Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Help, I might be fired for something I didn't do!

72 replies

crappydayatwork · 12/05/2008 19:19

I work in a shop with a senior sales assistant, deputy manager(me) and manager. On Sunday £60 went missing from the safe and we are all under suspicion. I have had a formal interview from the loss prevention officer and have been told that its not uncommon for the whole management team to be replaced in cases where no-one admits anything!

Is this right? What can I do?

OP posts:
crappydayatwork · 13/05/2008 07:53

Hi guys just checking in this morning, thanks for that flowery, I will use that if I need to appeal.

Will keep you updated when I find out more [fingers crossed emoticon]

OP posts:
bitofadramaqueen · 13/05/2008 14:48

Hi crappydayatwork - hope everything is going ok. I just wanted to add that many moons ago I helped out a colleague of mine (who was innocent) who faced a similar scenario and successfully appealled.

In that case the person:

  1. Used the fact that they hadn't been suspended to challenge the decision(like flowery says how genuine is the breakdown in trust if someone is allowed to carry on working?)
  1. Really challenged them on the procedure as the company didn't follow the correct steps and also took too long to resolve it causing undue stress and anxiety
  1. Got their own witness statements from colleagues to demonstrate honest behaviour, commitment to doing things properly etc
  1. Outlined other potential reasons for the 'missing' money - as I'm sure you know safe 'shortages' can sometimes be caused in errors in the cashing-up process, refunds processed incorrectly, banking issues. I remember lots of occasions where a safe seemed to be 'short' when it wasn't.

Hope that helps in some way. Good luck with it.

StealthPolarBear · 13/05/2008 20:28

ooh dramaqueen that sounds really useful
crappyday - how are things?

StealthPolarBear · 13/05/2008 21:19

meant to say hi to PuppyMonkey

StealthPolarBear · 13/05/2008 21:20

...but not on this thread

mum2jakeyroo · 14/05/2008 19:10

hi cdaw hope everything is ok. how is everything going

crappydayatwork · 15/05/2008 18:48

Hi guys, still a bit emotional, going to the docs tomorrow to ask for anti-depressants or sleeping tabs coz i'm not doing to well at night!

I've another thing to add to my appeal if it gets that far, I was on a Discipline and Grievance course today so they're obviously still concerned for my future development in the company! It was booked weeks ago and I'd forgotten about it with everything thats been going on.

Have a Deputy manager from another store who can vouch for me coz I've covered days in her store so I should be ok if it comes to appeal.

Also found out that a prompt investigation can take up to 6 weeks hence going to docs tomorrow!

OP posts:
crappydayatwork · 15/05/2008 19:42

Thanks for that info bitofadramaqueen, every bit helps

OP posts:
sis · 15/05/2008 20:29

6 weeks! that is outrageous!

mum2jakeyroo · 15/05/2008 21:06

it sholdn't take that long. They should inform you of info along the way. fingers crossed for you.
Also the doc might try and sign you off. Mine did before giving ad's pr sleeping tablets

squiffy · 16/05/2008 10:08

6 weeks is actually great news because then they can't fire you (because of the continuing trust thing), and you would have a good case to raise a grievance even if they tried to put this on everyones record as a discplinary thing.

crappydayatwork · 16/05/2008 11:06

Went to the doctors this morning, was told that I'm not depressed, but understandably anxious and worried and she gave me betablockers. AD's would not work immediately but these will and will help me sleep better.

Also doctor said she'd sign me off work but I'm not sure thats what I want (might be seen as admission of guilt?) but I want proof that its causing me problems incase it goes to a disciplinary or appeal. It might be procedure to do this but not at the cost of staff wellbeing surely?

OP posts:
crappydayatwork · 16/05/2008 11:08

Meant to add still no information from head office!

OP posts:
ladylush · 16/05/2008 11:11

How awful for you Tbh I am surprised they are going to these lengths for the sake of £60.

flowerybeanbag · 16/05/2008 11:26

crappyday being signed off couldn't be seen as an admission of guilt, so do consider it if you feel you need to.

Agree with squiffy, the longer they take and the longer they allow you to keep on working, the more incredibly weak a case they would have for dismissing you. There's no way they could claim a breakdown in trust, that would be ridiculous.

So I think really for you it's a question of just getting through this, and considering a grievance if you feel it's appropriate afterwards.

If you feel you are not up to being at work, consider being signed off, even just for a week if that might help.

Blueskythinker · 16/05/2008 19:45

CDAW,
I understand the thing about being signed off, but if you do go sick, then the argument about not suspending you is not as strong - they could claim that because you were off sick, they decided that as you were not in work, there was no need to suspend. I'm no employment expert though, just observing.

Oh, and btw, I really hope things work out well.

mum2jakeyroo · 21/05/2008 21:36

any news x

crappydayatwork · 02/06/2008 18:09

I have a disciplinary meeting on Thursday, that sick feeling is back again! Hopefully I'll know one way or the other now, the waiting is the worst about all this

OP posts:
crappydayatwork · 05/06/2008 19:10

We all got a final written warning (at least we still have job!) and this will be kept on file for 12 months. They have brought in new procedures for doing cash stuff in the office and we should be getting cctv in the office as well.

I'm looking to appeal this decision so if anyone has any tips that would be great

OP posts:
flowerybeanbag · 05/06/2008 19:37

Do appeal it. I'm not sure how far you'd get but still worth doing.

Focus heavily on anything procedural - any unreasonable delays, anything at all that they didn't do right or well in terms of the actual process.

Also focus heavily on the fact that they allowed you to continue working, that's really important.

They've chickened out of sacking you all, presumably because of the inconvenience to them but also probably because they've taken advice and realised that they can't claim a breakdown in trust if they've allowed you to continue working. Obviously the argument would be stronger if they'd dismissed you, but you can still use it to illustrate that the warning level is unreasonably high.

If they thought it was fine for you to carry on working, they can't claim a breakdown in trust or anything like it, so your argument would be that suddenly imposing a final written warning is unreasonably harsh.

Obviously theft is a very serious thing, it is a sackable offence absolutely, and as we've established, it is actually perfectly legal to dismiss more than one person in circumstances where it is not possible to prove who was responsible. So a final written warning isn't actually bad. But as you didn't do it, it's obviously awful and you can and must use every argument you can to your advantage.

I personally don't think you'll get that level of warning reduced, because of the seriousness of the offence. Obviously you are innocent but someone isn't, and if they reduce the warning level for you they'll have to do it for everyone, which means that someone who is guilty of theft will only be on (for example) a first written warning, which may not be acceptable to them. But you never know, if you focus on procedure, their failure to suspend you and previous good character and service then you might get somewhere.

Best of luck with it. You could consider chucking a grievance at them as well, that would be perfectly valid if you want to do that. Again, not sure what it would actually get you though, so may not be worth it.

crappydayatwork · 06/06/2008 19:32

Thanks for that flowerybeanbag

OP posts:
differentID · 06/06/2008 19:51

How many people are able to do refunds? Can anyone with access to the cash register do them or does it have to be management?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread