Stage procedure

[bigtee]

Can someone highlight the set guidelines regarding stage issues?

December 2008 i had a couple of days off sick! Had my return to work within 2 weeks of resuming my duty nothing was mentioned about triggering any stage. Anyway in feb 2009 we had a down pour of snow most people rang in due to the road conditions, the day after when we returned everyone was instantly given a lieu day to cover the previous days absence. Two days later my manager informed me that the couple of days i had off in dec 2008 had triggered a stage 2! So sometime within Feb 2009 i was issued my stage 2.

Was this acceptable behaviour on Royal Mails part?

Does the 12 month warning revert back to the absence in December 2008 or when the stage was issued in Feb 2009?

Also what is a reasonable time frame for return to work interviews?

I've spoken to a friend of the family who worked as a RM gaffer years back, he said the time frame was 28 days for a return to work is this true?

Also spoke to HR to request my absent record and was told you cannot have it as RM change the rules regarding this matter 2-3 months back. I stated that is information regarding me so i have a right to these records she got very stroppy when i said this and she then informed me that i would have to pay £10 to receive this an gave me the number for Data protection.

I've come to the conclusion that anyone with an inch of authority within Royal Mail, thinks they are god!

[Pat Ostman]

As far as I aware the return to work interview has no actual 'impact' on the stage.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I stated that is information regarding me so i have a right to these records she got very stroppy when i said this and she then informed me that i would have to pay £10 to receive this an gave me the number for Data protection.

Unfortunately she is right RM can charge a fee for you to get information about yourself

On the stages I am not sure about the administration but there is no right of appeal except at a stage 3 and then if there is any error in the process that affects the fairness of the decision your "punishment" at Stage 3 can be overturned at a tribunal.

I take it the stage 2 may have progressed to a stage 3 hence the question - If so I would advise contacting your ADR for definite advice, or one will be along here at some time.

[bigtee]

I stated that is information regarding me so i have a right to these records she got very stroppy when i said this and she then informed me that i would have to pay £10 to receive this an gave me the number for Data protection.

Unfortunately she is right RM can charge a fee for you to get information about yourself

On the stages I am not sure about the administration but there is no right of appeal except at a stage 3 and then if there is any error in the process that affects the fairness of the decision your "punishment" at Stage 3 can be overturned at a tribunal.

I take it the stage 2 may have progressed to a stage 3 hence the question - If so I would advise contacting your ADR for definite advice, or one will be along here at some time.

Yeah mate i reckon last weeks absence will trigger the stage 3, but like i said it was sometime last Feb when the stage 2 was issued so it's due to come off any time now.

If i can avoid having my stage 3 interview until March will i be okay?

[Pat Ostman]

I stated that is information regarding me so i have a right to these records she got very stroppy when i said this and she then informed me that i would have to pay £10 to receive this an gave me the number for Data protection.

Unfortunately she is right RM can charge a fee for you to get information about yourself

On the stages I am not sure about the administration but there is no right of appeal except at a stage 3 and then if there is any error in the process that affects the fairness of the decision your "punishment" at Stage 3 can be overturned at a tribunal.

I take it the stage 2 may have progressed to a stage 3 hence the question - If so I would advise contacting your ADR for definite advice, or one will be along here at some time.

Yeah mate i reckon last weeks absence will trigger the stage 3, but like i said it was sometime last Feb when the stage 2 was issued so it's due to come off any time now.

If i can avoid having my stage 3 interview until March will i be okay?

No

[bigtee]

I have just found my record of the stage warning it was dated 14/2/2009 so i was a week away from it clearing.

[Lincox]

Is it the date you get the warning or is it the date that you are actually absent from work?

[bigtee]

Just spoken to the area union rep, he said if they issue it then that would be harsh with only 4 days remaining on the stage 2 warning.

He also said that because of RM managers incompetence taking 7 weeks to inform me i had triggered the stage 2 that is the reason we are looking at a stage 3.

Message to RM managers practice what you preach! Quick to tell us we aren't doing things by the book.

[Stormproof]

I was only a few days short of clearing my last Stage 3, the injury from my AOD flared up causing me another 3 day abscence which triggered another Stage 3. So be prepared for the worst.

[bigtee]

I was only a few days short of clearing my last Stage 3, the injury from my AOD flared up causing me another 3 day abscence which triggered another Stage 3. So be prepared for the worst.

What did the union say to that? Did it take them 7 weeks to issue you the stage in the first place?

[Stormproof]

I was only a few days short of clearing my last Stage 3, the injury from my AOD flared up causing me another 3 day abscence which triggered another Stage 3. So be prepared for the worst.

What did the union say to that? Did it take them 7 weeks to issue you the stage in the first place?

Yes it did take weeks to issue the Stage because we changed DOM's and he reckoned he did'nt have the paper work, on his deliberations of the Stage 3 interview he said that one of the reasons it was reverted back to a Stage 2 was because of the time involved.

[bigtee]

I was only a few days short of clearing my last Stage 3, the injury from my AOD flared up causing me another 3 day abscence which triggered another Stage 3. So be prepared for the worst.

What did the union say to that? Did it take them 7 weeks to issue you the stage in the first place?

Yes it did take weeks to issue the Stage because we changed DOM's and he reckoned he did'nt have the paper work, on his deliberations of the Stage 3 interview he said that one of the reasons it was reverted back to a Stage 2 was because of the time involved.

Well they can use the same excuse with me! We haven't changed DOM's.

Hopefully i will just get put on another stage 2 then.

[markt68]

Just spoken to the area union rep, he said if they issue it then that would be harsh with only 4 days remaining on the stage 2 warning.

He also said that because of RM managers incompetence taking 7 weeks to inform me i had triggered the stage 2 that is the reason we are looking at a stage 3.

Message to RM managers practice what you preach! Quick to tell us we aren't doing things by the book.

I got a stage 3 interview 13 weeks after it was triggered!!!! and still waiting for the outcome for2 weeks now!!!

[POSTMAN]

Just spoken to the area union rep, he said if they issue it then that would be harsh with only 4 days remaining on the stage 2 warning.

He also said that because of RM managers incompetence taking 7 weeks to inform me i had triggered the stage 2 that is the reason we are looking at a stage 3.

Message to RM managers practice what you preach! Quick to tell us we aren't doing things by the book.

If you get given the stage,then demand that it's backdated to your last sickness day and not the interview.

[bigtee]

Spoke to ACAS today and they said you have a very strong case for an appeal if it goes tits up. He also said Royal Mails management are a danger to the business as most managers don't have a clue about dealing with these sort of issues, and that's evident by how many tribunals they lose.

He told me to have another read through the interview notes and he said "I bet something does not tally up and something will be a miss, it always is when Royal Mail managers do these interviews" so i did and he was correct the dates relating to the absences along with the duration of the absences was not accurate plus the deliberation notes were conflicting.

A bunch of jokers, we work under.