AIBU for refusing to sign a letter of improvement at work? Retail customer service related

Slightly different but I was at the till at Next recently and two staff members were arguing about shoplifter 😬. The newer one had apparently watched someone walk out with an armful of clothes without paying and wanted to challenge her. The longstanding one told her not to bother, and it happened all the time. Left me wondering what their actual protocol was, particularly given the area we were in at the time. Both staff members had a point but I wonder who Next would have sided with if it had gone higher.

I think reporting the customer for theft is a bit much. He did come back to pay when asked (admittedly with bad grace/rudely)

As a poster upthread pointed out, in these cases it’s the balance of probabilities, because there is no concrete proof that either you or the customer are telling the truth. And in your case the balance of probabilities has to take into account your ten years of (l’m assuming) unblemished record. That’s why, if you are actually issued with the letter of improvement, you should appeal it - because it will stay on your record and will count against you in any future disciplinary procedure.

You mentioned that your manager said she wasn’t allowed to tell you what the customer said. This is correct. They wanted a completely unbiased statement of fact from you, as to what happened. If you knew what the customer had said, the statement would naturally have concentrated on refuting it, and that muddies the waters. They have that now, so if there is going to be any disciplinary action then they absolutely need to make you aware of all the facts, so that you can defend yourself.

Ask for a letter to confirm that it’s okay to let people walk out of the store knowing full well that their payment has failed (ie not shoplifters, just normal customers). Mention it to other staff and say they should get it writing too to protect themselves.

Ok. If you are taken into a meeting and feel anything other than supported, say: "I would like to adjourn this meeting to seek some advice please, as I do not understand these procedures." You can also ask them to write down any specific points they have raised so far.
Then you call ACAS.

Well at least it's Monday now, call ACAS when they open at 8am: 0300 123 1100.

Good luck!!

The customer's reaction is telling, perhaps he was trying to steal the goods. Most people would be apologetic.

Yea , if it’s nothing then why would you need to sign anything . Good luck .

Could be that they wanted your version handed in first, so that they could see where there's were discrepancies (if at all). They have that now, and any next steps should include telling you what the accusation is.

Say if he says "she accused me of trying to get away without paying" and you agree you said something accusatory like "It is theft to leave the store without paying" then they would say it was too easily misinterpreted and problematic. If you said nothing like that at all, then it's more complicated for them because the stories are too far apart. (And they then need other evidence of they think they ought to discipline you.)

I’m with you op . He’s just an arrogant arsehole because he got pulled back and he had to pay. And he’s trying to turn the table. Don’t sign anything.

That's nonsense that she's saying she's not allowed to say what you are accused of saying. Of course she is, if she expects you to sign an improvement notice based on it. You have a right to know what the allegation is to give you a fair opportunity to defend yourself. It might be, to take just one possibility, that he misheard you. Plus, if they won't tell you what you are supposed to have said, what are they going to put in the improvement notice? How are you supposed to know what sort of language it is you have to avoid in future?

If they insist on doing this without telling you, it could be time for a formal grievance procedure.

If you were in a restaurant and your payment didn't go through and an employee accused you of theft, you would be well within your rights to say they were rude and complain because at that point no theft has been committed. Indeed, in that situation I might well be demanding compensation for libel if they made the accusation publicly.

If, in that situation, you got up and left, at that point you would have committed theft, because you would have shown the intention of depriving the restaurant owner of payment for what you've ordered.

This customer didn't like being confronted in the car park but he came in and paid. So, again, no theft.

As I read it, the improvement notice relates to the way OP handled this, not the fact that she went after the customer. If she's absolutely sure that she is right in believing that she was polite throughout, she is also right not to accept it.

They don't seem like supportive employers, but ultimately, I suppose it's all based on their procedures.

The customer was probably miffed at being tackled and wanted a little revenge.

I wouldn't sign and in future I wouldn't bother asking the customers to come back either.

ok final answer. I am not saying you have done anything wrong or right. What I am saying is that staff can and should protect themselves from this kind of shit by NOT unilaterally deciding what they should be doing. My comments were about how you might approach the situation that you are in, that might be more productive than latching onto "I wasn't rude" I am speaking from my personal experience of being at both ends of this kind of situation, both the manager and the staff member. Have it your own way, go to battle if you choose to. I am done.

Lord…the great British jobsworth. “Not my job!”

It can be reasonably inferred that the person supervising the tills is responsible for asking customers where they have made a mistake to correct that mistake. It does seem like there should be company guidance on this as this is a reasonably foreseeable occurrence and there is a foreseeable risk.

HOWEVER- none of this goes to answering OPs question which is: REFUSING TO SIGN THE PAPERWORK MEANS NOTHING AND MAKES YOU LOOK TRUCULENT.

It doesn’t mean your manager can’t use it against you in further disciplinary procedures, nor does it mean that the disciplinary action is not valid. If you want your objection noted request that your objection be added to the paperwork and then appeal it following the appeals process. See previous posts for advice on what to say to defend your position.