Extending my probationary period? Advice please?

[BEX101]

I've worked at a company 6 months now and this week come to the end of my probationary period. My manager has just informed me that he is recomending that i get it extended by another 3months due to "poor performance" It all started in Feb when i had to go into hospital for 2 weeks because of a bleeding cyst on my ovarie and they thought i was going to lose the baby. I work in telesales and only got 35 deals that month, but i only actually worked 6 days which actually put me above average on a daily basis. I must admit that since comming out of hospital i've not hit as high regarding my targets (mainly because of the cyst and my partner going away to afganistan) But the only other month which was really bad i had 2 weeks off on holiday and when i came back knowing i wasnt going to hit my monthly target i passed any potential leads overto my team mates.
Can illness caused by pregnancy affect my ability to pass my probationary period? If i were to pass it i would be eligeble for 30 days PAID sick and i think that they are worried i'm going to take a load before i go on maternity.

 

[chezzabell]

I would ask the CRB hun they will be able to tell ya

 

[Anna B]

I know you can't be discriminated against due to pregnancy, and I think this may fall into that category. If you have the figures to back up your daily productivity, I would show them to your boss, perhaps they didn't think to work them out on a dialy basis, taking into account your illness, and simply did the usual monthly calculations?? I could be a simple clerical error/oversight, so try not to be too defensive til you know for definate. If they have done the maths right, and are still doing the same, I would say it was discrimination on account of your pregnancy, and you could do something about it in a legal sense (assuming of course that they were informed of the pregnancy?)

 

[chezzabell]

I mean CAB sorry

 

[tuck]

I know that if you were to go on Mat leave whilst during your probatinary period then your employers have to by law increase your probationary period by that amount, you could argue that they should only be increasing the probation period by the amount of time that you have been absent sick. Also if they are increasing it due to 'poor performance' at any time during the last 6 months have they advised you that your performance is not good enough and given you a chance to improve on the areas needed? if not then they are at fault, if you have a TU at your work I would contact them. I would also look up the rules/conditions of service etc that covers your employers probation period to see what it says about extensions

 

[BEX101]

with a lot of other people who have had a lot of sick they have quoted this as the reason for extending the prpbationary period.brcause my sick is pregnancy related they havent with me as i think that it would def be discrimination. So.... if my lower production figures are the result of the time iv'e had off sick wouldnt that mean i'm being penalised for the sick/pregnancy problems in a more indirect way?

 

[tuck]

no it wouldnt be discrimination if they extended your probabtion due to pregnancy related illness, this was due to an actual employment tribunal case which won. It would be discrimination if they didnt, have a look at the equal opportunities website

http://www.eoc.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=0

 

[BEX101]

i read that they could extend it by the amount of time i had off. which is less than a month in all. but any longer... as that would be a form of punishment. they want to extend it by 3 months.