ASOS is latest company criticised over contracts and working conditions
Staff employed in warehouses for online fashion retailer Asos are working under highly pressurised conditions that prohibit them from taking water and toilet breaks, according to a three-month investigation by BuzzFeed News. Staff claim that their flexible contracts are exploitative and that security checks are intrusive. Asos has already faced criticism from Owen Smith MP and the GMB trade union, which has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the firm. The allegations against Asos, which achieved £1.15bn in sales last year, come in the wake of concerns about conditions and contracts at Sports Direct, Deliveroo and Hermes.

Later that week she asked to be moved to a packing role, where "you just stay in the same place all day", and which she felt would be less overwhelming. Alternatively, she asked if she could avoid working on the top two floors where she feared her panic attack might again be triggered.

Her request was supported by a note from her GP, seen by BuzzFeed News, which described her as a patient with a “genuine case of anxiety” who the doctor had seen on multiple occasions. He urged the company to make “reasonable adjustments” to her day to assist her, suggesting that she might be more suited to packing rather than picking.

But instead, Goddard's Transline manager not only refused to move her to a different role or area, he also told her she could no longer do her original picking job as she was “not safe to do the role”.



XPO, responding on behalf of Asos and Transline, denied that an assignment would be ended on the basis of a panic attack. It said that if a colleague were unable to complete a certain role due to health issues, “a reassignment would be offered”.



However, in recordings obtained by BuzzFeed News, the Transline manager can be heard saying they are unable to make adjustments for Goddard and have instead decided to end her assignment following the panic attack.



“Your sick note says you need amended duties and we haven’t got amended duties,” he says. “You don’t feel safe in picking and that’s the role that you’ve got. So what I’ll have to look at doing, Joanne, is ending your assignment on this site.”

The manager offers to contact another Transline office to see whether there are any other jobs in the area. He also says he will call her in future if another Asos job becomes available – a phone call that, Goddard said, has never come.



But Goddard, who cannot drive, explains she needs to be in reach of her two young children and that Asos is suitable because it is a 10-minute journey away.

She then asks if she can go back on to picking to “see how I go”, but the manager repeats that he has nothing to offer her.



“If you do that you’re just going to have another panic attack, aren’t you?” he says.



“Well I could have them any time," Goddard is heard replying. "I’ve had two in the last four days panicking about this because you’re meant to have been ringing me and I don’t know if I’ve lost my job or what. I don’t know what to do.



“I don’t want to be out of my job, definitely not. Shall we just leave it that I’ll go back on pick?”

But the manager informs her she is no longer needed, which Goddard says is unfair.



“What do you mean it’s not fair?” the manager replies. “It’s not fair us continuously keeping you employed if you’re not able to do the role and you’re not safe to do the role.



"It's not fair continuously turning up every day and picking because you're not going to be able to hit your performance [targets] – you're going to be unsure and you're going to cause yourself more harm by having more panic attacks."



The manager adds: "It's not the news you wanted to hear and if I'm being honest it's not the news I wanted to say to you. I wanted to say, 'Yes, I've got this available, let's get you back in tonight,' but I can't, I can't do that.



He concludes: “Unfortunately I can’t continue your employment here because you’re not fit for the role we can offer. I do apologise for that, Joanne.”



