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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:
FightOrFlight · 13/01/2015 21:30

It does seem harsh but how are your employers to know that you haven't been helping yourself to other things that have been left behind? They may suspect that you regularly take things that don't actually belong to you.

Were you really that thirsty that you needed to drink the can of pop?

Original poster
Jessiepops · 13/01/2015 21:33

I know they do, the amount of stuff I have found and handed in is huge, from make up, to phone chargers, an Ipad and a pair of earrings.
My point is, this is something that everybody does, they make tea out of the stuff that's left behind,
I can see where they are coming from but if I'm that un trust worthy why did they let me go on and work alone in rooms for a further 3 hours?

OP posts:
youarekiddingme · 13/01/2015 21:34

Oh blimey. Whenever I've stayed in hotels etc I've always left any cans, bottles, sweets, nice snacks etc for the maids/cleaning staff when I've left. Along with a thankyou note.

I never thought it would be considered as theft as these are things I've paid for.

Contact HR yourself and find out. Read your contract too and role profile to see if it's mentioned in there.

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 13/01/2015 21:34

Oh dear you seem to be missing the point here OP, when something is included in the room rate it's not there for the benefit of the staff if the guest doesn't want it.

Sounds like there is a general issue with housekeeping taking things they shouldn't maybe as you have been the first to be blatantly caught out they are trying to make an example of you. Suspension is a bit harsh I agree but you attitude is poor you shouldn't be taking stuff from work at all.

CatThiefKeith · 13/01/2015 21:35

Honestly?

They let you stay because it is Monday. Busiest check in day of the week if it's a corporate hotel.

Shitty, but true.Thanks

Original poster
Jessiepops · 13/01/2015 21:35

To be honest fightorflight, I was just thinking of going down to the vending machine but looked at the time and realised it was only half an hour till break so I'd just crack on.
I found the pop and thought nothing of it really I don't drink tea or coffee at work, I really didn't think they'd mind or I wouldn't have taken it.

OP posts:
FightOrFlight · 13/01/2015 21:36

CatThiefKeith said it far more eloquently than me!

I've left things behind in hotel rooms before and when I've contacted the Hotel they haven't been able to find them. I left an expensive pair of hair straigteners behind once as I'd put them aside to cool down and forgot to pack them. The Hotel insisted they were not in the room so who took them? I know I left them and they were too big to have been accidentally put in the laundry bag etc.

TheChandler · 13/01/2015 21:36

Again, I think your attitude possibly explains why they are taking it seriously. Blatantly having an empty can of the hotel's property sitting on your trolley and then being astonished at being pulled up on stealing. It doesn't make you come across as very trustworthy. And yes, of course you should "hand in" other people's property - its not some bonus. What else would you do with it?

LuluJakey1 · 13/01/2015 21:38

We stayed in a hotel in the summer where thete were complimentary fancy teas and a tassimo machine, suchard hot chocolates, fancy box of sortbread, complimentary bottle of red wine, chocolates, aromotherapy/ spa shampoo, body wash soaps, slippers and magazines, little pots of jams and marmalades, bottles of springwater. We used some of them and left the rest untouched.
If a member of staff took everything we left- which were replenished every day because we could have used all of it as it was all in with the room- they would be stealing surely???? But that is what you are saying. You took the complimentary drink that was there for the guest in the room.
I don't think the fact that it is a can of pop is the point. It is the fact that it wasn't yours to take. It is about professional boundaries and you have stepped over one. They can claim breach of trust which is gross misconduct.

justmyview · 13/01/2015 21:38

why did they let me go on and work alone in rooms for a further 3 hours? They may have been seeking legal advice or instructions from Head Office.

I hope you're not dismissed, but I think you need to grovel and apologise. Theft is a big deal for hoteliers. You still seem to be missing the point that if you hadn't drunk the pop, then it would have been available to be offered to another guest. It was "complimentary" to the guest, not to you

giddly · 13/01/2015 21:38

God you're a sanctimonious lot. It's way over the top - yes she shouldn't have taken it, but it's obvious from the fact that she displayed the evidence that she didn't realise it was wrong. A quiet word from the manager would have sufficed. I wouldn't want to stay in a hotel where they treated their staff like this.

FightOrFlight · 13/01/2015 21:39

I know a total bitch woman who was a housekeeper for a hotel attached to a golf club. Not so long ago she was selling multiple packaged pairs of complimentary slippers on her eBay account Hmm

FrancesNiadova · 13/01/2015 21:39

Jessiepops can you approach a rep. from the TGWU or Unison for advice? You don't have to tell anyone that you've joined a union.
Good Luck Flowers

Mia1415 · 13/01/2015 21:40

I'm an HR manager & I'm afraid to say this would be considered gross misconduct. How long have you worked there?

WeAllHaveWings · 13/01/2015 21:40

Other colleagues doing it doesn't make it acceptable. I think the only time it can become acceptable is if it is known to be common practice by management (and you can get your boss to admit to it/you can prove it).

Otherwise its gross misconduct, hopefully you'll only get a warning, but the suspension is worrying.

PuppyMonkey · 13/01/2015 21:41

(It's not Monday it's Tuesday Confused)

I think the delay in asking you to leave was prob down to the head manager only just being informed perhaps?

Bad luck and you should explain apologise as best you can but don't keep saying it was only a can of pop to them.

thelittlebooktroll · 13/01/2015 21:46

Totally OTT Flowers

Original poster
Jessiepops · 13/01/2015 21:46

I did apologise and offer to pay for it straight away, I'm not saying I shouldn't have been pulled up on it, a quick telling off would have done it, like I've said when others are helping themselves and nobody's saying anything I just assumed it was a like a perk of the job.

OP posts:
CatThiefKeith · 13/01/2015 21:48

Oops. Clearly I need an early night.

As it is in fact Tuesday, I imagine the manager was getting confirmation or awaiting a decision on whether or not to suspend you op.

I would do some serious grovelling, and hope for the best. Explain that you weren't aware it wasn't appropriate, had offered to pay for it, and promise you will never do it again. Then pray for leniency. Thanks

YoullLikeItNotaLot · 13/01/2015 21:50

I think they are OTT.
probably technically in the right but OTT.

I would apologise and promise to learn from it. They may also see it as a learning experience and update their induction processes/staff handbooks to make it explicitly clear what is allowed as it seems there are blurred boundaries.

FightOrFlight · 13/01/2015 21:51

God you're a sanctimonious lot

Not really - simply pointing out that what the OP did is considered to be an offence. I thought it was fairly obvious that you don't take things that don't belong to you. It's not as if there haven't been well-publicised stories of supermarket workers being sacked for eating a loose grape etc.

As has been said, it's probably the OP's response that was the kicker. Saying that it's only a can of pop and that everyone else does similar things didn't make her look terribly remorseful to her employees. They probably then asked themselves what else she may have taken that she didn't see as a big deal. If every housekeeper in the hotel took a can of 'left behind' drink each day then it would have quite an impact on the hotel, especially if it's a small independent one rather than a large chain.

FightOrFlight · 13/01/2015 21:52
  • employers, not employees
ilovesooty · 13/01/2015 21:53

I would do some serious grovelling, and hope for the best. Explain that you weren't aware it wasn't appropriate, had offered to pay for it, and promise you will never do it again. Then pray for leniency

I think that's good advice. I'd add to that please don't say that because others helped themselves you thought it was a perk of the job. That won't go down well.

IAmAllImportant · 13/01/2015 21:53

Have you worked for them for a while? If so, the fact that they let you stay for that three hours is definitely in your favour. I know someone who was reported for a pretty awful thing. The company allowed them to continue working for them, then sacked them later for the thing they had been reported for.

He took them for wrongful dismissal and the fact that the company had not deemed it bad enough to fire him immediately meant that it couldn't have really been bad enough for them to have sacked him at all (it was pretty bad)! He took them for thousands of pounds!

Waitingonasunnyday · 13/01/2015 21:53

I've got a feeling it's only theft if you don't think the owner would let you have it if they were there to ask. So if you honestly believe the person who left it behind didn't want it, and didn't mind what happened to it, I don't think it can be classed as theft.

Seeing as everyone else openly consumes these cans, hot drinks etc, I don't think you have done anything morally wrong. I do think it's unprofessional but a quiet word was all that was needed IMO.