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Original poster

To think they've blown this way out of proportion (work related)

299 replies

Jessiepops · 13/01/2015 21:06

I work for a hotel as a housekeeper.
As well as the standard rooms there is an option is to pay an extra fee on top of the room rate for an upgraded room, where they get a few extras like bathrobes, slippers,a range of complimentary drinks and what not.
Today whilst cleaning a room, I went to throw what I thought was an empty soft drink can away and noticed the can was un-opened, since whoever had paid for it didn't want it I opened it, had a drink and put it on my trolley.
A while later one of the managers came up to check my sheet, and asked where the can had come from, I told her it was what a guest had left in their room and she started going on about gross misconduct! And how it would affect her budget, for 1. I offered to pay for it but she refused, It had already been paid for in the room rate so if any thing they were making a profit on it,
And 2. It was a can of pop! I don't see it being any different to when the other ladies make themselves a cup of tea in their rooms using tea, milk etc that's been left there.
Any how that was this morning, so I went down for lunch and everything was fine.
Started back to work and had a conversation with said manager and another housekeeper about the pop, everything was light hearted, and the other housekeeper mentioned that she'd done the same thing herself before.
So it gets to 15 minuets before I'm due to clock out and the manager appers saying she needs to send me home as she's spoke to the head manager and they're suspending me till further notice.
I'm shocked to be honest, it was a can of pop for gods sake, it says on the letter that I was steeling supply's and why did they allow me to work for a further 3 hours before they sent me home?
So now I'm sat worrying that I'm going to lose my job over drinking a can of pop!

OP posts:
morningtoncrescent62 · 15/01/2015 19:21

OP, I'm sorry to hear about the outcome. Flowers A totally ridiculous response on their part, I think, and a horrible experience for you. I really hope you get the other job and it works out well for you.

NurseP · 15/01/2015 19:28

Best of luck with getting the new job. Fingers crossed for you. X

Frikadellen · 15/01/2015 20:21

Im sorry to hear this op. Hope the old job becomes the " new" job

TheChandler · 15/01/2015 20:27

I've actually known of three people within my social circle be sacked from professional jobs recently (for misuse of the internet, and slightly poor time-keeping, all unrelated and in different workplaces), all for gross misconduct. Whats going on? The trouble is, you can make most wrongdoings sound like gross misconduct if you try hard enough.

I'm not arguing that stealing is not gross misconduct, it has always been the classic example of it. I do think the balance of employment law has swung too far in employer's favour recently.

I'd also be suspicious they were waiting for a reason to get rid of the OP. Perhaps they have someone else waiting to move into her job, or suspect her of doing something else previously, maybe she has rubbed someone up the wrong way, or simply need an excuse to lay off people.

Rowgtfc72 · 15/01/2015 20:44

A guy where I work was on the late shift. He saw a packet of quavers hanging out of a vending machine, someone had bought them and they had got stuck.
Showing off to his mates he gave the machine a shake and got the crisps. He's just been sacked for gross misconduct and criminal damage, our company are advising the vending machine company to take him to court for criminal damage too.

PrincessFiorimonde · 15/01/2015 20:46

I'm really sorry to hear that, Jessie, and hope your previous employer, or someone else it would be good to work for, gets in touch very soon.

I think ilovesooty has made a lovely offer on this thread.

(Would it be very wrong to say that my bloody Kindle wanted to change 'ilovesooty' to something too vile to mention?)

The best of luck, Jessie.

MiscellaneousAssortment · 15/01/2015 20:56

What a shame. I hope you get that other job and you don't feel the stress of becoming unemployed.

I do in part agree with TheChandler "you can make most wrongdoings sound like gross misconduct if you try hard enough. "

FightOrFlight · 15/01/2015 21:04

Just to illustrate how insane some employers can be:

www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/ralph-sacked-over-six-grapes-4260814

"A 56-year-old learning disabled man has been sacked by Waitrose for eating six grapes left behind in a supermarket trolley"

GallicIsCharlie · 15/01/2015 21:18

Good grief, is there some sort of inter-boardroom competition running?? Quavers and grapes probably trump juice by a narrow margin. Grape-thief sacker gets extra points for SN employee, so Quaver-thief sacker gains lost ground by trying to have the offender sued for damages Confused

Crikey, the pen on my desk belongs to the government Shock Should I report myself to the police now?

Marcelinewhyareyousomean · 15/01/2015 23:27

Good luck with the other place. Hope you hear something positive soon.

justmyview · 15/01/2015 23:39

Ah poor you. It sounds as though they were making an example of you. Hope the other job comes off.

iampawpaw · 16/01/2015 00:15

You have done nothing wrong. I worked in five star hotels from the age of sixteen. You should own up to exactly what you did but they are complete dicks if they expect you to pay or even suffer for a product that was already paid for by a customer. We went home every night drinking the champagne that was left over from pre-paid events! Because it was already paid for in bulk and it hurt no-one that there was some left over! Your customer paid for that can when they took it out of the fridge. Simple. If a thing has been paid for once, it does not have to be paid for again.

Coyoacan · 16/01/2015 02:05

I agree with iampawpaw re. the so-called theft and I think the lesson you have to take away with you OP is to join a union in your next job.

TedAndLola · 16/01/2015 08:06

Oh Jessie I'm really sorry to hear that. Sad

I hope you get that job with your previous employer and that they behave reasonably with you. You're clearly not a thief or a bad employee and you deserved better than this.

Waitingonasunnyday · 16/01/2015 09:10

I'm really sorry to hear that. Can you PM me to tell me the hotel? I book lots of hotels for work and would like to make sure I don't book this one!

Good luck for the potential new job. I really hope it works out.

sugarman · 16/01/2015 09:30

Apologies if I am wrong but it was my understanding that the point of a disciplinary meeting is to hear your side before making a decision. If they called you in simply to tell you that you were sacked, have they followed the letter of the law?

But possibly this argument is not available to you without the minimum 2 yr employment history.

Having said that, would you want your job back? Probably not!

Sorry Jessie. Hope a better job comes your way very soon.

flowery · 16/01/2015 09:55

"I don't get why the Gov site says "You have the right to take someone with you to a disciplinary hearing, but you must tell your employer about this first". It doesn't mention anything about how long you've been in the job"

The right to a disciplinary hearing and to be accompanied isn't specifically restricted in the legislation to those with two years' service, no. But the claim an employee who has been denied this right would bring is unfair dismissal (on the basis that a fair procedure wasn't followed). Without two years' service (with a few exceptions), employees can't claim unfair dismissal, which means as the "right" is not enforceable, in practical terms means it does not exist.

The gov.uk site is generally accurate overall but because it is simplistic (because it wants to be clear and easy to understand for all, which is of course right), it can be misleading yes. It does imply that employees who have been/are being sacked or disciplined early in their employment would have grounds for complaint if they were not given those rights, and giving that impression to employees does risk inflaming disputes somewhat as employees get riled up about being denied rights they are not in fact entitled to.

OP the decision does seem overly harsh, and I think a warning together with clarification for all staff on the policy and what is or isn't included would have been a good way of handling it.

I can understand this response as part of a zero tolerance company stance on theft, and taking something that is included in the room rate for customers could certainly come under that, as would things like shampoo bottles etc. Had you been there longer and had more rights I would have suggested arguing that staff taking other beverages provided for customers should be dealt with in the same way, but as it is you're not in a position to do that.

Hope you get the job at your old work.

SuchSweetSorrow · 16/01/2015 09:56

Bloody hell! Seems very unfair to me. Completely agree with Bogeyface's post regarding how it should have been dealt with- surely a talk and notice to all staff would have sufficed on this occasion.

Fingers crossed you get another job soon

Frozenchipsareawful · 16/01/2015 09:56

Its a tough call, but I think i would have returned it to the store room ( as it was unopened) as it wasnt yours to drink. I hope they dont dismiss you, maybe just a warning not to do it again. For a lot of companies its all about profit i'm afraid.

Chunderella · 16/01/2015 10:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sisterofmercy · 16/01/2015 10:39

sugarman - not with gross misconduct. It is deemed so bad that they can sack immediately. Not that it matters without minimum working period. They could do what they like until 24 months are up.

Tanith · 16/01/2015 10:44

I'm sorry to read this, Jessie Sad

I expect that it has nothing to do with what you did and everything to do with being able to get rid of you quickly, no questions asked. They're making an example of you and probably taking someone else on at a lower wage (who they can also sack at the drop of a hat).

I wish you could tell us which hotel it was so we could all avoid it in future!

Saki5000 · 16/01/2015 11:29

Sorry to read you got the sack. A similar thing happened to me when I was a teenager (I thought it was okay to eat left over food because everyone else did it but the management saw things differently...). It isn't nice feel that you are considered a thief. Hope everything goes okay for you in the future.

Debinaround · 16/01/2015 14:20

I am also sorry to hear you have lost your job Jessie.
It is very unfair.
The person who made the decision to sack you must need a whole jar of Horlicks to get them to sleep tonight!

OnlyLovers · 16/01/2015 15:14

Oh Jessie, I'm very sorry about that.

Even if they were technically right, I think they were VERY heavy-handed about it and a warning would have been more than enough. And I think they handled it very unprofessionally by talking and joking with you about it.

I agree with PPs about the discrepancy between the way people in lower-paid work are treated and those who get 'golden handshakes' for much more serious misdemeanours than drinking a can of pop!

But this new (old!) hotel lead sounds very promising. In a few weeks' time you may well be able to look back and say you're better off without them. Onwards and upwards!