Like Moose, my first thought was why the disciplinary hearing? If you are still under the 3 months probation period, then all they have to do is give you a letter saying you are not suitable for the position.

Personally I'd go to the hearing and see what they had to say. Is all a bit odd from what you say, being ill is not gross misconduct.

I've not had dealings with ACAS and the like for yonks, but...it used to be some years ago that you cannot use sick leave as notice to quit.
Also, if you are still in your probationary period, they dont even need a reason to get rid of you, they just have to say that you werent suitable for the job.
On the other side of that, I am wondering if maybe you could simply decline to continue the job when your probationary period ends, even if its while off sick?
When does your probationary period end?

Also, it used to be that it was illegal for an employer to give you a bad reference to a future prospective employer - they could only decline to write a reference, or comment.
Not sure of the law these days, ask the CAB.

Foxy,i'm procurator,get yourself a lawey,if you go down to social services you may get one for free,beat nhs for mobbing love...good luck,cris

ok ...

disciplinary letter states these

1) sometimes you work is of a high standard and sometimes it slips to a level which is not acceptable ( i can answer this by saying I am still learning i am in training still and i always work my hardest for these people)

2) sometimes when asked to do something by a patient or colleague there is sometimes a reluctance/notable pause to the request
( I am still learning sometimes i still have to figure out what i have been asked, sometimes i havent heard right so i ask them to repeat it, sometimes i dont get it so i ask for help from another person, i always do as asked and if the post i am on for the day has a lull i go off and do some filing or something that is ongoing so i am always doing something)

3) it can on occasion appear that your attitude to patients is that of indifference
(not completly able to understand this i can only presume they think i am rude of which i am not and i am highly praised by a lot of the patients both in surgery and on phone)

4) we have ongoing concerns over the state of your dress
(i have a uniform i wash and iron it what more can i do)

I have not been sat down and said to "hannah i am giving you a verbal warning" so the fact that the letter says a formal warning will be given strikes me as being a bit odd

the contract says i will not face the disciplinary process in my probationary period ... this is 6 months and ends on 6th sept , letter issued just over 2 weeks ago ... CAB say this is breach of contract

contract states i cannot seek legal advice over disciplinary only have trade union rep (who is useless) or work colleague (uncomfortable with this ...)

i feel belittled undermined and slightly bullied by head receptionist i cant do anythng right for this woman, on mon and tues when she is not there i am fine on wed and thurs its a nightmare i always on edge and i am sure its coz of her, cant go to anyone about her as people i am meant to go to she is very well in with them also feel more panicked on these days

my doctor has seen the state i am in hence being signed off ... i battled on for as long as i could but when it started affecting me mentally and physically i couldnt do anymore ...
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FoxyHan - Proof that it's not all grim up north

"Cannot seek legal advice"???

My dear, do they watch over you 24/7, even on your days off?
One may seek whatever advice one wishes, legal or otherwise....they may, however, not accept correspondence from said legal advisor on your behalf...but 'advice'? what tosh! Ask whoever you want, whatever you want.

Cant really comment on the rest of it, of course.
But if you are always all smiles and apple pie and use arial in your washing machine and use the iron hot then it does sound like your superior dont like you much and wants rid....however, I have no knowledge of tuther side's stance, the only thing is that if it clearly states you are exempt from diciplinary procedures while on probation, it sounds like they are warning you in advance this will take place after september 6th?

One thing that does stand out, and please dont hate me for saying it....they say your work is not always up to standard...you say you are still learning....but to be fair to them, you've been there five and a half months and your training ends in less than 2 weeks, they have a right to expect all your work up to standard by now.

Might be a good idea to find another job and jump before you are pushed, sounds harsh of me to say and I am just talking from a neutral position in the unknown of course, but they seem to be homing in on your personal self to complain about (state of dress, attitude etc) if you try to fight to keep the job you will end up being ripped to shreds on a very personal level (do you suffer with bad BO?! (It *will* be used against you!)
If your emotional state is so poor now, dont wait til they hang you out to dry it will kill you....and seriously Hannah, are you really in a fit state of mind to take another job right now?
Try asking your doctor to put you on the sick 3 months and claim sickness benefits, take medication, whatever til you feel mentally strong enough to face the world again.
Believe me, jobs are full of bitchy asshole superiors, you need your wits about you to cope.
Big hugs, good luck!!

ok this letter ...
it was given to me on the monday before i went off sick 2 weeks ago, the meeting was to be on the thursday the letter stated if i did not have someone to come with or time to prep then it would be postpoed ... which it was, so they intended to give me this thing whilst i was still in probationary period this contridicts the contract which suggests they are breaching it

i am the youngest but 15 yrs, somehow they have ended up with an extra member of staff and the partners dont like this, guess who is coming to end of probationary period ... i think this is why it is being done and that affectivly they will have had a temp for 6 months!

i feel i could go into another job tomorrow ... just the thought of going back to where i work scares the living hell outta me ...

it gets more twisted the more i look into it
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FoxyHan - Proof that it's not all grim up north

Jump before you are pushed.

This sort of thing used to happen years ago (in the '80s) when companies got a youngster on the old YOP/YT (youth opportunities scheme/youth training) The govt paid them to take on a kid so they werent on the 'unemployed' stats, end of the scheme they got booted off for some jumped up crap that they didnt fulfil the work properly...cheap, quick labor.

Defo jump before you are pushed, else fight your corner from the 'contradicts the contract' aspect.

When I was 16 I had a job in a nursing home. Boss left me alone one day - a patient went walkies naked (alzeimers) and a policeman brought him back...me working alone was investigated....boss started diciplinary procedures against me for "coming into work drunk" - I was 16, only worked on sundays, teetotal and went straight to work after Mass....the whole thing was a farce, I didnt bother to try to defend myself, I simply walked out. (the home was closed down for 'poor hygiene in the kitchen' about 6 months later, according to the local paper).
The world can be a harsh unfair place.

interview 2nd sept 3:15

many other jobs applied for, i am aiming on not having to go back to where i am employed now
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FoxyHan - Proof that it's not all grim up north

Hannah, dont know your financial situation - and not asking - but please be aware that you cannot claim unemployment benefits for 6 weeks if you resign. Unless, the job center helped you get the job, then you may be ok just leaving at the end of the probationary period but I doubt it. But, defo find out first before doing it.

Personally, I would say long amount of sickness looks better...I was unemployed for about 4 years due to ill health and my then-future boss didnt bat an eyelid at my interview.
Being seen to have left a job without one to go to smacks of irresponsibility and lack of forward planning, from an employer's point of view.