Help and advice needed please.

[stevezx7r]

So, I've now spoken to the manager on the phone to tell him I wouldn't be attending the meeting as I had no representation. He then carried on the conversation and we ended up having the interview on the phone! He even said that the Union rep he would have sitting in on the interview was for him and not me. We spoke about why the two options he offered weren't acceptable to me, namely working 3pm - 6pm would clash with collecting the kids and working every Thursday, Friday and Saturday just felt unfair, especialy as no evidence of wrong doing on my behalf has been offered. He's now going to stop my pay for not attending the meeting.

I've now spoken to the CAB who said if my contract allows them to move hours or days of work then they can. They also suggested I speak to ACAS and Pay and Work Rights people.

Any advice?

[rehabron]

Thanks for your response.
Todays meeting at 09.00 hrs is as letter states " how best RM can assist you in a return to work" as your present illness of stress is still active and further medical certificates may follow so the meeting is an attempt to cut short further absences.
Your sick note is a legal document and it is not mandatory for you to attend absence interviews provided that you inform management that the nature of your present illness prevents you from attending and could in fact aggravate your condition and affect your recuperation.
Your previous stage 3 prompt for consideration of dismissal for your absence with your ribs which occurred in September last year was frozen and extended for a further year and if my maths is correct this has now been exhausted and in effect you have completed a whole year absence free until your present absence for stress.
You by completing a whole year absent free your have more than met the attendance standards the RM require of you which is 2 blocks o 6 month periods that others would have been given to clear or reduce their attendance stage positions.
Getting back to your original stage3 prompt would have expected manger by not dismissing you to return to a stage2 giving you the opportunity to improve your attendance standards according to attendance guidelines and failing that then the stage 3 would have been invoked.
If you wish you can advise the outcome of today's meeting.

[rehabron]

Just read your latest posting this is a new one that the rep was for his benefit and not yours. I hope the manager's subscription to the union is up to date as he should have not been represented.
Your employer can adjust your contracted hours by mutual agreement but under flexibility arrangements the hours they require for your to attend is impracticable due to your domestic arrangement and this seems to be a ploy to piss you off so would suggest you submit a 2nd stage individual grievance on this matter.
The ERA 1996 covers unauthorised deductions of wages and you need to consult your union rep and he needs to make this abundantly clear to this manager that he needs a valid reason for stopping your wages and not being healthy enough to attend his meeting is not one of them.

[stevezx7r]

Thanks for the reply. Lots to think about. Ive spoken to HR and theyre sending out a grievance form but said I'd need a stage 1 form? What's the difference between the stages anyway?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thanks for the reply. Lots to think about. Ive spoken to HR and theyre sending out a grievance form but said I'd need a stage 1 form? What's the difference between the stages anyway?

The difference is in how high the manager who deals with it is.

[stevezx7r]

So, will this stage 1 go to my own manager? Surely not.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

So, will this stage 1 go to my own manager? Surely not.

No - if its your line manager it will do to the DOM, if its the DOM then it will go to the SOM