advice needed

[zed_kid]

hey guys,

after some advice. i currently work for a large multi national manufacturing company on their graduate program. i have a B.commerce majoring in finance and economics. i started with the company in 2010 been on the program for 2 years now and havent even touched any finance or analytical roles. this has started to do my head as i feel trapped in this company and their shitty program. currently i have a really tough role where i get a lot of resposibility and im constatly getting stuff wrong and have been issued 2 formal written warnings, this has caused a depression spiral where i constantly feel like im not good enough.

recently ive approached HR and requested an early rotation to a more analytical role. shock horror they denied my request and said i need to stick it out in my current role for another 12 months... i said to them i cant do that because i might slip into depression again and then god knows what will happen. they gave me a number of some counselor jerk and said tough it out.

my question is do i have any rights at all here? i feel like they're trapping in this role that i hate. i have proof from a professional psychiatrist that all my anxiety and depression is caused by my current employment situation.

what can i do?

 

[FormerLurker]

I suggust looking for a new job in your spare time and leaving your current company ASAP. If your not happy now and have medical issues from your job I doubt it will get better in the future.

Best of luck

 

[FormerLurker]

I am aware I misspelt suggest - still unable to edit for some reason (old version of IE at work likely cause - maybe).

 

[zed_kid]

I suggust looking for a new job in your spare time and leaving your current company ASAP. If your not happy now and have medical issues from your job I doubt it will get better in the future.

Best of luck

are there any legal avenues i can persue?

 

[Ideo]

are there any legal avenues i can persue?

Yay life is hard. Let's get compensation.

 

[Bird Dog]

Zed, the short answer above all else is.. start looking for another role outside the company.
It's obvious that it's not working out and is causing you health problems so the most effective long term solution is to leave.

Sure you could try and stick it out however it sounds like all parties are not happy.
Jobs are a lot like relationships and you don't realise your in a bad job until you've moved onto a better role. We've all had bad relationships and you only truly see how bad, once you've moved on.

The other point I would make is to document absolutely everything including your health advisor's advice and issues you are having at work.
The last thing you need is to be dismissed and then find yourself depressed and out of work so make sure you keep a record of all events.

It may not seem like it now but there is light at the end of the tunnel and you may not see it til it's staring you smack in the face in the form of a brand new workplace.

Chin up and spend tonight on Seek getting your CV prepared.

All the best

B.D

 

[Shaneelastic]

are there any legal avenues i can persue?

why? because you are not working in a field you like??

write a good cover letter stating what great experience you had at this multinational company and et out

 

[Terryw]

are there any legal avenues i can persue?

Do you want to sue them because you cannot get a transfer for another 12 months?

 

[FormerLurker]

are there any legal avenues i can persue?

I doubt it unless you are being harassed or asked to perform work that is not in your job description (the latter will only prove useful if they fire you).

I am not in a legal profession so seek professional advice the above is only my opinion.

 

[The Y-man]

. i have proof from a professional psychiatrist that all my anxiety and depression is caused by my current employment situation.

are there any legal avenues i can persue?

In my opinion the main case here would be an OHS claim.

HOWEVER I must warn you on what the outcomes can be if you progress with a claim (please understand I am not trying to stop you - however, I want you to be aware of what can happen - and it has):

Your certified medical condition may prevent you from working. While this may sound obvious, the impact can be that you will be "forced" onto sick leave, and once sick leave runs out, you will get a workcover allowance. This may be lower than your normal pay (esp if you get overtime etc). You will need to keep going to the doctor who will appraise if you should stay off work or not, and also show that you have been taking all prescribed medication (i.e. receipts that you have bought them).

You will be required to attend all counselling sessions offered by the company. If you refuse to attend, this will be seen by workcover as a failure to observe required conditions for your recovery, and they may stop payment. At this point you will be in a catch 22 as your GP's certification prevents your employer from letting you back on work premises, and you will have no pay.

If HR already provided you with a referral to a counsellor and you have not acted on this, workcover will see this as the employer having made an attempt to remedy the situation, and you have refused to cooperate. This may have an impact on deciding your claim.

Workcover and the doctor may decide that your medication is sufficient for you to return to work without any further changes in your role (i.e. workcover will discontinue payments). Please note that some of the meds can make you drowsy and not perform at your best. They may also prevent you from driving etc.

Also note that once you recover, and return to work, there may be a certain stigma (reputaiton) attached to your name. While it is illegal to discriminate against anyone for a medical condition, nevertheless as a human being (as most managers are!) the manager at the role you want to go to may baulk at the idea of having you in their team.

If you have not burnt a few bridges already, this type of claim will almost make it impossible for anyone at this workplace to give a good (or any) reference to your next employer. Make sure you have other reference sources.


Please consider your actions carefully.

The Y-man

 

[Rolf Latham]

hey guys,

after some advice. i currently work for a large multi national manufacturing company on their graduate program. i have a B.commerce majoring in finance and economics. i started with the company in 2010 been on the program for 2 years now and havent even touched any finance or analytical roles. this has started to do my head as i feel trapped in this company and their shitty program. currently i have a really tough role where i get a lot of resposibility and im constatly getting stuff wrong and have been issued 2 formal written warnings, this has caused a depression spiral where i constantly feel like im not good enough.

recently ive approached HR and requested an early rotation to a more analytical role. shock horror they denied my request and said i need to stick it out in my current role for another 12 months... i said to them i cant do that because i might slip into depression again and then god knows what will happen. they gave me a number of some counselor jerk and said tough it out.

my question is do i have any rights at all here? i feel like they're trapping in this role that i hate. i have proof from a professional psychiatrist that all my anxiety and depression is caused by my current employment situation.

what can i do?

I would do one of 2 things

1. Move, and the faster the better. Take action on that TODAY.

2. find a way to work with the opportunity and resources you have been given.

Choose and move..........in one of those directions

what is the actual role you have right now ?

ta
rolf

 

[Aaron_C]

Hi zed_kid,

Like you, I did a commerce/finance degree. Like you, I did a graduate program at a big organisation (mine was govt) when I got out. Despite all the HR BS and all those interviews etc - you come to realise that graduates mean nothing. You are not 'the next generation' - you are just the group of young fresh faces who get paid relatively little and also do very little.

But don't take it personally - you are simply not qualified or experienced enough to do something useful. You can't realistically expect to be thrown into the good stuff straight away. It just takes time and trying to get more involved with your superiors/managers is the only way. It is just a baptism we all go through as part of a job.

 

[weg]

Some good advice from Rolf and Y-man.

Think very carefully before taking the 'legal' path, or even throwing that word around, unless you feel very strongly that there has been a legal breach (it doesn't sound like there has been) and you have some good evidence to prove it - even then be well aware of what the consequences down the track may be.

The 'legal' may well end up being your biggest issue, making everything else you're experiencing now pale in significance.

Keep in mind every work place is different, and most of us have worked somewhere we hated at some time or another. What we do is move on.

Goodluck.

 

[Olly]

Warning! Some tough talk coming next.

Scenario 1
The fact that HR ignored your request for help speaks volumes because work related stress/bullying etc is usually taken seriously especially if they have an HR division who would be 'up' on all this. Action taken against a company results in costs, loss of productivity, higher insurance claims and lots of other stuff - they usually try to avoid it by helping you - if they care about you.

The fact that they didn't try to help you out and didn't take any notice of your suggestion that you may get sick and told you to tough it out (not caring of the consequences to you), AND the fact you've had 2 written warnings already can only mean one thing - they don't care about you and want you to leave - that's why they're leaving you in that role. They're hoping you'll leave or you'll stuff up again and they'll have good cause to get rid of you.

Re: Legal action or any other recourse for compensation or a change to your work.

You've already had good advice from Yman as to how things will go if you go down that road.

Also, if this is a program that others before you have gone through (and handled OK) then you can't claim that they treated you unfairly by putting you in roles not suited to your skills etc.

And if a professional psychiatrist has told you that all your anxiety and depression is caused by your current employment situation then he probably advised you to get out if you can't change things or should have supported you in some way by writing to them seeking changes due to health reasons. You haven't said he's done either of these things so what is he doing for you at all?


Scenario 2
Re: this bit
"currently i have a really tough role where i get a lot of resposibility and im constatly getting stuff wrong".

It's so much easier to walk away than take on a challenge especially when you're drowning in something you're not competent in. Yes, you may fail 'cos you're really not cut out for it, but hey! imagine how you'll feel if you conquer it. You can't beat the self esteem and pride it gives you. Do some soul searching. Are you trying to get out of what you're doing at the moment 'cos you really haven't a clue and your tired of making mistakes and feeling like your stupid? Can you find it in yourself to 'tough it out' like the HR person suggested? Is there a chance they really were being sincere and think you should really give it your best shot and not try to avoid it? Any chance you can chat with your manager and ask for some guidance on where you're going wrong, what your weaknesses are, how you can improve 'cos you really want to learn this stuff and be good at it?

Finally
You need to commit to something. Commit to take on this shi**y role and master it, or commit to leave and find another job. Don't waste too much time thinking about it and reaching a conclusion though 'cos if you stuff up again the decision may not be in your hands to make.

Sorry, if this sounded tough but it seems to me like your floundering on all fronts at the moment and you need a bit of a shake to set your mind straight, take charge and take action. So, think on what everyone has said, then whatever you decide - DO IT!

hey guys,

after some advice. i currently work for a large multi national manufacturing company on their graduate program. i have a B.commerce majoring in finance and economics. i started with the company in 2010 been on the program for 2 years now and havent even touched any finance or analytical roles. this has started to do my head as i feel trapped in this company and their shitty program. currently i have a really tough role where i get a lot of resposibility and im constatly getting stuff wrong and have been issued 2 formal written warnings, this has caused a depression spiral where i constantly feel like im not good enough.

recently ive approached HR and requested an early rotation to a more analytical role. shock horror they denied my request and said i need to stick it out in my current role for another 12 months... i said to them i cant do that because i might slip into depression again and then god knows what will happen. they gave me a number of some counselor jerk and said tough it out.

my question is do i have any rights at all here? i feel like they're trapping in this role that i hate. i have proof from a professional psychiatrist that all my anxiety and depression is caused by my current employment situation.

what can i do?

 

[lizzie]

currently i have a really tough role where i get a lot of resposibility and im constatly getting stuff wrong and have been issued 2 formal written warnings, this has caused a depression spiral where i constantly feel like im not good enough.

Instead of insisting the company move you - because YOU are not performing, and hence running away - have you approached your boss and had a rational conversation about how you are finding the role difficult, and ASKED for help/guidence in the role itself - instead of demanding a move (that they are not obliged to give you).

You have to also remember that as a graduate in a large company, you are the bottom of the bottom in the pecking order. Maybe I'm old school - but I don't understand this "I'm unhappy in my job, and I'm not able to do the job, therefore it's the companies fault and I'm going to sue them." All three statements begins with an "I" ...

By running away to another job or position, there is a very real chance that you'll be taking the problem with you ...

It sounds like you have to seriously challenge you internal conversation - are you talking to yourself in a negative manner (overwhelmed, hopeless, useless) or in a positive manner (challenge, opportunity)?

A large organisation often has free counselling available - perhaps you need to investigate this to try and get out of the depression spiral.

 

[The Y-man]

recently ive approached HR and requested an early rotation to a more analytical role. shock horror they denied my request and said i need to stick it out in my current role for another 12 months... i said to them i cant do that because i might slip into depression again and then god knows what will happen. they gave me a number of some counselor jerk ....

The fact that HR ignored your request for help ....The fact that they didn't try to help you out and didn't take any notice of your suggestion that you may get sick

A large organisation often has free counselling available - perhaps you need to investigate this to try and get out of the depression spiral.

They didn't ignore it - they suggested speaking to a counsellor. It appears the original poster holds counsellors in low regard.

Call it genuine or just legal-butt covering on behalf of the company - but either way treating the offer of counselling with this attitude will not sit well with any compensation/remuneration process.

The Y-man

 

[The Y-man]

recently ive approached HR and requested an early rotation to a more analytical role. shock horror they denied my request

BTW - do NOT underestimate the grapevine in large corporates. It is likely that the manager of wherever you are wanting to move to has already heard of you (gets things wrong, has had 2 formal warnings etc etc). Whether it's right or not, as I stated before, the manager's going to try and avoid you like the plague if they have heard. It may even be that HR has talked to them about rotating you - and the conversation went something like:

HR: "Hey Manager, we got a great kid here, fresh grad, bright spark - feels a bit restricted in his current role, want's to join your team"

Manager: "Oh ok. What's he like? When you say he feels a bit restricted, what do you mean?"

HR: "Well, err.... um...." <cough> <cough> "hey I just got a call coming in.... will talk more later"

Manager: "Ah, well anyway, I'll talk to his current manager and see what the lie of the land is...."

etc.



Hey zed, don't want to kick you while you are down - it's good you're at least putting this up here to discuss.

It's hard to step back from the fray sometimes to see how the overall battle's going.


The Y-man

 

[wish-ga]

are there any legal avenues i can persue?

The best revenge is living well.

You can get a new job where you are valued. How do I know?

You are qualified.

You are interested in applying what you have learned.

You are proactive about your health (u have seen a psychiatrist)​

Now, you MUST be proactive about a new job. And do it as of YESTERDAY.

Please don't waste another jot of time worrying about your current workplace, they will chew up another grad.

You deserve the best. Go for it, friend!

 

[pennyk]

I agree with the sentiments of others..

*if you are depressed, a counsellor would be very helpful, and I would strongly recommend that you contact the one that your company has given you
* I would leave the company as soon as possible. If you already have 2 formal warnings, the company is clearly unhappy with your work. So, really your choices are to resign or to be dismissed. It will be far better for your future career options to resign.
* learn what you can about the experience..... use your analytical skills to think through what parts of the job you have enjoyed and what you havent so that you can find a job in the future that suits you better. Both in terms of the work tasks but the environment....maybe its better for you to work in a smaller company.
* you are not trapped by this company... They can decide what work roles they give you, but they cant force you to stay working for them. You need to take some responsibility and move on. But until you get some counselling, I dont think you'll be able to change the way that you think, which is what is causing the depression.
* legal action is not the way to deal with the situation. It is a painful, drawn out process where you will be examined, criticised and pulled apart. I dont think it will be at all helpful for you.

I hope you are able to resolve the situation soon. make sure you have friends and support around you as well...... and if you have any thoughts of suicide or self harm, make sure you get medical help straight away.

there are some good threads on here about peoples experience with depression... just remember that there is some ill-informed advice on them. But good stories of overcoming.

 

[Cdro]

In my opinion the main case here would be an OHS claim.

HOWEVER I must warn you on what the outcomes can be if you progress with a claim (please understand I am not trying to stop you - however, I want you to be aware of what can happen - and it has):

Your certified medical condition may prevent you from working. While this may sound obvious, the impact can be that you will be "forced" onto sick leave, and once sick leave runs out, you will get a workcover allowance. This may be lower than your normal pay (esp if you get overtime etc). You will need to keep going to the doctor who will appraise if you should stay off work or not, and also show that you have been taking all prescribed medication (i.e. receipts that you have bought them).

I would also add that the chances of Workcover accepting the claim are very slim, given that you are under performance management (depending on the timing of the warnings).

In my experience in HR with a few large corporates, once you are at second warning stage, the writing is on the wall. The company are most likely going through the process with the intention of sacking you. Even if you do make it through without losing your job, your reputation will be tarnished and your career will be limited with this company.

Many others have suggested that you find another job, and I think they are absolutely right. Is there anything that would hold you back from handing in your resignation tomorrow?

I feel sorry that you're having this experience so early on in your career and hope you can move on before your confidence is damaged any further. Update your CV tomorrow and then get onto seek.com, or some recruitment agencies to look for that next job. You will feel much better the second you hand your resignation letter to your manager.