will he be fired?

[TryingToBeMe]

My partner has recently started a new job (today is end of 3rd week). He works as a support worker(?), with adults that have learning difficulties (autism etc). As far as I know up to know they have been happy with his work but last night there was an incident where he raised his voice with a service user. He did because growing up that was what happened when his parents were assertive to him. They raised their voices. I know not brilliant as you can be assertive without upping your volume. But even worse is that he is deaf in one ear and sometimes talks louder than he thinks. At home I do have to say he is shouting because he doesn't realise how loud he is. Unfortunately I think that is what happened last night as apparently he was told he shouldn't have shouted. Today he was phoned to say he is on paid suspension while they investigate. It apparently could even have him ending up in prison. All because he doesn't know how loud he can be. I am scared he will go to prison for this. Or that he will lose his job and end up back on Job seekers. I know that the service user should have to have that happen but it wasn't malicious or because of loosing his temper. How bad will this be?

[LibrariesGaveUsP0wer]

On what basis do they think this is criminal

What have they said is the process for the investigation?

[bellybuttonfluffy]

Has his hearing impairment been declared to his employer? Hopefully when they investigate and this is explained then it can be sorted out. Was what he shouted malicious in any way?

As he is new in his job, this doesn't get him off to a good start. Any form of abuse to vulnerable adults and children is taken very seriously, and rightly so that his bosses are investigating the incident.

[Waltermittythesequel]

He did because growing up that was what happened when his parents were assertive to him.

Seriously?

My dad used to smack me. Doesn't mean I give clients a whack when I'm irritated!

Why on earth would he go to prison for shouting.

And I'm sorry but if it wasn't malicious or because he was losing his temper then what was it? It can't be his hearing because he hasn't been pulled up on it before.

Either you're downplaying or he is.

[bellybuttonfluffy]

Shouting and swearing is classed as verbal abuse and this is very serious when working with vulnerable people. It would be unlikely to result in prison.

[TryingToBeMe]

In regards to the investigation, all I know is that he has to stay away from anything work related, is only allowed to contact one person and apparently they will call him at some point next week to talk (to see what he says I think). It is criminal because it is abuse of a service user. I am pretty sure he told them about being deaf in one ear. He didn't say what happened, all I know is he raised his voice and was told he shouldn't have shouted. He came home last night and I could tell something happened. I know he wouldn't have shouted anything malicious and I honestly don't think he would have lost his temper. He just doesn't know how loud he is speaking sometimes. Raising your voice is how his dad was assertive with him so that's what he did at work.

[TryingToBeMe]

I don't think he's had to be assertive before. He's just started and hes been shadowing and courses etc. He doesn't get overly loud every time he raises his voice so it could be this is the first time he got too loud. I know volume is an issue for him as at home sometimes even just talking his voice will get overly loud and I have to tell him as he just doesn't register it.

[TryingToBeMe]

Apparently the door jammed or something and he was stuck in the room with the service user for a while until they could get the door open so the it went on for a while. From what he says. But if it was that bad then why didn't they call through the door that he was too loud?

[LibrariesGaveUsP0wer]

It is criminal because it is abuse of a service user.

Did they call the police then? Because if they think it was a criminal offence they can't mess about with internal enquiries. You call the police and do what they tell you.

I suspect this bit is being used to scare him.

[TryingToBeMe]

I don't think they have called the police.

[LibrariesGaveUsP0wer]

If you, as an employer, think your employee has committed a criminal offence at work, you call the police. You don't suspend them, investigate and then claim it might be criminal. You can utterly fuck up police investigations if you do that and you will get an almighty bollocking. I also doubt that the police are that interested at one person shouting at one other person (however vulnerable) on one occasion.

I suspect that the criminal aspect is to make him so grateful for whatever does happen (ie. it could be so much worse, I could have gone to jail) that he doesn't fight them that hard.

[fastdaytears]

He was stuck in a room with a service user and then shouted at him? I can see how that might have been a bit intimidating and not very professional.

Or have I missed the point?

[HermioneWeasley]

If he disclosed that he is deaf in one ear then this should be taken into account, and the employer needs to be wary of disability discrimination. TBH suspension pending investigation sounds like a massive over reaction, but I don't work in that field.

Agree with the comments about it being potentially criminal - if I come across something at work I suspect is a crime, I report it to the police.

Honestly, his employers sound like twats who don't know their arse from their elbow.

[fastdaytears]

But it's not the deafness if he thinks raising his voice is how to be assertive (thanks to his dad). So he needs to be careful what he says.

[TryingToBeMe]

The problem is he thinks he is raising his voice a notch and sometimes it goes up a notch but sometimes it goes up a lot! It really does sound like shouting when that happens. I am sure the service user did find it unpleasant and obviously they should nt be in that position but it wasn't intentional or malicious. Showing him this thread (he's not hugely happy as he feels so shitty about finding out he was shouting). I asked him what exactly they said about prison and apparently they haven't mentioned it, he heard about it on a course. If they were going to report it to the police they would have said something wouldn't they?

[Viviennemary]

He certainly won't go to prison and it is highly unlikely he has committed an offence. However, perhaps his employers willcome to the conclusion that he isn't suited to this particular job. I agree that suspension is a massive over reaction for this incident.

[fastdaytears]

Oh ok so the employer hasn't said about prison. If they had concerns that something illegal had happened concerning a vulnerable adult then they would have had to report it immediately.

[MagicalHamSandwich]

Are you certain that is all that's actually happened? The suspension alone, never mind the mention of the word 'abuse' seems excessive.

My mother manages a team of SEN specialists and while she's huge on safeguarding a new employee raising her voice as a one-off would get a stern talking to, some coaching and a watchful eye on her according to my mum.

It might be that they are unhappy with him for other reasons or that he is downplaying what actually happened on a pretty big scale ...

[TattieHowkerz]

He is unlikely to get into trouble with the police, and highly unlikely to go to prison.

He could lose his job. Shouting at a vulnerable adult can't be excused by being assertive. If he isn't able to modulate his speech he might not be suited to working with people with autism. Would he have spoken to a colleague in the same way? Seems doubtful. He needs to consider why he think the adults he is there to support deserve less respect. A lot of people with autism have noise sensitive, so shouting could be painful, as well as distressing and degrading.

[DrGoogleWillSeeYouNow]

It really doesn't sound like you've got the full story from your partner here.

It's gone from, he raised his voice at a service user, to, he was locked in a room with a service user shouting at them whilst other staff tried to get into the room and it went on 'for a while'.

I'm not surprised he has been suspended and it's highly likely he will lose his job.

[Haahooooo]

Your DB looks after vulnerable people. They should NOT be shouted at, and childhood history or hearing impediments are not an excuse.

And I say that as someone with vulnerable adults and people severe hearing difficulty in my immediate family.

[Haahooooo]

*DP

[TryingToBeMe]

Apparently there was a big bang on the door (someone hit it from the outside) and that is what jammed it. They asked him what the bang was, so are maybe wondering about that as well. He says they say he was being verbally abusive by shouting (he didn't realise how loud he was).

If it was that abusive for that long then why didn't another member of staff call through the door. I don't understand why they waited until after to say something.
I know he would nt be malicious and I highly doubt he lost his temper as he is very patient.

[GingerIvy]

I would be surprised if that is the whole story.

[aginghippy]

Aside from the ins and outs of what happened, someone who has been in a job for less than a year has very few employment rights. They could just tell him not to come back.

[TryingToBeMe]

He doesn't shout on purpose. He just doesn't understand how loud his voice is sometimes. Even when he is talking at a normal level sometimes his voice will go up until he sounds like he's shouting. He doesn't realise and when I say something to him he will consciously lower his voice. He did not purposely shout. He would never do that.