Been sacked for gross misconduct

[RidetheT]

I have been sacked. I made a mistake in work that could have had wide reaching implications for a client.

I hate myself. The mistake was through sheer stupidity and carelessness and rushing to get work done by a deadline.

I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I keep crying. I’m terrified for the future. How am I going to ever work again? Who would trust me? I don’t trust me.

We have about a months savings and then we are going to struggle to pay the bills/ mortgage so my kids are going to lose their home on top of everything.

I just don’t know what to do. My DH keeps telling me he has faith in me and he knows I’ll make it all ok. I don’t know how.

Yes but it's not like that in every sector. Or people would never win tribunals and get jobs in the same field. Also, a future employer doesn't need to know someone is going to tribunal. The only issue would be if an ex employer contacted a prospective one to try and cause problems - and that would reflect very poorly on them.

Also - I never asked the employer who sacked me for a reference. I had other references and my new employers were fine with that. I wasn't going to ask people who would put the boot in for a reference - they tried to stop me getting benefits when I applied (the dwp found in my favour).

Dear @RidetheT, I just read this article, and thought of you (“I feel like I’ve failed and like I need to be punished somehow to make it “right”.”). Maybe too soon, and a bit American, but I'm adding it here, hoping it can help: www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/well/mind/self-compassion.html?unlocked_article_code=1.PU8.Hp3E.6h8oHamYDCUv&smid=url-share

My advice re:job search:
Find job description of your current role.
Copy&paste your responsibilities to your CV.
Copy&paste your CV to Linkedin.
Let recruiters know on Linkedin that you are looking for work, there's setting to signal your availability on Linkedin.
Contact Job Centre that you are looking for work, this will allow you to claim at the very least NI or perhaps some extra money, and will give you access to CV writing help, job search courses etc. You can do it online.
Look at your wardrobe for clothes suitable for interviews in case you need to dress up.

They need to make the claim for benefit online. You can't contact a job centre or go into a job centre these days and make a claim

Same! In fact I've just left Financial Services due to the knife edge you constantly walk.

Most companies though would give you a disciplinary and then use insurance, surely? If you work for a FA did they not receive any email updates regarding the 3 different client applications?

Just to reassure you OP my DH was sacked for gross misconduct and he got a new job within 2 weeks. He let the new HR know but they said it wasn't on his reference and they didn't need to know, it was fine. I don't think there's any need to mention it unless you are specifically asked, and it's not a question I think I've ever been asked before. If you are, be honest, you've not done something terrible. Criminals are rehabilitated into employment, you haven't done anything like that, you have the right to move on and find a new job without it being held against you. With DH it felt like a total disaster at first but you can pick yourself up and find something new.

Citizens advice might also be able to help with legal advice - but ACAS would definitely be my first port of call. They have leaflets on their website that you can download.

Someone’s made a good point about references. Ask your old company what they will put on a reference, if they receive one. If you’re an approved or certified individual under the FCA regime, they may also have reported the matter to the FCA, but I would expect them to have told you that already.

Support staff make mistakes (as do financial advisers btw). The buck always stops with the financial adviser. That’s what I get told when my support stuff get something wrong and I haven’t checked what they’ve done.

Unfortunately I have nothing practical to advise (my monumental ballsup when I first started work as a civil servant in 1992 resulted in a £1m overspend in a year against the Budget I was administering. It was mentioned at that year's Public Accounts Committee meeting into our Departmental budget. The year afterwards I hit budget spend within £10! So my story had a happy ending - but I lost countless nights sleep over it and I didn't have a family to worry about too - so I do appreciate how stressed you must be).
Anyway - I just wanted to say that if I had a large company I would employ you in a heartbeat. It's refreshing to see someone accept responsibility and it is an ultimate 'lesson learned'. Your honesty and approach to your work is an amazing asset and you should be proud of it.

I worked for a local IFA. Only 3 advisers and a handful of admin/ paraplanners and no real HR or anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if things they needed to do were missed. I have sent an email to say I would like to appeal my dismissal. The final meeting was last Tuesday so hopefully I’m still within time.

I have been inspired by you all. Thank you.

Please also give ACAS a call for advice.

I don't think OP needs advice about her marriage as well as everything else. Sounds like her DH is supporting her, rather than freaking out or condemning her. He's probably in shock too and, who knows, when the dust has settled a bit he may even be able to see a logical way through, or at least suggest something helpful.

This is totally ridiculous. If you were doing anything that could have implications for clients then they should have a proper review process in place - everyone makes mistakes, that’s why review processes are critical. I work in a similar area and everything is checked twice before finalising! This isn’t your fault at all.

Edited to add: I’d be amazed if the FCA were bothered about your mistake. I imagine they’d be more concerned one there is no review process at company level.

Good luck, and well done for taking that step. It would definitely be worth speaking to ACAS, I did during a grievance and they were very pleasant and quite helpful, although remember that their advice is not legal advice. In addition it will put some pressure on the firm. I’d also try to find a way to make it clear to the firm that you would be willing to resign (if you are) in exchange for them removing the gross misconduct as the reason for leaving and providing a factual reference. That will make it much easier for you to find a new role.

Well done. ACAS next and ask them for minutes of your disciplinary hearing if they haven't sent you them already. Also please don't go into the appeal hearing alone. You need a witness. I know it might feel hard to tell anyone what has happened but they don't need to speak. They just need to be there - so that when you get the final decision you have a witness to what was said.

And join a union. I was never particularly impressed with any that I was a member of but there are times you need protection.

You are doing totally the right thing, this was a mistake. New processes could be created to prevent it happening again. Where is their loyalty to you? I don’t think an employment tribunal would see this as gross misconduct. Good luck 🍀♥️🍀

I would personally go down the route of trying to negotiate a compromise/settlement agreement rather than resigning.

Good on you. If a mistake can be so bad that you would lose your job, then there should be measures in place to prevent the mistake.

you should never get sacked for something that was an accident, unless you have shown a pattern of incompetence or lack of care

So the level of risk wasn't high enough to put a review process in place, but high enough for you to lose your job over when it goes wrong? Sounds a little unfair.

Bet my bottom dollar they have done this so they can tell the client they have sacked you, rather than after a careful review of their own procedures.

Good for you, OP.

It does NOT sound like they have followed the legal processes. Just get your job back long enough to find another one and leave. You can do this.

I work in financial services. In my opinion this wasn’t gross negligence, this was an error.

Your employer had inappropriate controls in place to manage the risk. This is on them.

You need to obtain legal assistance. Most will offer a chat for free. I know you don’t have fight in you, but they will do most of the legwork.

If they sacked you and did not give you the details of how and by when to appeal, then they cannot then say that you should have done it by a certain time. The letter they generate and issue forms the process for them. You as the person on the other side can pull them up on any mistakes or omissions, using the ACAS guidelines, but they cannot insert something that they missed and say "you should have known - it's in the ACAS guidelines". Their paperwork must be watertight before it is issued. If that isn't clear, I'm happy to further explain.

Well done OP. It’s too easy to just take things lying down when you are a good person. so pleased you have e-mailed them.
Let us know how you get on when you are able.