A grieving single mother has told how cruel bosses sacked her for taking two days off work after her aunt's tragic death.
Charmaine Kelly had been working at the TNC debt collectors in Glasgow for just over a month when her aunt Tracey Speirs, 49, suddenly died in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 26-year-old said she contacted her manager to request the Monday and Tuesday off to be with her devastated mum who usually looks after her daughter Rhiann, eight, while she is at work.
Bosses allegedly said they 'could not advise' how long she should take off and that any leave would be at Charmaine's 'own risk' despite her bereavment.
She was then fired on the spot after arriving at work on Wednesday - a decision bosses said they 'didn't need to explain', she claims.
Now Charmaine, from Drongan in Ayrshire, faces an agonising Christmas without work while still grieving the loss of her aunt.
She told the Record: "When I called up after my auntie passed on Sunday, I was told taking time off was at my own risk.
"I went back to work on Wednesday and my manager came over and told me 'I don’t have to give you a reason or explain myself but I'm terminating your employment right now'.
"I couldn’t see for crying after it happened, I have a house to keep, a daughter and no job with Christmas coming up.
"Everything has totally gone to pot, it's just so heartless and has totally broken me. We're such a close family and it's left me so stressed."
Charmaine recalls how she was offered the collecting agent position with the firm on October 14, directly after an interview.
She started at the Glasgow office on St. Vincent Street the following day on a three-month probation period, but says she wasn't given an official contract.
The firm helps collect debt for late payment such as council tax and parking fines for all organisations which offer credit.
But former employees have branded the company a "disgrace" and "seedy" in scathing reviews left online. Charmaine also claims the company deleted a review she submitted after being sacked.
And when her other aunt called up to complain, the manager allegedly said 'this conversation is turning sour' and put the phone down.
The Daily Record attempted to contact TNC collections twice for comment, but representatives for the company said "we don't talk to the media" before terminating our call.
A representative at the Glasgow branch also declined to comment.
Charmaine added: "I think it’s really disgusting what they did to me.
"I wouldn’t want anyone to have to suffer like this, it’s heartbreaking. I just wish it was all a dream."
