Can my employer sack me with no warning?

Question

I have been at my job 15 months,I am an account namager but we have to hit targets every month based on what my accounts order and last year i exceeded my targets by at least 10k a month. The company provide me with accounts and basically most of my biggest spenders have gone into liquidation so i have missed the last 2 targets (only by £300 on my £41,000 target and £3,000 on my £53,000 target) other than that i have done everything (including introducing 50 new accounts every month)....I have had no warnings but this morning been given my marching orders! Can they just get rid of me like that? there is also a girl that has been with the company the same amount of time as me, her targets are half of mine and she has missed 5 but she got pregnant so they have kept her on !?

Answer 1

Sejc is correct. You cannot be sacked on the spot - they need to go through a formal disciplinary procedure against which you have the right to appeal. They cna be fined for just not going through the procedure, even if the reason for the dismissal was fair.

The warnings, etc of which other people speak have no basis in employment law. You have a case for an ET.

Answer 2

The lighthearted answer is, obviously, get pregnant!

Your biggest spenders went bust? Companies that are about to enter the process of being wound up usually are big "spenders" if only to try and avoid what lies ahead. The problem is that they are no big spenders at all, when they don't pay for the good/services offered. If you didn't undertake any action to get those accounts on board, but they where provided to you by your company, the company has no right to blame you and even less right to dismiss you. There must be something else which you haven't yet told us. If not, don't accept your dismissal get a solicitor and get it sorted out; if need be, in court. If you can easily find another job don't bother taking action. If you are responsible for vetting new accounts, including their financial status, there may be a problem. But even then sacking you on the spot is not lawful, having been in that employment for 15 month.

Bringing in 50 new accounts every month! That seems quite an achievement in any type of industry!

Answer 3

umm this is a tuffy :( It seems every work place has there own rules really. try and find a hand book that every office should have

Answer 4

I assume that you have not received any warning that if your targets are not reached then you would be dismissed.  If no warnings have been received then explain this to the company boss and then contact the industrial tribunal

Answer 5

No, if you have been there for longer than a year, they have just broken a very fundamental employment law.

I would get yourself a solicitor straight away and start proceedings against them for unfair dimissal. You might not get a massive payout, I don't want to give you false hope, but I would expect around £3 - £4k if I were you. However, it's in their best interests to settle, they have broken the law, they will lose at Tribunal, so I'd ask for more and see where you get to. But the first step is legal represenation which you can get no win no fee.

Answer 6

I thought you needed verbal, then written warnings before you were fired...