Suspended from work

vendee_2

Hi, Firstly I will explain that I work in a job where you offer people a 'reward' card to earn points. I have often tried to get people to enrol & often they decline...usual ''no thanks got enough of those in my wallet'' I have one myself as for each one we enrol we get a few points which can be exchanged for wine, certain shops etc.
I am often told ''you have the points'' which I have been doing as I have read all the rules regarding the scheme & nowhere does it say that we cannot put points on our own cards. We signed nothing or were ever told verbally. Myself & a colleague were called into the office yesterday & were told that 'head office' had become aware of what was going on & now we have both been suspended until Tuesday.....they even said that it was 'fraud'!!!
I am at my wits end about losing my job...but I honestly did not know that we could not do this. Can anybody tell me...because if they are classing it as 'fraud' surely they will involve the police??

robpw2

to add points to your card your not entitled to could be seen as fraud yes ..
i would suggest that you just admit it and take the rap .. they may not call the police

i would suggest they would give you a warning

Any

Hey, I work in the bank. Never ever have I been told that I shouldn't put few notes into my wallet, so I did and now they are calling me thief... Do you have a proof that they gave you the points?

Basicaly this is the same situation. You help yourself to a gain that you did not earn in any way.. Why are you surprised?

I suppose that it depends on the value of the points you credited yourself with - if it is huge amount then yes, they might call a police.
But if it is couple of bottle of wines worth then I would appologise and hope for the best!

lorac3

I work at a co op and one member of staff was using her card when a customer did'nt have one. Basically she was sacked, no if's or but's as it is classed as theft because you are getting the points when you are not entitled to them. You may be lucky to keep your job but there are usually rules about having cards/monies on your person when at work.
Good Luck.

zzzLazyDaisy

Suspension is normally only appropriate if the conduct complained of could potentially be viewed as gross misconduct, in which case your job is certainly at risk. If you have been suspended then the company is taking this very seriously indeed, and the fact that the company is regarding it as a potential fraud supports this.

Do you have a copy of the company's disciplinary procedures? You should have been given this within 8 weeks of starting work, but if you didn't get it, or have lost it then you need to request a copy immediately and check what it says about gross misconduct - there is normally a list of matters which the company would view as GM, although it will probably say this list is not intended to be exhaustive, it will give you an idea.

There will be a disciplinary meeting and you should be told of your right to be accompanied by a colleague or a trade union representative. It is worth taking someone in with you and getting them to take notes, because you will probably not remember afterwards what was said.

Your best defence is that while you accept that you did do what you are accused of doing, you did it innocently believing that if the customer gave you their points, you believed it was okay to accept them, and you have never been told this was not allowed. If it is common practice, then you should say so. But if there have been staff memos/emails/warnings on the staff notice board etc etc and the only reason you don't know is because you haven't read them, then you are going to be find it difficult to argue that you didn't know about the rule.

Good luck and let us know what happens

cpria7

I used to work at a Morrisons petrol station, and had to sack a girl who did what you were doing.

mrcow

I agree. Pleading ignorance will probably be your only defence. Whether it will work or not, no one can really say.

But it is fraud.
Which is a criminal offence.

You'll have to see what they say during your disciplinary. Once you know the outcome, you can appeal if you wish. Perhaps a call to ACAS or the CAB will be worthwhile, but I don't think you're going to get too far as it's pretty easy to prove guilt of the offence.

Stryder

You may wish to write a formal letter, stating you did not realise the issue and offering to return the equivalent points in money or donating it to a charity. You may also want to explain how much your job means to you and admit that you took liberties with the reward scheme, but that you did not realise it tio be theft and had you done so you would never have done it. Be proactive and you may be taken as being sincere.

You will not be "let off" but if your open and willing to accept the fault they may see your motives as being less sinister.

and please - no sarcastic messages. We all f&^% up some times and if you deny that you are a bigger liar than any fraudster (unless your a saint - in which case, I am sure you will forgive me )

mrcow

Stryder wrote: »

You may wish to write a formal letter, stating you did not realise the issue and offering to return the equivalent points in money or donating it to a charity. You may also want to explain how much your job means to you and admit that you took liberties with the reward scheme, but that you did not realise it tio be theft and had you done so you would never have done it. Be proactive and you may be taken as being sincere.

Actually - that's a brilliant idea.

Getting in with a formal apology before anything else happens will at least show that you're intent on doing the right thing going forward.

As far of offering the points back, I would suggest that surrendering your card (if it's not already been confiscated?) in full is the only option. Anything less and it looks like you're not taking this seriously. You'll more than likely have the card confiscated anyway - and getting in first never looks bad.

chika

Stryder's idea is great. I used to work in a supermarket and I know a girl wo was escorted off the premises by police for doing the same thing.

Stryder

There are only a few outcomes:
1) Policy says they have to sack you (likely)
2) Policy says its up to managers discretion (also likely)
3) Policy says another punishment (less likely)

You have to realistically hope for 2) and they will only be sympathetic if they really believe you. So a) explain in full and admit you have been a bit of an idiot
b) explain that you would NEVER KNOWINGLY steal and explain that this has been a lapse of judgment
c) express what your job means to you and express that you are willing to to do anything to maintain your job (they may put you on a probationary period)
d) give back any gains you have got from your points gathering

basically offer anything to keep the job - and if the changes imposed are harsh suffer it until you can resign on your on terms.

If you are a genuine idiot (I mean that in a nice way btw, I have been an idiot too ) My sympathies are with you. However, if you knew this was considered theft - its tough. Your intentions are what make you deserving or not of the sack. Maybe this is what you need to express in your communications with the company.

Even MPs often get the chance to pay things back and keep there jobs!