A HARDGATE woman fears she may lose her home after being “unfairly” laid off from work – just weeks after getting back into employment following the loss of her daughter.

Jade Mason got a job with customer service company Ascensos, at North Avenue, earlier this year on a 40 hours a week contract.

The 30-year-old was keen to get back into work after taking some time off due to the tragic death of her young daughter Hope.

Jade got in touch with the Post after she felt poorly treated by the company - who have confirmed that 25 employees have been laid off.

She said: “Around 20 started in my group, and near the end of March we all got told to go home but that our jobs were completely secure, and a home kit would be sent out so we could work from the house – but it was absolute nonsense.

“We waited and waited to find out what was happening. Two weeks went by and we were all asking each other if we’d heard from work, but nothing – then I heard from a colleague that she got phoned saying she’d been laid off.

“It took for me to phone for them to tell me I wasn’t to come back either, it wasn’t even them contacting me. It’s disgusting on so many levels.

“I was working for the B&Q campaign but we had also been told that we’d soon be working for the NHS campaign.

“But someone I know just started working for Ascensos on behalf of the NHS campaign and they’ve been told they will have jobs with the B&Q campaign after the coronavirus pandemic is over.

“What they’ve effectively done is laid us off to hire other people. It’s not fair.”

Jade has been left with no source of income and fears she will lose her home.

She added: “Ascensos told us to go home and not worry about anything, and now I might be losing my house because I can’t pay my rent.

“Other people have got children and are in the same position as me.

Read more: West Dunbartonshire second worst in Scotland for social distancing breaches

“It says in the contract that anything changing has to be done in writing and doesn’t take effect for seven days. I just got a phone call, and it was me that phoned them.

“If they’d done it properly I wouldn’t have an issue, but they kept it from us for two weeks.

“I lost my little girl two years ago in July. For me, it’s really difficult to cope with situations like this – it has totally made my health worse which is why I want to fight it.

“This was my opportunity to get back on a good path and back into work.”

In response, Martin Docherty-Hughes, Clydebank’s MP, said: “I’m concerned to hear reports that Clydebank-based staff of Ascencos UK may have been unfairly made redundant after being assured their jobs were safe.

“These are tough times for employers but given the package of financial support announced for businesses I’d be extremely disappointed to hear that workers in West Dunbartonshire are being laid off unnecessarily.

“I have written to the chief executive of Ascensos UK on behalf of my constituents to ask that these concerns are looked into as a matter of urgency.

“It’s vital that businesses do everything possible to protect jobs and treat workers fairly throughout this crisis.”

Jade added: “It’s horrendous, and there’s still some people that don’t even know they’ve been laid off.

“They employ a lot of people in this town and should be looking after them in this type of crisis.”

Jade said £200 had been deducted from her last wage but the company has since been in touch confirming that she will be getting five days’ pay.

She also told the Post that because she started in her new job on March 2, she isn’t eligible for the government’s furlough scheme as employees had to be on the payroll system by February 28.

A spokesman for Ascensos said: “We cannot discuss individual employee circumstances but are always happy to discuss any grievance with staff and former staff directly.”