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

[Jessiepops]

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!

Strikeout fail

Just asked H about this as he works in a hotel.

His theory is that there is something going on that you dont know about. He thinks that either they are looking to get rid of staff so are seizing on anything they can, or there is a lot of stock going missing and they are trying to pin it on you. He said that in the (well known chain) hotel he works in the person would be taken in for a chat, told what is acceptable and what isnt and a notice given to all staff reminding them too. If it happened again then yes, gross misconduct, off you go.

I agree with the majority, in that it's harsh but correct it could end up with you getting fired.

Hopefully they'll be lenient and tighten up rules afterwards to make it crystal clear what behaviour they expect.

Good luck

Just read this thread, and am surprised at the extreme reaction to taking something that seems to have fallen between two stools. Given to the guest and not wanted by said guest. Quite a number of people have, in fact, mentioned deliberately leaving these items behind for the housekeeper.

From Theft Act 1968:

A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it.

A person’s appropriation of property belonging to another is not to be regarded as dishonest... if he appropriates the property in the belief that he would have the other’s consent if the other knew of the appropriation and the circumstances of it.

Therefore it wasn't theft.

Personally I would think it was not theft in this case.

Still that does not help you case, OP. Just grovel

Yep, it was theft. Good luck though.

As you have been there a year, maybe they are assuming this cant be the first time you have done this.

Best you seek advice from ACAS and Citizens advice. Plus check your contract, company policy and procedures etc.

Verbal warning would have been sufficient though and then a notice to all the staff that there is/will be a strict policy in place regarding taking things from rooms.

Jessie please be careful with some of the advice you have got on this thread. flowery is a long term poster who is an employment lawyer and she knows her shit. Some people are talking crap, they can legally sack you. I hope they don't but you need to be prepared.

Best of luck. Be kind to yourself!

I've got a disciplinary hearing tomorrow. I know hey are well in their rights to sack me as they are treating it as theft, I can also see myself now that that was the case.
I'm just hoping they realise that I just made a mistake and didn't realise, I'd never intentionally steal anything I just thought it was an unwanted item.
In prepared for the worst in any case.

Oops so many errors in that last post, I'm trying to rush about and type at the same time, sorry!

I think you need legal employment advice, OP, or union advice on which is the best line to take.

A year is a long time in the hospitality industry, this is very much in your favour.

Good luck with the hearing tomorrow Jessipops I hope they just give you a slap on the wrist and you keep your job.

I strongly suggest that you take someone with you if this can be arranged at short notice.

www.gov.uk/disciplinary-procedures-and-action-at-work/disciplinary-hearings

As someone who worked in hotel housekeeping as a student, I totally see where you're coming from. Loads of stuff is left behind.

The very high and mighty posters who are banging about gross misconduct and sucking it up - I'm sure none of you have ever pinched a pen from work, done your own printing at the office, have never fiddled your expenses or similar.

If I was you, I'd have done it on the DL, but I did do similar things. All my shampoo, soap and toilet roll as a student came from what guests left behind. Costed in as part of their stay so no, I didn't feel guilty.

I hope this doesn't cause you too many problems. Be honest, say you didn't realise (hence you not making a secret of it), offer to pay and be suitable chastened.

Silent, was it known to the bosses that housekeepers took items?

use today to put together your case in writing and make sure you speak to a union rep, ACAS, Citizens Advice or even a solicitor to get proper advice beforehand. You'd better get cracking as only 5 hours of the working day left to contact anyone. make sure you take someone into the meeting with you tomorrow. it can be a work colleague or a friend or someone official if you can get someone at such short notice. Good luck. I think they are being harsh if they sack you as I think a verbal warning would have been enough for a first offence. I hope it goes okay.

Yup Nicknacky, I don' thtink the management gave a stuff as long the rooms were clean and we were polite to guests. I never made a particular secret of it. On the occasions I found valuables I always handed them in, as did the other staff. It's grim being a housekeeper and the (relatively valueless) odds and ends left over were the perk. Most people wouldn't begrudge the person cleaning their room after they leave the end of their shampoo or an unopened can of drink.

I now have a job that requires me to travel and stay over in hotels. I often leave things (along with a tip) for the housekeeper. I might leave a note from now on explicitly explaining that I am.

I hope todayou goes well Jessie, a warning get would be more than enough unless they want to make an example of you. A free with the others who say be honest about your mistake but don't bring the other staff into ot- it will do you no favours and make you look petty and like you are trying to distract from your situation. Good luck. X x

I just want to say good luck in your meeting, Jessiepops. I also once had a disciplinary (my one and only!) for something that everybody did, and it was just my bad luck that I was the one who was pulled up on it officially.

Although I felt it had been blown out of all proportion I went into the meeting very apologetic, explained it was a momentary lapse of judgement, and cited my so-far excellent work record. They were very satisfied with that. I did get a formal warning but it was only on my record for six months and then forgotten about. Actually, a month before it expired I was named employee of the year so it obviously didn't harm my career at all!

Best of luck

Are you in a union OP?

No I'm not in a union Sauvignonblance.
Thanks for all your well wishes, I'll not be able to settle till I know the outcome.
I'm just going to be apologetic and try and get them to see that I didn't realise it was stealing.
In not going to bring anybody else into it, I know they're going to think that I've done it on more than this occasion, so I hope I can assure them that it's not something I've done before and certainly won't do again.
Hopefully they will see I'm genuinely sorry and it was an error rather than me just thinking I could take what I wanted.

I think you did wrong but you know it and you apologised immediately. I think they're being harsh; a verbal warning would suffice, surely, especially as though it sounds as if your employment record otherwise is immaculate.

The three-hour lag may well be because they were discussing it/seeking HR or legal advice, but it was unprofessional and inappropriate for them to joke about it with you in that period. I'd write down very carefully, with times and locations of conversations etc, all the stuff you've told us about this period.

And yes, ask what 'earlier meeting' they meant. And PLEASE try to speak to ACAS.

Are they having other problems ?

Sounds more like they are looking to get rid of people/you.

Do you usually get good feedback ?

Fingers crossed Jessie, a warning should be enough and I hope it is. From experience I think managers often know what the outcome is going to be of a disciplinary meeting, unless HR is helping to make it more balanced (more likely in public sector in my experience). So don't feel your performance tomorrow is what has let you down if it doesn't go well, there may be politics you don't know about. It was clearly wrong and you can see that now but I can totally see how the other staff taking other things made you feel it was ok, anyone could get swept up in that. Hopefully your loyalty and reliability working their will override a momentary lapse. In your shoes I would be setting up a plan B - check out the jobs available, get a CV written up and see if there is an agency etc to call for advice on how quickly you could find another role. I think the ability to take employers to tribunal has been reduced to those employed over two years unless it's a discrimination case. So if it doesn't go well move on with a lesson learnt and your head held high.

Silent A pen or something else being pinched from work is a bit different from a can of drink at a hotel which can be sold on.... a can of drink is what anything up to £1 and over to buy and a pen (biro) is generally far less.

Also - say for example I was found to be stealing on a regular basis biros, office supplies or anything else used by the office which was bought in from outside suppliers if I was approached on this I'd expect whatever warning or gross misconduct it fell under in my company manual.

The odd biro to steal isn't so bad, a normal boss would expect this to "go missing".

In this case the boss of the housekeeper OP has no idea how many cans of drink (unopened) despite the OP's denials otherwise and as another poster said the hotel are probably experiencing other minor thefts and are cracking down.

Having said the above it would be a good idea to make clear to new staff what is allowed to be eaten/drank from the rooms/kitchen etc free of charge and what is not. But the OP having worked in previous hotels would know the general score on this (despite some being more generous than others).

I still say that taking the can of drink was theft. Then also the OP leaving it on the trolley and saying about a guest having left it in their room that was a bit unwise, if it were me, I'd be tempted just to lie (yes flame me now for that!) and say "I've bought it and it's on my trolley to drink for later" - then how can they check up? at least then you've got yourself out of a situation, can check rules out and be aware for next time.

crumblebumblebee thank you so much for the kind words. Just have to correct something though - I'm not an employment lawyer and wouldn't want anyone thinking I'm holding myself out as such. I'm an HR consultant. With extremely good employment law knowledge.