Difficulty requesting info after being fired from Dunnes Stores

paralysed

After being fired, on my last day there, I asked the manager for a print-out of my clock in/out times. I figured I should be able to request this without any awkwardness. It's not that I don't trust that they're not paying me the correct amount to match the hours, it's just that I'd like to have it. It's in the contract after all.

He tried to fudge it, saying I can show you it, but they mightn't be able to print it off. The head HR lady said they don't give them out because of the data protection act, unless you request it in writing. I said "could I write a letter now?" to which she said I could. I took a piece of paper and pen and addressed it to the manager. The manager was apparently on break at this time. It did seem as though he was avoiding me after that. I passed him when going home, and clarified it with him that I had written a letter, and he didn't seem like he really understand what I was talking about. It seemed as if he might have been getting slightly irritated, so I said to myself that hopefully it didn't matter because the HR lady will explain it when giving him the letter.

I guess the letter being addressed to him, implies that he's responsible for posting it out. But if I thought it was her responsibility, I'd have been more inclined to rest assured that I'd get it. The manager doesn't seem like he could care less about it. This was Saturday week ago. I knew it'd have been to good to be true if I could have just received it in the post a few days later. I've no problem being fired, but when they ignore a simple request like this, it just bloody well annoys me. It's also strange, the way a lot of the staff act as though this manager is the go to person about such things, but in reality, he's this aloof character who doesn't seem to give a damn about much.

I rang today and was informed that that HR lady is on holidays. It just made me think "they're going to make this difficult for me". In a way, it feels as if they're making a fool of me already. What do ye think?

c montgomery

I think if you deserved to get fired you probably deserve to get the run around from them over such a mundane request.

Bandana boy

What benefit is there in getting this or are you just trying to be petty ?

Move on with your life

paralysed

Bandana boy wrote: »

What benefit is there in getting this or are you just trying to be petty ?

Move on with your life

It just shows the double standard. They'll quickly refer to something from their contract to back up an argument, but I can't do the same.

Amy33

How long were you working there? Were you let go because your contract had ended or actually fired over another matter?

paralysed

Amy33 wrote: »

How long were you working there? Were you let go because your contract had ended or actually fired over another matter?

Lateness was the matter. A minute or two late clocking in and out here & there. It adds up. Didn't think it was much of a big deal since I'd often stay a few mins later in the evening sometimes. The thing is, if you clock in early some days, that's not seen. It's quite ridiculous when you're on a 20 minute break, the canteen is a 4 min walk. I only realised after about 10 days, that there was a nearer canteen! By the time I was actually fired my timing had improved as I had gotten my routines in order. The last week I worked (after news of being fired) my timing was perfect! Shame really, because they put more time into training me up than others, because usually a group are taken on and trained in my one person.

Worked for 4 1/2 weeks. Glad when I got fired because I hated it. And it was the first time I got to talk to that manager!! I remember thinking 'why would he want to talk to me?' when I was asked up to the office.

wonski

Forget about it and move on.

paralysed

wonski wrote: »

Forget about it and move on.

I think I might just be able to. Part of me would love to take em to court.

If they lied about having cheaper prices than Aldi, then they could be lying about my wage slips!

endacl

paralysed wrote: »

It just shows the double standard. They'll quickly refer to something from their contract to back up an argument, but I can't do the same.

But your contract doesn't exist.

CloudCumulus

If you were late they had a right to pull you on it. Dunnes are notoriously bad for pointing out even things like seven minutes.
The argument that you stayed late some days doesn't matter,their contracts usually state that they can keep you for up to an hour after your rostered time.

paralysed

endacl wrote: »

But your contract doesn't exist.

It did on the day I requested it.

paralysed

That's not what the thread is about

CloudCumulus wrote: »

If you were late they had a right to pull you on it. Dunnes are notoriously bad for pointing out even things like seven minutes.

Seven minutes? Do you mean a cumulative of seven minutes? because 7 minutes actually is quite late!

Diziet

paralysed wrote: »

I think I might just be able to. Part of me would love to take em to court.

Do you have any evidence of this at all, or is this just a wild guess?

Forget about court, courts have more important things to do.

Corruptedmorals

The clocks in Dunnes work in 15 minute intervals. If you clocked at 10.45 for an 11am shift it doesn't kick in until 11 and if you clocked out at 17.03 it wont pay you extra, it will have knocked off at 17.00. Most of retail works this way. They care about lateness a LOT I used to get pulled up on mine when it was due to them rostering me before I finished college and it was pointed out again and again but the hours never changed. And didnt register either when I pointed out the very obvious late pattern that was all their fault. It was used as an excuse to not renew my contract in a second Dunnes (I was permanent in the first one).

A request like that can only go through HR. Your floor manager has nothing to do with it and no access anyway. You're better off dropping it, they haven't technically done anything wrong.

infogiver

paralysed wrote: »

I think I might just be able to. Part of me would love to take em to court.

If they lied about having cheaper prices than Aldi, then they could be lying about my wage slips!

What grounds do you think you have to take Dunnes to court?

lukesmom

From what I've heard they are notoriously difficult to work for.

ED E

You work for a company that monitors attendance with handprint scanners and you don't think they'll mind lateness? Pretty naive.

infogiver

lukesmom wrote: »

From what I've heard they are notoriously difficult to work for.

Lots of staff in our local Dunnes are there for 20+ years

RainyDay

If you want to screw them around, send in a Data Protection Act request to head office by registered post. If they don't respond within the required timescale, escalate the complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner. See the Data Protection Commissioner website for more details.

Corruptedmorals

infogiver wrote: »

Lots of staff in our local Dunnes are there for 20+ years

Sure, most Dunnes do. Plenty of them tend to be the sour unhelpful type. All of them are on 'untouchable contracts' and cannot be messed around with the same way flexi and temp staff are.

infogiver

RainyDay wrote: »

If you want to screw them around, send in a Data Protection Act request to head office by registered post. If they don't respond within the required timescale, escalate the complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner. See the Data Protection Commissioner website for more details.

When the OP goes for his next interview and the prospective employer rings his line manager to ask him if he would employ the OP again, what good will this be to him?

RainyDay

infogiver wrote: »

When the OP goes for his next interview and the prospective employer rings his line manager to ask him if he would employ the OP again, what good will this be to him?

He worked for Dunnes for 4.5 weeks. He is of no more significance to anyone in Dunnes that the cardboard packaging that they threw out into the skip this evening. The chances that anyone in Dunnes will remember him next week are negligible. The chances of anyone in the store finding out that a DP request went into head office are equally small.

If he wants the data, he's legally entitled to it, and he shouldn't be intimidated out of it by scaremongering.

infogiver

RainyDay wrote: »

He worked for Dunnes for 4.5 weeks. He is of no more significance to anyone in Dunnes that the cardboard packaging that they threw out into the skip this evening. The chances that anyone in Dunnes will remember him next week are negligible. The chances of anyone in the store finding out that a DP request went into head office are equally small.

If he wants the data, he's legally entitled to it, and he shouldn't be intimidated out of it by scaremongering.

Sorry go right ahead. Of course. Encourage someone who has recently been sacked (7 weeks before Christmas) from a entry level retail job after only 4 weeks for poor timekeeping to wage a time consuming pointless petty course of paper shuffling.
I , idiot that I am, would be more inclined to encourage him to learn from the experience and try to chalk Dunnes down to a blip on the old learning curve.
But, no, I'm sure your right.
Sticking it to the "man". That'll show them all.

wonski

The data you will get op is not conclusive and will not prove you were or weren't late.

Let's face it - if you clocked in 5-15 minutes earlier, it doesn't mean you started your shift 5-15 minutes earlier. Not to mention that maybe, just maybe, nobody asked you to do so.

Similarly if you clocked out 30 minutes later doesn't mean you worked additional 30 minutes. Maybe you had your lunch after work? Who knows.

Every placed I worked at had a sign in/out system in place, which was followed by weekly time sheet signed by everyone confirming the hours worked were correct. There was a bit of flexibility in some places where 10 minutes late would be worked later, or 30 minutes extra would be taken in lieu. Depend on the place. Some were very strict.

You worked there for 4 weeks. Just let it go is my advice. Not because of your references (which shouldn't be an issue anyway due to length of service). Being let go after 4 weeks means they didn't want you there. It's their right, no matter how awful it is sometimes for someone who just lost their job.

Move on, get your cv's out and forget about it. Life is too short.

As for taking them to court, that's just absurd.

You are stressed, you feel being treated unfairly, but believe me, as soon as you get a new job, or just couple of interviews you will quickly forget about it. Not worth it.

RainyDay

infogiver wrote: »

Sorry go right ahead. Of course. Encourage someone who has recently been sacked (7 weeks before Christmas) from a entry level retail job after only 4 weeks for poor timekeeping to wage a time consuming pointless petty course of paper shuffling.
I , idiot that I am, would be more inclined to encourage him to learn from the experience and try to chalk Dunnes down to a blip on the old learning curve.
But, no, I'm sure your right.
Sticking it to the "man". That'll show them all.

I didn't encourage him to do anything. I've no skin in this game. I gave him information about his rights under Data Protection law. It's up to him what he does with it.

Data Protection is of growing importance in society, as corporations hold more and more data around us. This would be a useful learning exercise for yer man.

Most employers are too busy doing serious stuff to worry about whether one short-term employee enforces their rights or not. I don't think the bastions of industry in IBEC will be quaking in the boots at the prospect of yer man getting his timesheet information.

infogiver

RainyDay wrote: »

I didn't encourage him to do anything. I've no skin in this game. I gave him information about his rights under Data Protection law. It's up to him what he does with it.

Data Protection is of growing importance in society, as corporations hold more and more data around us. This would be a useful learning exercise for yer man.

Most employers are too busy doing serious stuff to worry about whether one short-term employee enforces their rights or not. I don't think the bastions of industry in IBEC will be quaking in the boots at the prospect of yer man getting his timesheet information.

Lol. The opening line in your post which you now say was intended to give him information was, "if you really want to screw them around..." .....

RainyDay

infogiver wrote: »

Lol. The opening line in your post which you now say was intended to give him information was, "if you really want to screw them around..." .....

Yep, it was. And that doesn't conflict with anything that I said.

paralysed

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

A request like that can only go through HR. Your floor manager has nothing to do with it and no access anyway.

The HR lady might have been lying!

paralysed

lukesmom wrote: »

From what I've heard they are notoriously difficult to work for.

I'd agree.