Son (17 yrs old) received investigation letter for gross misconduct

[JustV]

My son has started working at the end of October 2025. He was really happy, exited and really liked his job. However, be was suspended today (after he finished his shift) and was given letter for investigation meeting, gross misconduct.
Allegations are: abuse or failure to follow any of the company's policies or procedures also insubordination and failure to obey instructions or perform work as required or defined. Only 2 incidents mentioned. No evidence provided. He cooked 8 meats instead of 6 and 4 pattys instead of 2. I can't see this as gross misconduct. It wasn't mentioned what specific policy/ procedure he breached. It was second time he was cooking pattys. No previous worning given. I find this to harsh. He is new in a very quick phased job, he follows instructions and listens to his mangers and if this happened it was genuine mistake. How we should approach this? His wasn't properly trained, no clear communication (one manager says this another something else), no warning given, he needs to work quickly and sometimes he hasn't got enough time to think.

Accusation doesn't mention theft directly. He was accused of not following any policies/procedures ( no specific policy mentioned), insubordination and failure to follow instructions. He's said he followed instructions and didn't do anything deliberately. He didn't know amount he should cook.

I really don't know, I need to ask him. I am guessing they are put in a tray and kept warm till costumer order it. 🤔

Why didn't he know? Why didn't he ask? Sounds like he was cooking to order and didn't bother to learn what the order required.

How can not knowing how many you needed to cook so accidentally cooking too many be gross misconduct? It was an accident. The person telling him how many should be disciplined if they didn't.

I guess they have had staff cooking extra in the hope they'll get to eat it/give to mates/take home?

I only know his side of the story and possibly not full. But I know that he wouldn't do things deliberately or steal anything. There was occations that one manger said place this amount. Then another said place more. There is possibility that communications isn't clear and I believe not enough training provided. He does not work in a fancy restaurant. He works in McD ant can be busy, stressful and there is a lot to learn and do. He was fine with his regular task, but failed on a new task. I just think gross misconduct is a bit to much. Warning or just saying we do not need you, you failed probation would be acceptable. Anyway we will wait for the meeting and see what happens. 🙂

If he’s working at McDonalds the order screens will tell him what to make, when he makes a mistake he needs to make sure he makes someone aware.

This sounds way over the top, he can listen to what they say, take anything useful away for a new job and move on.

Pretty sure this is illegal.... maybe talk to ACAS or citizens advice. Think it's probably better he leaves but must not have gross misconduct on his record. This could cause massive of problems with work etc.

On what basis is this illegal?

And he doesn’t have a record gross misconduct will be added to. He can just leave it off his CV.

Whoever is carrying out the investigation needs to be independent of it. The investigation needs to fact find from all parties and make a decision. Therefore the person who makes the allegation can not investigate.

He’s worked there six weeks, hardly worth mentioning on cv. I suspect the gm relates more to his attitude when the issue was raised. There seems much he has not told you. Suggest he writes down exactly what happened and any consequences as a reference point for the meeting. Offer to train and apologise if he wants to keep the job.

I suspect you're not being told the full story. This will be about "missing" food.

He needs to learn from it and find a new job.

Smash Burger?

As he is 17 can he plan for another year in college from September to take catering qualifications? Then this and any other job he gets are good work experience. And he could be cooking at home too and learning.

It's a tough industry, but a friend who works in pub catering is never short of work and says they can't get good junior staff who want to work in the industry.

He's told you it's about what he cooked.

It doesn't add up.

More likely he as a late adolescent boy reacted to some possibly poorly delivered feedback in a way they objected to, and he's only telling you the edited highlights.

He can learn from it.

But it doesn't sound like a place he'll thrive.

Resigning will affect any benefits if he doesn’t have another job to go to. I suggest he contact ACAS for advice but he needs to be completely honest with them. Gross misconduct for what he’s told you sounds over the top but it may not be the full picture. They don’t seem to be following procedures properly which is where ACAS can help. Ideally with ACAS help he’d get an agreement where they don’t mention gross misconduct if ever contacted for a reference and they just let him go without specifying reasons.

Resign. You don't want him dismissed for gross misconduct. They can only give a reference saying your son worked at the company between this date and that date. Make up a plausible reason for leaving for prospective employers.

Tell him to join a trade union for his next job.

I had this happen with my son earlier this year, he was 17 and first proper job,only been working there for a month or so...
We asked to go in with him to the meeting but told no.
He was let go there and then.
I felt very sad for him and we was a bit upset too.
Nothing more was done after the meeting (except a letter being sent hime with him detailing what he had been let go for)and we have left that job off his cv.
I do feel it was a genuine error he made because of not having long enough or proper training in the role he was in.(they had just transferred him to a different section,3 days he had been working it)
Hope everything works out for your son in the future.

I started working when I was 14, part time. I got a shop job at 15 and hated it due to a combination of me being terrible at it and awful management; the boss hated me too and got a disciplinary interview. I didn't actually give a fuck as I was about to leave anyway.

I did go on to be able to hold down a full time job as an adult, minus the attitude, promise!

If I was your son I just wouldn't go back, leave it off his CV and find something else. And pay more attention to what's happening round about him next time.

This.

He’s worked there less than 2 years so it’s all a bit of a moot point. Regardless of who is investigating they could just dismiss him.

Plus it’s not illegal to have the accuser be the investigator. It’s certainly not best practice, but they should still make the procedure as impartial as possible. It may be they are the only person who has had training and experience and are therefore the most appropriate.

If OP is particularly concerned about her son being dismissed for gross misconduct it may be better for him to accept he is leaving, and go to the meeting ready to agree he will leave with notice pay.

The only reason it would matter that it’s gross misconduct is that he may not recieve notice pay. In which case there’s probably a fair challenge of whether his behaviour actually amounted to gross misconduct.

They can put more than just dates on a reference, where have you got the idea from that they can only put dates?

He’s 17, it’s a part-time job, and it sounds like he still lives at home with parents. He can resign and just leave his 6 weeks working here off his CV.

'insubordination and failure to obey instructions'... what does that mean? Was he rude/disrespectful when they spoke to him about the mistakes? Surely that's going to be the real issue rather than a couple of extra burgers cooked.