Suspended from work

DMWG81

On the 7th January a laptop was delivered to my place of work. I was not in on this day but my colleague took the item in and put it on the desk. On the 8th January i got to work at 08:55am, my colleague let me in as he was in first. I then carried on as normal. Around 09:30am our boss came in and asked where the Laptop was, we both looked around and couldn't see it, they then both told me that it was delivered the day before and when my colleague locked up with the Warehouse manager, it was still on the desk. There are only a select few who have keys and the alarm code to the building, me and my colleague don't have these.

My boss went for about 30 minutes then came back with the owner of the company, they both ranted and shouted at me and my colleague saying we are the only people who could of taken the Laptop. Then they got the police in to look around etc and they suspended us.

We have no verbal or written Contract and i feel that i have been victimised because there was no laptop there when i got to work! and i wasn't there when it was delivered.

Sorry for the long post but i want to know my rights because as said above, i feel like i have been treated unfairly. What would my next step be? Who should i speak to or contact? Should i seek legal advice?

Thanks

ohreally

Your next step is to await an invitation form your employer to attend an investigatory hearing. You will have the opportunity, if you so wish, to account for yourself at this hearing.
If all is well that should be the end of the matter as far as you're concerned and you should be reinstated. Are you suspended on full pay at the moment?

longhauladdict

Hi

when they suspended you, they must give you a reason in writing and the process which they will follow (ie investigation followed by a disciplinary hearing - if appropiate).
If you have not had this, then you need to contact them asking for the reasons and the timescales they expect this to take.
In the meantime, write down EVERYTHING that you remember from these dates, as time goes on, the harder it will be to do so.
Also, if you are suspended, you must be fully paid for the whole length of your suspension.

If you need further advice before you can speak to the company then ACAS is your best bet. Do not pay for any legal advice at this stage. if you search ACAS on google they have a helpline, but they will need all the facts so get everything down on paper before you ring them.

HTH, any more advice, give me a shout, I'm a HR Manager to can advise in detail on the process!! xxx

Nessynoo

Any CCTV around/outside the office?

DMWG81

Nope! I really wish there was!

onlyforboards_2

How do they think you disposed of it within 35 mins?

prowla

DMWG81 wrote: »

On the 7th January a laptop was delivered to my place of work. I was not in on this day but my colleague took the item in and put it on the desk. On the 8th January i got to work at 08:55am, my colleague let me in as he was in first. I then carried on as normal. Around 09:30am our boss came in and asked where the Laptop was, we both looked around and couldn't see it, they then both told me that it was delivered the day before and when my colleague locked up with the Warehouse manager, it was still on the desk. There are only a select few who have keys and the alarm code to the building, me and my colleague don't have these.

My boss went for about 30 minutes then came back with the owner of the company, they both ranted and shouted at me and my colleague saying we are the only people who could of taken the Laptop. Then they got the police in to look around etc and they suspended us.

We have no verbal or written Contract and i feel that i have been victimised because there was no laptop there when i got to work! and i wasn't there when it was delivered.

Sorry for the long post but i want to know my rights because as said above, i feel like i have been treated unfairly. What would my next step be? Who should i speak to or contact? Should i seek legal advice?

Thanks

So, at no point did you take possession of the laptop, or even see it?
Assuming that that is the case, then I can't see how you can be held accountable.

DMWG81

I never left the building until they told me to at which point i tipped my bag out over the floor and emptied my coat and trouser pockets to show them i wasn't hiding anything.

I never even saw the Laptop, never held it, never opened it and never signed for it.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. :cool:

Anihilator

prowla wrote: »

So, at no point did you take possession of the laptop, or even see it?
Assuming that that is the case, then I can't see how you can be held accountable.

If it can be shown the laptop was there and only either the OP or the colleague took it this would be grounds to dismiss them both.

The_Golden_Goose

Horrible to be made a scapegoat.

Lets hope whoever did take it comes forward.

DMWG81

Anihilator wrote: »

If it can be shown the laptop was there and only either the OP or the colleague took it this would be grounds to dismiss them both.

This is what they are saying but it is untrue. The warehouse manager opened up at 06:45 and his 3 warehouse ops came in at 07:30. There is a door leading from the warehouse to the offices where the laptop was. There are also others from the head office across the road who could of entered the building, Now i'm Not accusing anyone, i'm better than that, but i can prove that me and my colleague weren't the only people to have access to the building.