JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Recruitment Team — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 17:03:34 GMT

Hi,

I'm so sorry to hear that you are now in this situation and that this could happen!

I work within the recruitment team at Vets Now recruiting for Animal Care Assistants and Receptionists throughout the UK. If you would like to discuss any job opportunities with us please do not hesitate to drop me an email: Kimberley.gordon@vets-now.com

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kindest Regards,

Kimberley

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Jeniflower — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 16:53:22 GMT

I too have been gripped by this post. I will pass this on to our recruitment team to see if they can help :-)

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

lolly — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 13:57:33 GMT

Happened to me.

I was offered a job. They approached me, I wasn't looking, made me an offered I couldn't resisit, I was really happy where I was so umed and ahhed. The job was an opportunity to try something different I had always wanted to so thought i would give it go. I gave two months notice. I was due to start on the Monday, they rang me on the Friday and withdrew the offer as the 'market' had changed (was just before the recession in 2009) and I was no longer needed.

Then they refused to put it in the writing for me so I had trouble claiming benefits as it looked like I had volunteraily left my job so I had trouble with that and all in all I was out of work for a year. I contacted CA etc but I didn't have a leg to stand on apparently and I did have a contract with them, but it wasn't worth the paper it was written on :-(

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Louise B — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 08:49:07 GMT

[quote user="Alana Dent"]

Has anyone put this on Vet Nurse chatter page on Facebook? If not, I am happy to post! :)

[/quote]

I cross posted it onto that site yesterday morning

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Alana Dent — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 03:18:46 GMT

Has anyone put this on Vet Nurse chatter page on Facebook? If not, I am happy to post! :)

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Sal the 1st — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:57:55 GMT

[quote user="fairy"]

I wonder if this situation happens more often than first though. Terrible to be treated so badly

[/quote]

yes it does - I have been down this road myself a couple of times - especially watch out for the practices that offer 'accommodation above the shop' and then you find yourself without anywhere to live, without a job, without an income and without an address the chances of claiming any kind of benefit to tide you over until another job comes up become very slim. I have been homeless a couple of times down to this.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

fairy — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 18:23:04 GMT

I wonder if this situation happens more often than first though. Terrible to be treated so badly

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

PolkaDotty — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 15:21:47 GMT

I was utterly gripped reading this thread. I have been through a slightly similiar situation myself with a previous job. I was offered a job that seemed to good to turn down, more money, less responsibility, better hours and actually closer to home. Great! I handed my notice in at my then practice and waited the three months to start. Two weeks before I commenced work and after contracts had been received and signed, the clinic director wanted to change my hours and days worked. It was to help a colleague already in practice due to childcare, which I can certainly appreciate and be flexible for but not what I signed up for. The job offer was almost withdrawn because I wanted to work the shifts I had been contracted to and I went in to complete panic mode. I had already handed in my notice at my current practice and potentially no job to go to but agreements were made and I got to start my job as planned with the hours and days originally planned. Happy days I thought! But starting that job was the worst decision of my career. I wasn't warmly received by other colleagues as I was known as the nurse that wasn't accommodating for the team. Management didn't help, in fact made it worse. Then a high staff turn over lead to extra pressure and responsibility coming my way, not what I signed up for but OK I thought i'll give it a go, not being one to quit. Eventually I was forced to have time of with work related stress and anxiety and shortly after this I was 'let go' because I wasn't coping and was under my 2 year employee rights, meaning they could legally do this. I sought advice from the BVNA, who were fantastic and also ACAS but unfortunately I was not in a financial position to take the matter to tribunal, having just purchased my first home 1 week before I was 'let go'. Although it was a very difficult time, I managed to secure locum work 24hrs after leaving that practice and have found that I have been much happier since. The experience has taught me a lot and I would say to Anon, this incident may just be a blessing in disguise. I am sure there will be a fantastic job out there for you and with the wonderful backing Arlo has given you, I am sure you will find it quickly.

Good Luck!

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 14:15:12 GMT

[quote user="sananbaz"]Arlo, you're a thoroughly good egg too![/quote]

[quote user="Celine"]Amazing Arlo, you're a gem.[/quote]

Well, kind of you to say, but actually, I'm a bit of an a4R$e in real life!

[quote user="Celine"]maybe I can just copy and paste your words[/quote] Feel free!

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Celine — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 13:41:40 GMT

Amazing Arlo, you're a gem. Just trying to figure out how to share this on FB for my vetty friends! or maybe I can just copy and paste your words...

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

sananbaz — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 12:12:22 GMT

Arlo, you're a thoroughly good egg too! I wish her good luck in her search.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

madelinepikevn@aol.com — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 11:55:29 GMT

I've read this thread from the start and think its awful's

I have to say Arlo you have gone above and beyond here, and hopefully will restore the individuals faith in people. I really hope someone within the industry is able to offer something up.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 11:17:41 GMT

An update to this. I've done a bit of research. I've spoken at length with Anon, and I've also spoken with both practices, and it seems her story is true.

So I have posted something over on VetSurgeon, and am posting it here too, in case anyone is in a position to help out.

----------------------------------------------------------------

One of my members over on VetNurse.co.uk finds herself in a bit of a pickle, to say the very least, and I wondered if there is anyone over here who might be able to give her a break.

Having worked in veterinary practice as a nursing assistant in Ireland for some time, she was offered a job by a practice up North about 4 months ago. She was due to start in her new job Monday before last.

Meantime, she started doing one day a week voluntary work at the practice in order to get to know everyone and get settled in. She tells me she liked everyone and thought they liked her. She wasn’t aware of any problems concerning her performance at work. She was mildly worried about some of the roles she was being asked to do during her voluntary time (such as nurses clinics), but the practice had promised full training after she started, so it didn’t seem a big deal.

During this period before she was due to start, she visited a local referral practice for an informal chat about doing some occasional voluntary work with them too. Thought it would broaden her experience seeing what goes on in referral practice, and anyway, it was just an informal chat. She was not looking for an alternative to the job she was looking forward to starting, in fact she’d already turned down another job offer she’d had in the intervening period.

However, a student at the referral practice spoke to a student at the practice where she was due to start, and the next thing that happens is that she gets a call from her future employer saying that they’d heard she was looking elsewhere and they were therefore retracting their job offer (where she had been due to start the following week). I understand she was given no notice, and little opportunity to explain.

Of course I don’t know this person from Adam. What I can say is that I’ve spent quite some time talking to her on the telephone, and she made a very good impression on me. She told me her story without any rancour. She sounds to me like a thoroughly good egg.

I took the exceptional step of ringing the practice that withdrew the offer, and they told me very specifically that the reason they withdrew the offer was because they heard that their future employee had been looking for a job at the referral practice.

So I rang the referral practice and spoke with the practice manager who’d seen her. Not only did she deny this was the case, she followed up with an email copied to me which states categorically that she was not visiting with any expectation of paid employment and nor was any offered. In fact, she said this person had even told them that they were starting elsewhere. On the telephone, the practice manager also agreed with my observation that she seemed like a good egg.

So there she is. She puts life on hold for 4 months waiting for new job to start. Then the rug is pulled out from under her feet with a day to go. Given the location, there seems little chance of her finding another local role. A bit of a pickle.

So my question is, if I cover her travel costs (her story struck a chord with me, because I was once treated like this, and I want to see if I could help), will anyone anywhere in the country give her a break and see her?

She has the HNC Animal Care. She’s got a year’s experience as a farm assistant, nearly two years experience in practice and experience with wildlife.

She’s signed up to do the VNA distance learning course. She’s prepared to relocate.

Anyone interested, send me a PM.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 26 May 2016 07:36:03 GMT

[quote user="VetNurse Anon a/c"]Iv been thinking about this non stop and I reckon I will seek legal advice as I dont think a practice should be able to do something like this and get away with it scot free.[/quote]

Exactly how I felt when I was fired, so I COMPLETELY understand where you're coming from. But whilst I did pursue it legally, it was without the worry of paying for it (I had a supportive grandparent who was furious that someone could treat their grandchild like that and came to my rescue by paying for the solicitor).

In your case, though,

[quote user="VetNurse Anon a/c"]The stress of it all is making me physically ill and I'm exhausted. [/quote]

Pursuing it legally is not going going to solve this. Even when I won, I was still angry about it! What solved the problem for me was finding a better job elsewhere, which allowed me to move on mentally.

In your case, if you are on benefits, the worry of paying for and fighting a legal battle is, I think, going to have the reverse effect.

Ring me! 020 7183 2511. I have a few ideas.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

VetNurse Anon a/c — Wed, 25 May 2016 22:24:08 GMT

Hi Clarolux, thanks for that, Iv never heard of ACAS but I will certainly give them a ring tomorrow thankyou x

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

clarolux — Wed, 25 May 2016 20:37:54 GMT

I've done HR and I think they are on slightly shaky ground here. I would strongly recommend you just make a phone call to ACAS - they are a completely free service and are really helpful. Anybody wanting to go through a tribunal now has to contact ACAS before the can make a claim. A similar thing happened to me as Arlo described and ACAS wrote to the employer and arranged a settlement with much less stress to me than solicitors etc.

I would definitely ring them. Hope it works out for you one way or the other.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Sal the 1st — Wed, 25 May 2016 20:10:54 GMT

Anon - take a visit to your local CAB if you can and let them advise you on the best way to proceed. Don't forget contracts are there to protect both parties. I really hope you can find something soon. Give me a shout if there is anything I can do (completely confidential)

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

VetNurse Anon a/c — Wed, 25 May 2016 19:59:01 GMT

I had a contract but there was nothing in to say I couldnt go for an interview anywhere else or do voluntary work. Iv been thinking about this non stop and I reckon I will seek legal advice as I dont think a practice should be able to do something like this and get away with it scot free. Especially as I put my life on hold for 4 months in order to start this job. And yes Sal, I am now without work and have had to claim benefits. The stress of it all is making me physically ill and Im exhausted.

Arlo, thanks for your offer of help, really kind of you, Ill pm you in due course as I dont really know what Im gonna do, Im weighing up different options at the moment, let me speak to someone about this and Ill get in touch with you after that, thanks x

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 May 2016 18:53:22 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]unless the students are responsible for the hiring and firing these days?[/quote]

Laughed out loud. Wouldn't that be an interesting situation!

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Sal the 1st — Wed, 25 May 2016 18:14:08 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

I'm staggered that whoever is in charge at the hiring practice would retract a job offer based on a 2nd hand conversation between a student at one practice and a student at another.

[/quote]

me too. Like I said in my post - somewhere along the line it has became more than a comment passed between 2 students, and must have included people further up the food chain to result in a job offer being withdrawn, unless the students are responsible for the hiring and firing these days?

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Sal the 1st — Wed, 25 May 2016 18:00:40 GMT

[quote user="PSA-David"]

the possible reason that the offer was retracted is normally due to a conflict of interests. between one practice and the other.

usually within a contract you will find a statement that is along the lines. cannot and will not undertake any other form of employment, either paid or voluntary whilst being employed at XYZ practice.

[/quote]

but as the job offered hadn't even started it is unlikely that a contract would have been signed at this stage, so the prospective employee would not have been contractually bound and in all likelihood would not even have been aware of some of the contractual obligations/conditions. I hope Anon doesn't find themselves without a job and income as a result of this and is able to find work quickly. If they do find themselves having to claim benefits as a result of no job/income I can see this one going to tribunal and questions being asked of both practices that will require answers.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

PSA-David — Wed, 25 May 2016 13:55:56 GMT

the possible reason that the offer was retracted is normally due to a conflict of interests. between one practice and the other.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 May 2016 08:57:37 GMT

[quote user="VetNurse Anon a/c"]The referral practice actually sent me an email admitting it was 'one of their student VNs' who'd told the student at the practice where I was supposed to start work at.[/quote]

I'm staggered that whoever is in charge at the hiring practice would retract a job offer based on a 2nd hand conversation between a student at one practice and a student at another. Extraordinary.

If you weren't given the chance to explain, it makes my blood boil for you!

[quote user="VetNurse Anon a/c"]At the end of the day both practices acted unprofessionally and the only one to suffer from it was me, I did think about taking legal advice but I just cant be bothered with the hassle and heartache, and for a measly sum of one weeks wages ( my notice period )[/quote]

The right call under the circumstances, I think.

I'm wondering what I can do to help. If there's nothing suitable in your area in the job section, I could post something over on VetSurgeon.org to see whether there are any other practices in the area who might be interested in taking you on. If you think that could help, send me a PM. I'll want to discuss on the telephone to get the full story.

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

Sal the 1st — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:35:29 GMT

[quote user="VetNurse Anon a/c"]

'one of their student VNs' who'd told the student at the practice where I was supposed to start work at.

[/quote]

I hope their student VN and the student at the other practice learn a lot more about professionalism during their studies? and its ok saying a student nurse told another student but somewhere along the line managers have communicated with managers and vets have communicated with vets.

If both practices are fairly close together there is also the possibility that this has happened because one or both practices are fiercely protective of their privacy and wouldn't want sensitive information going back to a rival via a common link- which ironically is what the two students have perfectly demonstrated is already happening. I have had in my contracts before that I would not work within an area of x miles for y number of years.

I hope you manage to find something really soon but if you are struggling and finding yourself out of pocket as a result of this if it was me I would be asking that either the practice honors the job offer or they compensate

RE: JOB OFFER WITHDRAWN, PLEASE HELP

VetNurse Anon a/c — Tue, 24 May 2016 20:30:04 GMT

Thanks Arlo, I appreciate your advice. The referral practice actually sent me an email admitting it was 'one of their student VNs' who'd told the student at the practice where I was supposed to start work at. Apologising profusely and saying they would take steps to ensure it did not happen again. Fine thinks I, but that doesnt help me does it? At the end of the day both practices acted unprofessionally and the only one to suffer from it was me, I did think about taking legal advice but I just cant be bothered with the hassle and heartache, and for a measly sum of one weeks wages ( my notice period ) its just not worth the bother. No, just move on and hope nothing like this happens again, its a hard lesson to learn but I will make sure I keep my mouth shut in future!