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[Craig94]

So I applied for an Operative role In November 2014 with an unspent criminal conviction that I declared in the application form, I passed all the tests and attended an interview in February 2015, again I declared my unspent conviction the manager did not seem bothered about this and told me not to worry it shouldnt be a problem. I then found out I had been successful 1 week later. I never heard anything from the manager or HR for several months although I was contacting the recruitment team every other week. I then finally got a phone call asking me to go to a depot to show my passport. I then got invited for a medical and received the job offer in June which I passed and signed all of the papers promptly. I got told to sit tight for a start date. I waited 5 weeks to then get a phone call off the hiring manager telling me that HR have raised concerns about my conviction and want to know more about it I told him what happened and why it happened. I have made several phone calls to the manager since then and all he tells me is he has heard nothing and will "chase it up". I last phoned him 4 weeks ago when he told me he would have an answer for me the week after when his manager returns from holiday. Still nothing. No emails. No phone calls. No letters. I then logged on to the network rail website this morning only to discover my application status is "withdrawn" and "unsuccessful" which was dated JULY. I have had several phone conversations with the manager since then and said absolutely nothing about my application being withdrawn!!

I have sent HR an email and will be phoning the manager first thing Monday morning.

Does anyone have any advice or have the slightest clue as to why I have been messed around and given a false sense of hope for the last 10 month?

Is this worth going to the RMT Union ??

Any help is much appreciated..

 

[Hammer4life]

Maybe contact citizens advice, it seems strange for them to make a u turn after you've passed everything.

 

[GB]

What paper work have you signed and had you been told officially you had the job?

You also have to find out if any job offer was conditional or unconditional. In the event of the former, the company have the right to withdraw the applicant.

Recruitment can be a legal mind field so as above, perhaps contact the CAB?

 

[Craig94]

It was a full contract that I had signed, set my pension up, give my bank details etc. I was liturally waiting for the phone to ring to schedule a start date but the manager rang me saying that instead. I checked my contract and they have breached it by withdrawing my application and not written or verbally contacting me, never mind giving me a valid reason.

This is Network Rail by the way if you haven't already guessed.

 

[redbutton]

Even if you signed a contract, they have the right to terminate your employment during the probationary period. They'll probably say it's due to "unsatisfactory references."

It's unfortunate but I don't think there's much that can be done.

 

[Craig94]

Even if you signed a contract, they have the right to terminate your employment during the probationary period. They'll probably say it's due to "unsatisfactory references."

It's unfortunate but I don't think there's much that can be done.

But surely I deserve the right to know if my application has been withdrawn. If I never logged in on iRecruitment and checked my application progress I would of still been waiting for a phone call now and for god knows how many more weeks down the line...

 

[redbutton]

I agree with you, it's rubbish of them to do that, and you should definitely keep on them to get an explanation. But all I was saying was that if they've definitely chosen not to go ahead then there's not much recourse you have to force them. Even an employment tribunal can't force an employer to keep someone, only to pay them severance. And since you would have been probationary, you're probably not entitled to any severance.