That's right boys and girls who are playing along at home... My work have received notice that i have lodged a complaint against them with Fairwork Aust. Talk about awkward, the email arrived today while i was on shift for reception.... Almost a dilemma. To delete? Or not to delete? So i left it for the next receptionist to open.... Let's see what happens tomorrow.
Actually I am a bit, no, a lot worried as to what may happen. I guess if anything happens, I just need to stick to my guns, keep my cahunas, and write down whatever goes down.
Thanks . I had hoped maybe I could show others that its necessary to stand up, I just feel shy I guess for doing it. I want everyone to know what they did wrong, but not sure if I want it all over the media (as satisfying as that would be I admit, especially if I come out on top), as one reason why we moved here is to fly under the radar.
Did ask why my predessor left, and was told (by I think a reliable staff member) that "she was asked to leave", and she was there for ten years, under the same title as i had signed for! (Conference &Events Sales & Marketing Manager) No such thing as being demoted for being pregnant! And i also asked where she went to work after leaving. She was asked to leave because two of the other staff didn't like her (one of whom left 1 week after i arrived, the other does the pays, is only there 2 or 3 days per week and put her hand up to do my job. Even though in writing the CEO said my job is no longer existent), and she didn't get along with the CEO.
It sounds a bit like they have a track record for shafting their employees. How is it that they've been allowed to get away with it? I admire you for sticking to your guns! Well done! Do what u believe is right & best!
I"m so sorry I missed this until now!
You've got Fairwork on the go, I'd also give the Equal Opportunity Commission a call - take notes and use them against your employer.
I will also suggest you never have a meeting with your boss alone. You are well within your rights to postpone any meeting until you have someone arranged to come in with you. That person is allowed to speak either for you or with you and put questions to your boss. It's a fallacy that a witness is not allowed to say anything. The witness can say to you they think the meeting should stop so that you can convene and discuss what's gone down in the conversation to that point.
Nowhere does it say you can get rid of someone because you don't like them. You weren't hired to be a best mate, you're hired for operational reasons and you use your people skills to negotiate and function with the other people around you.
I took an employer to the EOC and got WorkSafe involved because he was discriminating against me - for both being a union delegate, being an older employee and for being the OHS representative. It was a cinema and he'd managed to sack his other staff that were around my age, but he was wary of cutting me out because of the role I had - he took a bit more notice when I wrote him a letter advising him of my election as OHS rep. He'd entertained the election, thinking his young staff were 'playing grown up games', until he got my rather officious letter. The idiot told his young manager not to give me shifts because I cost more, due to being over 18. The clueless manager then told me about that directive, not realising she'd dumped him right in it.
This employer (who only owned the business, he wasn't a manager by title) had a history of shafting people and for being a complete narcissist. He did not take kindly to me taking official avenues and bringing him to the attention of the safety watchdog, let alone the EOC. I had the back up of a union at the time, but I didn't really need them.
I had one of the younger staff members ask me "Why are you fighting this? Why would you want to stay in this job when he doesn't like you?", so I told him that work isn't for being liked, it's not what I was hired for and it was about being civil to people, which I had remained, the whole way through.
I got a small payout, through mediation, but I had to sign confidentiality - which means I just can't mention his name and attach it to the phrase "he's an a-hole"
Go hard, Netix - you've got plenty to go on xxx
Thanks everyone for the support. I need it. I just my email, there OS a reply from the CEO to the fwa complaint. He lists a whole list of reasons why things were done the way they were, and that nothing wrong has been done, it was all out of compassion for me being pregnant, etc. Now i feel very unhappy, and feel like i can't win this. If possible I will type out later.
The CEO did not speak to me AT ALL today. I was in the back receptionist office filing bookings when he walked in. He looked through the pigeon holes, and I said "hi Paul", in a nice, clear, audible voice. He ignored me entirely.
I offered to fill in a shift for tomorrow night, but that was turned down. Usually they let me. They reckon that the new manager decided that he would do the shift.
i have been following your thread & wanted to offer some more support! there is no question that you have been treated unfairly & to do things out of compassion is just a bunch of bollocks. you didn't ask for their so-called compassion!
got to run but stick to your guns (i know that's easy for me to say) and be proud that you've stood up to them. don't let them bully you or making you feel like you can't win
They are masters at this Netix. You are being the adult here. Don't let them make you feel small and worthless because you aren't. Naturally they are going to defend their position but they have not done the right thing by you and what they are doing is discriminatory. So stick to your guns.
I'm pretty sure its only "compassion" if you agree to the terms or request them. NOT giving you the option of in a sense demoting you is not showing tolerance or understanding for your pregnancy.
Did you forward you notes from the initial meeting to fairwork as well?
I just found this thread, I went through something similar when I was pregnant and I would suggest contacting the equal opportunities commission as well. My case was handled by fairwork and the EOC and they had such good advice for me.
I intend on sticking to my guns so much that I might need to get a pair tattooed onto my hips! Yes, I am being the adult here aren't i? I didn't expect that they would roll over or say nothing. I think its just hit me how much work I'm up for now.
Eta, thanks little o and meercat. No, I didn't forward my notes, but i kept them.
Last edited by Netix; January 20th, 2012 at 02:56 PM.
Your employer cannot decide on your behalf what you are and are not capable of doing - they are not medical practitioners or midwives, so it is not their call to make. Their only obligation in regards your pregnancy is to listen to YOU about what YOU say you are capable of, and failing that, what a medical certificate says you are capable of. It is not their decision to make and 'compassion' is so laughable. If they were so compassionate they would have discussed keeping you on the same money so as not to create financial stress on you while you are pregnant. Compassion my arse.
They are sulking now, because you've taken it further, and most people just pull their heads back into their shells, hoping not to get their heads lopped off.
If you're going down, you're going down loud - make a noise about it, because you may as well from here on in. Give them a headache, make them spend money on legal advice, it's very satisfying
I hate power trips and people who think laws don't apply to them and their profit margins.
I didn't think you could just change someone from permanent to casual? Not in my industry as far as I am aware - there has always been discussion that we don't put people onto permanent until they've completed a trial period on casual to our satisfaction- as if they don't work out, it is so very hard to do anything to (for want of better terminology) get rid of them - must be 3 written warnings to justify so I can't see how they can just change you to casual overnight.
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You've. Been. Served.
you are an inspiration for standing up for your rights
. I had hoped maybe I could show others that its necessary to stand up, I just feel shy I guess for doing it. I want everyone to know what they did wrong, but not sure if I want it all over the media (as satisfying as that would be I admit, especially if I come out on top), as one reason why we moved here is to fly under the radar.
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