Was offered a contract. Then they just reneged

Egginacup

I was called by a UK recruitment agency who wanted to talk to me about an IT role in Dublin with a telecomms company. I expressed my interested and they submitted my CV.

The role was actually working on site with the telco but for a third party consultancy. Anyway, I was interviewed by the consultancy. Later that day, the recruiter called me and said I was successful.
She wanted me to start the following Monday which I said I could do but needed a written contract first. This was emailed to me, I printed,signed,scanned and emailed it back. Then things started turning a bit weird.

Friday before the monday start she told me that somone from the Irish telco would call me first as a formality before I started on site and they were trying to pin down a time for this call. Monday came and went and the emails kept saying that they were trying to fix a time. Then they just stopped emailing me completely.

So I've pretty much given up on this role but what can I do to expose this kind of shenanigans? I was sent a contract but they didn't send me a signed copy after I signed my side. So I don't know if I've got any kind of a case against them.

They also actually gave me the name of a contact person at the Irish Service Provider and he does exist and work there..I've checked. I'm just wondering if I should contact him and tell him what kind of urine-taking is going on in his/company name.

Thanks for any advice

While I know it's extremely bad form, I'd be surprised if you had any case against them. You can be let go for little or no reason in your first year of employment, I can't see how you'd have any rights before you started employment.

Open to correction though.

InReality

So they haven't contacted you for a week ? If you have the telco's contact , I can't see any harm in ringing him/her. It could be some sort of commuincation break down.

Egginacup

InReality wrote: »

So they haven't contacted you for a week ? If you have the telco's contact , I can't see any harm in ringing him/her. It could be some sort of commuincation break down.

No this was a month ago. I emailed them several times asking for updates but have been ignored

Manach

Offhand, employment contracts are a subset of normal contracts so thus the same rules apply. The OP signed a contract and posted it back; ie it was offered and accepted. Thus it was valid.
However, practically it would not be worth chasing up on this; due to the need to get actual legal advice (a cost) and the lack of any major damage caused by the failure to fulfill the contract.

Mrs OBumble

Call your man at the Telco - what's the worst that can happen?

Possibly he will tell you that the UK recruiters are scammers (good to know for future), or that there was a hiring freeze slapped on, or ... a zillion other possibilities. You'll never know unless you ask.