disciplinary advice please (social networking - misconduct), sackable?

reheat

I think we should remember that everyone in this country is entitled to a fair defence (thank goodness) no matter what they have done, and I think that is what OP is about. Requires a lot of integrity to do this without infringing Mr X's basic rights ... only OP can really know if they have (or care enought to have) that integrity. On a forum like this I'm prepared to give the benefit of the doubt.

chuckley

sounds like it was taken out of context... HOWEVER the person should have known of a group about them. 1st mistake...

sjaypink

quick update incase anyone is still interested... :A

he was given final written warning, and thrown off his current training/ promotion course, and will be unable to reapply for the course/ promotion for 1 year

hayley11

sjaypink wrote: »

quick update incase anyone is still interested... :A

he was given final written warning, and thrown off his current training/ promotion course, and will be unable to reapply for the course/ promotion for 1 year

Well let's hope he learnt his lesson now and won't be starting anymore silly groups on facebook

mountainofdebt

Horace wrote: »

Most decent employers offer diversity training for staff so that they know how to treat, black, gay and disabled people.

I have always had a big issue with this sort of training - I was once told that calling a black person coloured was now considered to be offensive....sometimes its almost impossible to keep up with current pc trend

If someone needs 'training' on how to deal with people from different backgrounds then that to me is akin to them needing training on how to be a basic human being.

OP - glad to hear your friend has kept his job; what effects will him being thrown off hsi course have on his career?

Daz1

The site was set up without his knowledge or permission. Although you may argue it was in praise of him the fact is that he had no knowledge of its existence and therefore was denied the opportunity to give his consent or raise objections. Depending on what you have put, you may also be compromising his privacy by revealing (directly or implied) his learning disability, his place of work etc. All this is private info and is dangerous territory....a minefield

zzzLazyDaisy

sjaypink wrote: »

quick update incase anyone is still interested... :Ahe was given final written warning, and thrown off his current training/ promotion course, and will be unable to reapply for the course/ promotion for 1 year

Thanks for coming back and up-dating us :beer:

I am pleased to hear that the employer has imposed a serious penalty. I am sure this has been quite a wake-up call for your friend, and I hope he does now realise the seriousness of the situation. One thing that he should be very aware of (and I am sure he has been clearly warned) a final written warning means that if while the FWW is still 'live' he commits another misconduct offence resulting in a disciplinary, he could be dismissed, even though the new offence would not normally be a dismissable offence.

I would like to say one other thing - you/he may find that there will be people who believe he should have been dismissed over this. The fact is that the only person who knows the full story, and who has seen all the evidence, and who has listened to everything that everyone has to say, is the Manager who chaired the disciplinary hearing. It is not a perverse decision (in the sense that no reasonable person could possibly have come to that conclusion) so people should accept and respect that decision now, and move on.

sjaypink

mountainofdebt wrote: »

OP - glad to hear your friend has kept his job; what effects will him being thrown off hsi course have on his career?

he was near to finishing the course and therefore gaining a payrise iro £2k pa, so this means no payrise for at least 18/20 months now- after that time, and as long as no further misbehaviour then in theory he will be able to progress as he wished, although i guess there will always be an element of worry from management when it comes to further promotions as to whether he will always be a potential liability so to speak... i think only time will tell on that one though. at the moment he is actively seeking alternative employment, as he does feel embarrassed to stay long term, but hopefully he can get over the intial shame and move on both as a lesson/ example to others, as well as gaining personally from having to rebuild bridges with certain colleagues, rather than running away...

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

I would like to say one other thing - you/he may find that there will be people who believe he should have been dismissed over this. The fact is that the only person who knows the full story, and who has seen all the evidence, and who has listened to everything that everyone has to say, is the Manager who chaired the disciplinary hearing. It is not a perverse decision (in the sense that no reasonable person could possibly have come to that conclusion) so people should accept and respect that decision now, and move on.

yes, after thinking about this further, on principle i do wonder whether he should have been sacked. he was not told what mr x and his parents said in their interviews- i can only assume that their statements, and his previous good work have gone in his favour on this occassion. it seems this case is a catalyst within the firm though- as stories of stricter enforcement in all areas of work, but especially the 'jokes' have filtered through this week. hopefully lesson learned, and more proffessional working environment all round from now on :T

thanks for an insightful thread everyone :beer:

zzzLazyDaisy

sjaypink wrote: »

at the moment he is actively seeking alternative employment, as he does feel embarrassed to stay long term

He might want to wait it out for a year before moving on. Many larger employers have a standard form that they send out when asking for references. One of the questions is about the disciplinary record. If is current employer responds that he has a Final Written Warning on his file for misconduct, that might have a negative influence on a prospective employer.

Once 12 months have passed, the warning falls from his record and won't be referred to in a reference.

hth

Drea2904

sjaypink wrote: »

i did ask this as a genuine enquiry, not to start a discussion about why my friend and his colleagues find things like this funny.

i dont know, to be honest. perhaps i, as a woman, as a mother, as a maturer person or whatever, wont get it. as i assume most here dont

however, that does NOT make my friend a bully of other colleagues, nor mr x. put a group of young males together in a stressful work environment (inc mr x by the way), and they will have a different sense of humour. i have seen this myself in my own employment.

Totally, it happens in every work, most people get involved innocently and all laugh at the time but this person may lose their job for a bit of fun.