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Advice required: contract terminated due to poor performance / sexual harassment

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    Advice required: contract terminated due to poor performance / sexual harassment

    Hello,

    I am new here. I have been on a contract for about 8 weeks, I was sexually harassed (I actually believe it was actually sexual assault) and advised of this once I had been told my contract was being terminated due to my poor performance. I was then told I would be paid my notice but to stay away from the office. I have now raised an official complaint about the harassment. I am also extremely stressed and upset from experiencing the incident, alongside being told to stay away and losing my job.

    Is it legal for the organisation to terminate my contract under these circumstances?

    Many thanks for any advise.

    PB

    #2
    Whether it is legal or not it doesn't matter they have terminated your contract.

    It is up to you to enforce the law, and as you complained after being terminated you for poor performance have made it harder for yourself to be believed.

    In future if you feel you need to complain about sexual harassment you need to do it before they terminate you e.g. as soon as it happens and make sure you do it in a recorded way e.g. email, letter. You also need to ensure you have evidence of the incident(s) if possible.

    In short when you complain of any form of harassment or discrimination you, yourself, need to ensure you have evidence to be believed and need to take steps to address it. Even then the majority of companies bury it until you go legal, and even when you go legal about half don't settle until just before the court hearing.

    If you have the money and time to continue to fight the case go ahead with it.

    If you don't then I would get some counselling and start looking for some more work. Unfortunately due to being harassed it may take you a while before you are calm enough to get another role.
    Last edited by SueEllen; 2 April 2017, 18:33.
    "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Phoebe View Post
      Is it legal for the organisation to terminate my contract under these circumstances?
      Yes it is. They can effectively terminate by just withdrawing work. Your contract will say you are paid if you have a signed timesheet. You don't work, no timesheet, no pay. They can effectively can you there and then. There will be other clauses they could use as well but bottom line is if they want you gone there and then they can do it, without paying your notice as well so that's a bit of a bonus.

      It's not a job, it's a short term contract. They all come to an end sometime. It's what we do.

      Can't comment in the rest your problem though sorry.
      Last edited by northernladuk; 2 April 2017, 18:41.
      'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

      Comment


        #4
        Well, they did listen when I explained the incident and they actually urged me to report it as they were shocked and said the organisation does not tolerate it. Plus officially I am still under contract. I understand that sexual assault is a crime and an employer is liable. I am made of strong stuff and can move on from this, as distressing as it is.
        Anyway, thanks for your comments - I will try to feed back the outcome.

        Comment


          #5
          You aren't still under contract though? You said you'd be terminated. If you weren't they won't want you back on site while this pans out surely? And you wouldn't want to go either?
          'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Phoebe View Post
            Well, they did listen when I explained the incident and they actually urged me to report it as they were shocked and said the organisation does not tolerate it. Plus officially I am still under contract. I understand that sexual assault is a crime and an employer is liable. I am made of strong stuff and can move on from this, as distressing as it is.
            Anyway, thanks for your comments - I will try to feed back the outcome.
            You are the employer though as well, remember..

            Comment


              #7
              I'm sorry for your experience. I'm really not sure how contracts are handled in this situation, have you tried citizens advice? or you could go straight for legal advice, if you know anyone in a union they may find you someone to talk to.
              Last edited by BigRed; 2 April 2017, 23:25.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Phoebe View Post
                ...I understand that sexual assault is a crime and an employer is liable...
                According to this; Assaulted at work? Sue the employers, it can be that the employer of the assaulter is liable. For a case of assault, I would go to the police, on the basis that it is a criminal offence and the perpetrator needs to be held to account to protect others.

                Your contract being terminated for lack of performance is something that you just have to accept. Unless you are claiming that the assault was the cause of the lack of the performance - then you might want to contact a lawyer and sue the client. But the contract is over in any case. As a contractor rather than an employee, you have no right to be reinstated.
                Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Phoebe View Post
                  Well, they did listen when I explained the incident and they actually urged me to report it as they were shocked and said the organisation does not tolerate it. Plus officially I am still under contract. I understand that sexual assault is a crime and an employer is liable. I am made of strong stuff and can move on from this, as distressing as it is.
                  Anyway, thanks for your comments - I will try to feed back the outcome.
                  Most companies do listen then work out how to escape liability.

                  Go to the police and report it as a crime , then go and see a lawyer if you want to take it further.

                  You need to do these two things today if you haven't already done them as the company will be working at damage limitation and in some cases destroying evidence.

                  However you won't get your contract back. So you need to decide what you are going to spend your energy on.
                  "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

                  Comment


                    #10
                    If you talk about sexual harassment/assault after the contract was terminated it appears to be sour grapes. You should have done something at the time.

                    Comment

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