a business... There are many valid reasons for this... I honestly don't know of any workplace, especially one which deals with the public... which allows mates to simply hang about in the place of work for the duration of an emplyees shift for no valid reason... It's a place of business...

Yeah it is a bummer for that to happen... to get fired.... But he did give you many chances and a written request to ask your mates not to hang about for the duration of your shift but he also gave you credit in saying your work didn't suffer...

I know I sound like a drip here...

Dingo
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At my work place they would have no problem with having family or friends coming along for a shift with you. I am a bus driver so maybe this is a different situation, but I don't think working in a shop would be much different (although if it is a supermarket or local corner store I would say this is not acceptable, but I was assuming it was a food shop like a cafe or pizza place when I wrote that above).

We are allowed to bring our kids along when there is no-one to look after them and they can ride along with their Mum or Dad for the day. As long as they buy a ticket it doesn't matter. If they were disrupting the driving at all it would be a problem then, but if they just sit in the seat and don't disturb their parent while driving no problem. I so understand for other types of jobs though that no-one would be able to hang around while you are working.

A good piece of advice: Do what your boss tells you if it is reasonable. And if he does not want your friends lingering there (what I can understand) then that is your responsibility to do so. As far as I can judge he did exactly what he is supposed to do... first he told you, then he gave you a written warning... least at this point you should have seen that this was no game. Ignoring the instructions of the boss is the worst you can do and that leads to the consequences you sadly experienced. He is responsible and it is his business that also gives him the authority to decide how he wants his business to run. He did not even say that your friends are not allowed at all but that they should not linger there the whole day... you do not have to creep in his arse but mind that reliability is a very important virtue for an employee and that your boss could not have as you did not do what he expected from you... see that? I do not say that he did all right as others might have treated you otherwise but you have to judge for yourself what is more important to you. Head up there will be other jobs waiting for you!

I watch
We are allowed to bring our kids along when there is no-one to look after them and they can ride along with their Mum or Dad for the day. As long as they buy a ticket it doesn't matter. If they were disrupting the driving at all it would be a problem then, but if they just sit in the seat and don't disturb their parent while driving no problem. I so understand for other types of jobs though that no-one would be able to hang around while you are working.

Yup... but that's no problem... it's a totally different situation.... They are not disturbing the driver and are a paying passenger like everyone else is on the bus... sitting there minding their own business... No different to where some people love riding trains... pay for a daily ticket and spend the day sitting a train travelling... Either way, both are contributing to the running of the business...

Dingo
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Maybe he should have got his friends to help out, then they would be contributing as well. I don't really understand why you would want to hang out at someone's place of work for the whole day anyhow, I would find it quite boring.

I watch
Maybe he should have got his friends to help out, then they would be contributing as well. I don't really understand why you would want to hang out at someone's place of work for the whole day anyhow, I would find it quite boring.

Actually... when you think about it like that... I'd be bored shitless hanging about the whole shift watching a mate work... Prolly end up hating the sight of my mate in the end... I can think of better things to do...

Now you have just opened another can of worms and once the can is open there is no way you can put the worms back except to get a bigger can...

He can't get his mates to help... It's a paid job... one where more than likely the empoyer has insurances and work cover incase there is an accident and the emplyee gets hurt or something on the job... These blokes helping would not be covered and all sorts of legal ramifications and complication can occur...

We live in a world today where everyone has to keep their arse ends covered...

Dingo
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The thing that got me angry when reading this post was that the boss said to him "Sign the contract or you are out". I don't know what the laws are where you come from Sriontoc, but that would be illegal here, no matter what your employment status. We have to have 14 days to look over a contract of employment and we must be given time to get legal advice if so desired. My boss won't even accept the signed copy back before the 14 days, so I would say this is where your boss erred, not in that he didn't want your mates hanging around, I would have to agree with him there.

Would it??? In this country here we ALWAYS have to sign a working contract right BEFORE the start of an employment... else it is illegal work. And it is the logical consequence that if you do not sign the contract you cannot work there. There are however things that are illegal to have in a contract. I am no laywer so I cannot say what is and what is not, still I would bet that if the boss says keep your friends from lingering there if you are alone in the shop and you do not do so... it is a reason for firing you.

Well here in South Australia we have the right to look into the contract before signing it. We could not be forced into signing one on the spot. I guess different laws apply for different places. But yes I would have to agree that the real reason behind the sacking would have been for not obeying his boss's orders and then causing his boss a headache.

Yup any contract you have the right here to look over first or take it away and have someone else look at it too, be it a solicitor or a family or a mate... But once you sign the contract you in many cases... but certainly not in all... and such conditions will be stipulated in the contract... have a grace period of 10 to 14 days from the day you sign to change your mind... A cooling off period it's called... especially when purchasing a house...

I must admit, I've never heard of a work contract being signed 2 weeks after one starts work... It's usually done when employment is confirmed... I seriously can't see how any employer would employ someone for 2 weeks with no work conditions in place.... and not want the contract for 2 weeks... Because the contract itself not only protects the employer... it also protects the employee just as much...

I watch... maybe it's the 10 or 14 day cooling off period you are thinking about? Where you can still change your mind in... ???

Dingo
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Yes Dingo, I mean you get the contract and have 14 days to look it over. In my workplace we renew our contract every 3 years so are still working when the next one comes into effect, and all new employees can't return the contract until 14 days after they receive it, but they do training for 2 weeks so haven't officially stated on the job till then anyhow. This is the first job I've ben in that I have had to sign a contract so I can only go off what I know in my job. If we don't sign the new contracts after the last one runs out we will still be able to work but under the conditions of the old contract, so any pay increases etc don't come to you.

Okee dokee... Now I know now what you are meaning... I misunderstood and thought you meant when you first started working you worked for 2 weeks without a valid contract.... In this case you are still covered by the old contact in that 14 days...

But the circumstances for srionec are such we don't know... so that may be a totally different senario eh? ...

Dingo
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Jeeeeez just when I thought it was safe to go in the desert.....there's Dingo! (Ya wasn't on the who's in screen did ya time out typing with them paws of yours?).

Anyways.

Sriontoc...you're fired! Mates hanging about the workplace Naaaah can't have that....It's a place of work not socialisation! (And my friend I'm a commie git who wouldn't 'fire' anyone but hey I didn't have to - your boss did.)

Just my penny worth.

Hey I'm really sorry you got fired but you MUST have seen it coming????

Ben

I tend to agree with these guys... Your boss is paying you to do a job. You either do what he says or you quit, it's as simple as that. It's his money you're getting, so as long as you agree to accept that money, you do what he wants you to do.

it is a video rental store, and yes I understand he has the right to say they cant be there, but. I didn't understand why I was not allowed but the person before me could?...... to be fair though I was a bit stubborn on this matter, but I did stop them once Id received the letter. but firing me because I wont sign a form he only just printed out!
oh and yes they would help out, I told the boss this, they would put covers out for me, find covers I couldn't find, and give reviews on films I haven't seen. they also spent a lot of money on sweets! and he didn't even have a contract of employement so insurance??
legally over here I should have received a contract 8 weeks after working there.... its been over a year and a half. and yes he is supposed to allow consoltaion on the contract.
if he fired me for having my friends in the shop I would have seen it coming..... but thats not why he fired me!

Ben
Jeeeeez just when I thought it was safe to go in the desert.....there's Dingo! (Ya wasn't on the who's in screen did ya time out typing with them paws of yours?).

You're safe for a while... But I'm hijacking srionec's thread with my tale of woe... Not long ago my old 19 year old tabby moggie cat Sarah... the graceful Queen of the cats here.... had what appears to be a stroke or something and is dying... she's settled on her favourite chair...won't be long now...

Naturally it's Saturday night... I just hope she won't get to a point where I have to go out and chase an emergency vet in the early hours of the morning to alleviate suffering... I would have to call the vet to come here coz she hates the car and don't wanna put a dying animal through a terror drive in it's last stages of life...

She can't walk... can't eat and hardly can drink and her breathing is loud and laboured... and she makes sad weird sounding loud meowing goodbye purrs when we stroke and pat her.... Stormtech gave up his partying for the night to be with her... She's been his cat companion and he can't remember a time when she wasn't around....

So far she doesn't appear to be in pain so I hope she falls asleep and dies a dignified old age cat death real soon with no intevention... in her sleep...

Dingo :cry:
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Awwww Dingo....big hugs.

Ben :cry:

stop saying more mournful things than I
hope it all works out, I wish you luck