Quick Question Thread

[Karpaty]

Right, looking for new pub crawl areas (VL's - C.DK, S.KOK) out of the ordinary Glasgow City centre/Gallowgate etc. Can even be outside Glasgow within reasonable distance, just fancy trying somewhere different. It will be Wednesday as well so cheap drink would be advantageous but not essential.

[Sergeant Wilson]

Right, looking for new pub crawl areas (VL's - C.DK, S.KOK) out of the ordinary Glasgow City centre/Gallowgate etc. Can even be outside Glasgow within reasonable distance, just fancy trying somewhere different. It will be Wednesday as well so cheap drink would be advantageous but not essential.

Call yourself a Clyde supporter? Rutherglen man! Loads along the main street and just off it. Linlithgow if you want to go a bit further.

[vikingTON]

Gourock is basically a main road crammed with decent pubs and takeaways.

[Goran]

Right

Going for a call centre job with Brittish Gas next week. Need some advice.

Should I be honest with them at this stage that I failed a probationary period in my last employment (anyone that reads the depression thread will know the sob story).

I am thinking I could possibly cover it up by only giving them the companys HR office for a reference (surely they would only confirm employment dates). Should I try this and hope for the best or be honest that my last job ended badly.

Say it just didn't suit both parties and you mutually agreed it would be best to start afresh elsewhere. That way you are being honest (ish) and are covered if they get in touch. I doubt they will even ask for a reference, I recently got a job with a large insurance company and they didn't ask my previous employers for a reference.

[MangoBroccoli]

Who was the Irish guy with silver hair that played for Motherwell and was always on sportscene last season?

[Andy Dufresne]

Who was the Irish guy with silver hair that played for Motherwell and was always on sportscene last season?

Steven Carrigan

[Sir Kevin Of Kilsyth]

Stephen Craigen?

[pandarilla]

Aye I was probably going to. Just worried that they phone them for a reference and learn otherwise.

Can you not use other references?

That would allow you to say whatever you like.

I'm a massive fan of honesty chief, but you have to word it properly. Explain what went wrong, how you were able to work out what went wrong, and what you've done to address this problem.

[Enigma]

I'd just be honest Kevin, you might get their sympathy and they'll see your honesty as a plus, chances are they'll find out if you're economical with the truth anyway.

Edited May 31, 2014 by Enigma

[Lisa Cuddy]

Chances are, depending on their policy, they'll need to speak to your most recent employer. However, if you are honest and explain that it was poor health that led to problems they may just need to confirm the dates you were employed by them (and some companies will only provide this nowadays) and get a character reference from elsewhere. They absolutely should not discriminate against you for health reasons and if you think they do you can take advice from a solicitor/lawyer or CAB.

[Sergeant Wilson]

By law new employers should only ask for dates of employment and if the ex/current employer would employ you again. The old employer doesn't have to say why not. It is up to the new employer how much weight they give to the reference.

[welshbairn]

Chances are, depending on their policy, they'll need to speak to your most recent employer. However, if you are honest and explain that it was poor health that led to problems they may just need to confirm the dates you were employed by them (and some companies will only provide this nowadays) and get a character reference from elsewhere. They absolutely should not discriminate against you for health reasons and if you think they do you can take advice from a solicitor/lawyer or CAB.

That would be a difficult thing to prove though, no? Bit like age discrimination (my worry at the moment, well, after the World Cup is over anyway!), they could have lots of reasons to choose one applicant over another. Would you have to prove a pattern of recruitment excluding certain groups?

P.S. Unless they actually stated the reasons for not employing you..

Edited June 1, 2014 by welshbairn

[Lisa Cuddy]

That would be a difficult thing to prove though, no? Bit like age discrimination (my worry at the moment, well, after the World Cup is over anyway!), they could have lots of reasons to choose one applicant over another. Would you have to prove a pattern of recruitment excluding certain groups?

It is, yes. I was trying to give the lad hope and you've pissed all over it.

[Septentrional Wasp]

Update on the cat names;

Gonch

Pedigree Chum - hopefully not dog food this time

James Wellbeloved

Winalot - See Pedigree Chum

Bakers

Murry - these are more or less wild cats (countryside style), they would get a beating with a name like this

Furry - see Murry

Purry - see Furry

Hortensia

Marty Martyr

Jim

Hannibal

DecShawn

Nade

Paul - Know a couple of Pauls' their all c***s

Hobbes

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Supper

Order No.28 - had to look this up, it stays for now

Ginger

Chock away Ginger

Petal -meh

Bob

Drew - they look the same so at least call them different

Drew

McGrew Cuthbert

Spooky

Benny - neighbours dog is called this, it a c**t

Brain

Ding - Buddhist cats thankyou

Dong - see Ding

Merrily - see Dong

High - see Merrily

You forgot chew chew...

[Hedgecutter]

On the work related stuff, my brother was sacked a couple of months ago for being caught having a 5 minute power-nap on a night shift.

Although he just disheartenedly shrugs his shoulders and says "they say there's nothing I can do about it", is this actually a straight sacking offence? I know with my work it's a '3 strikes and you're out' situation where it's an official verbal warning followed by a written letter followed by a GTF letter.

Basically, would it be worth him appealing through tribunal or whatever?

Edited June 3, 2014 by Hedgecutter

[Cardinal Richelieu]

Not really sure tbh Hedgecutter. Depends what kind of nap he was having. If he'd settled down with a sleeping bag, pillow and teddy bear then it was obviously pre-meditated whereas if he just fell asleep in the chair then you could argue it was an accident.

I guess it depends what his job was on the night-shift. If he was an air traffic controller then you could argue it would be a straight sacking, whereas if it was a job like mine, there would be no great problem with me having a quick power nap (I don't anyone would even notice).

Edited June 3, 2014 by Cardinal Richelieu

[Sir Kevin Of Kilsyth]

I take it he is on a permenent contract and has been there a while?

Seems very harsh. Maybe they thought he was drunk and thats why he was asleep? Would need to see the company handbook I suppose. Could be worth a fight if he hasn't been disciplined before.

[Gaz]

Any newspapers giving away a large World Cup wallchart? Want to get a couple for my room at school so that I can get a couple of predictor competitions going in my classes.

[AberdeenBud]

On the work related stuff, my brother was sacked a couple of months ago for being caught having a 5 minute power-nap on a night shift.

Although he just disheartenedly shrugs his shoulders and says "they say there's nothing I can do about it", is this actually a straight sacking offence? I know with my work it's a '3 strikes and you're out' situation where it's an official verbal warning followed by a written letter followed by a GTF letter.

Basically, would it be worth him appealing through tribunal or whatever?

I'm afraid I think power napping would fall under gross misconduct(which generally negates 3 strikes), unless he made up some BS at the time.

[The Naitch]

Any newspapers giving away a large World Cup wallchart? Want to get a couple for my room at school so that I can get a couple of predictor competitions going in my classes.

There was one in the Sunday Mail a couple of days ago but I dare say The Sun or Record will have one before it all starts.