Investigatory Meeting

LegacyUser

I started a job 6 weeks ago and I am getting on fine. I was off last Thursday as I was working all weekend. I called in sick on the Friday as had had a tummy bug since the day before (my day off) and couldn't really leave the bathroom! I returned to work on the Saturday (despite not being 100%).

I get called into bosses office this morning and served with 24 hours notice of an investigatory meeting due to my absence. I was given a letter stating that pending the outcome of the interview, I may be subject to disciplinary procedures.

I am a little bit in shock. I followed the guidelines and called in sick appropriately and just feel that this formal meeting is a bit harsh. I understand I am new to the company but did not expect this. I know it is just to deter people from pulling 'sickies', but I was very genuinely sick! And probably actually caught it in work!

Does this seem odd to anyone else?

Procrastastudy

chjvtrlhl wrote: »

I started a job 6 weeks ago and I am getting on fine. I was off last Thursday as I was working all weekend. I called in sick on the Friday as had had a tummy bug since the day before (my day off) and couldn't really leave the bathroom! I returned to work on the Saturday (despite not being 100%).

I get called into bosses office this morning and served with 24 hours notice of an investigatory meeting due to my absence. I was given a letter stating that pending the outcome of the interview, I may be subject to disciplinary procedures.

I am a little bit in shock. I followed the guidelines and called in sick appropriately and just feel that this formal meeting is a bit harsh. I understand I am new to the company but did not expect this. I know it is just to deter people from pulling 'sickies', but I was very genuinely sick! And probably actually caught it in work!

Does this seem odd to anyone else?

Most businesses would operate some sort of return to work interview. This sounds a little harsher but frankly they probably aren't giving you the benefit of any doubt. I'd just go in and appologise and tell them you understand how it looks and it won't happen again. Within twelve months it's very easy to let someone go. There are two/three possibilities.

(i) this is how they handle sickness;
(ii) this is how they handle sickness with new starts;
(iii) they want rid and have to go through this procedure due to policy.

Doesn't really clear anything up for you I'm afraid.

OH btw all letters stating you are going to an investigation will have "this may lead to disciplinary action" on them somewhere. It's a standard form thing for legal reasons. Kind of like "Contains Nuts" on packets of peanuts.

phoenix999

chjvtrlhl wrote: »

I started a job 6 weeks ago and I am getting on fine. I was off last Thursday as I was working all weekend. I called in sick on the Friday as had had a tummy bug since the day before (my day off) and couldn't really leave the bathroom! I returned to work on the Saturday (despite not being 100%).

I get called into bosses office this morning and served with 24 hours notice of an investigatory meeting due to my absence. I was given a letter stating that pending the outcome of the interview, I may be subject to disciplinary procedures.

I am a little bit in shock. I followed the guidelines and called in sick appropriately and just feel that this formal meeting is a bit harsh. I understand I am new to the company but did not expect this. I know it is just to deter people from pulling 'sickies', but I was very genuinely sick! And probably actually caught it in work!

Does this seem odd to anyone else?

That seems extremely harsh to me. I suspect they think you we're on the lash on Thursday nite and too hungover to come in. Just tell the truth and don't apologise for being sick. It was one day you were sick, not one week.

phoenix999

People do get sick on probation periods and usually don't get paid for such absences. The above seems excessive, even for a new hire.

Mrs OBumble

Procrastastudy wrote: »

I'd just go in and appologise and tell them you understand how it looks and it won't happen again.

Don't do the 2nd bit.

Apologise yes - to some extent. You know what a difficult position it can put them in, and that wasn't your intention.

But if you were genuinely sick, then you cannot predict that it will not happen again. Being human is like that sometimes you get sick, it's not your fault, and you cannot control or predict it. (As well as the regular bad-colds, tummy bugs, etc, I've had campylobacter and a septic-arthritis in my working life. Would not EVER choose to have those two. Neither my fault, or within my control.

Of course you may want to play it differently if you were hung-over, especially if there's a chance that colleagues saw you out the night before ... Just saying like.

Procrastastudy

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Don't do the 2nd bit.

Apologise yes - to some extent. You know what a difficult position it can put them in, and that wasn't your intention.

But if you were genuinely sick, then you cannot predict that it will not happen again. Being human is like that sometimes you get sick, it's not your fault, and you cannot control or predict it. (As well as the regular bad-colds, tummy bugs, etc, I've had campylobacter and a septic-arthritis in my working life. Would not EVER choose to have those two. Neither my fault, or within my control.

Of course you may want to play it differently if you were hung-over, especially if there's a chance that colleagues saw you out the night before ... Just saying like.

I have to be frank here. If someone was sat in front of me in a RTI or investigatory meeting, having phoned in sick, with only six weeks service they would have to do all they could to convince me it wasn't going to happen again during their probationary period / year. It's fair enough to say you can't help bing sick. However is you are the sort of person that has a lot of upset tummys and can't come into work; that in itself would be enough for me to let you go during probation if it happened again. Notwithstanding how genuine the sickness was.

You simply haven't built up enough 'benefit of the doubt' at six weeks. It's just not worth the risk with the number of other people looking for the same job. Just FYI my background would be retail OP it might be different in other sectors.

bbam

Some good advice here..

Do apologise for any problems you being absent caused rather than apologise for being sick..

I agree don't make a 100% promise you'll never be sick again as it looks like you were found out and learned your lesson..

Really its partly up to you and partly up to fate from here.. You can minimise the risk of sickies by not going on the lash on school nights and looking after yourself but sometimes sh1t just happens..

Don't be surprised by the meeting, its just their way of ensuring the bases are covered and you understand that its an important issue. Also sickies after days off are usually scrutinised a bit more..

Keep an eye on other things, timekeeping and breaks will need to be good or it will start to paint a poor picture of you overall...

tony81

If i were you, I'd be flat out applying for jobs. Sounds like a callcentre environment.