Unwittingly broke rules .................

muckle_dunt

Last week I was summary dismissed from my employment - I have worked for the company for 11 weeks and was taken to a disciplinary hearing the reasons given were

Shopping on company time – I remember at 7.55pm I required deodorant
No Security on voucher at till
Suspicious voucher given to my friend

I gave my friend an unwanted voucher that a customer had refused!!!

I have admitted the offences but I insist it was the result of lack of training on my employer's part particularly around the issuing of these vouchers that has led to the last two offences - I honestly believed I had done nothing wrong by giving my friend an unwanted voucher knowing she would use it and in all probability spend more money.

My questions is that I was told at the end of the hearing that this matter may be passed to the police and my friend and I could be further investigated (my friend is mortified that she has been involved in my act of stupidity) - I think they are hoping to prove that we were in on this together whereas it was a split moment decision on my part to give my friend this unwanted voucher. Also it may be passed to Civil Recovery to recovery the cost involved investigating this matter

Why was I not pulled up by my manager on this matter and explained what the correct procedures were around issuing vouchers and more importantly why was I put through this on my 11th week of a 12 week probationary period - why not dismiss me instantly by revoking my contract and not waste money investigating this case which I will probably have to pay for through Civil Recovery

I am really stressed and upset at what my ex employer has put me through for a mistake that was made unwittingly and without intent but I am more upset that my friend is completely innocent and is being involved through no fault of her own

Please can you offer some advice and help - do you think I need legal advice ?

maninthestreet

As you were only employed for 11 weeks, you cannot take your ex-employer to an employment tribunal unless you were discriminated against. There is nothing in your post to indicate that you were subject to any form of discrimination that considered illegal.

bryanb

What was the significance of 7.55pm? Do you perhaps finish at 8?

ckerrd

You mention "two offences" was someone else disciplined for the same thing?
Did you know about the other offence?

If the company have given you no indication whatsoever, a handbook/a link to their website etc etc, then you may well point that out to them but at only 11 weeks employment you have little comeback.

I thought they had dismissed you instantly - the reference to civil recovery and police involvement does not mean they have to keep you on the payroll.
For such a minor amount ( I assume it was anyway) they were probably trying to put the fear of God into you - not really worth their while taking it any further. (IMO)

bap98189

In retail, staff giving out freebies to friends/family is very serious offence. Certainly that has been made very clear from day 1 in every shop I have ever worked in. In most, you are even told not to serve family or people you know to avoid this sort of situation ever happening. That it was only a points voucher is not the point. As far as the shop are concerned this will be gross misconduct.

Add in the fact you have been pulled up 3 times in only your first 11 weeks of working there and it is hardly surprising you have been dismissed. Do you really need to have it explained that you cannot do your shopping when you are working, or that you cannot give freebies to your friends? I think you need to accept this and move on.

The only positive I can suggest to you is that I would doubt very much that the police will be involved over a voucher, so long as that is really the only thing that you gave to your friend.

wontfallforit

muckle_dunt wrote: »

Last week I was summary dismissed from my employment - I have worked for the company for 11 weeks and was taken to a disciplinary hearing the reasons given were

Shopping on company time – I remember at 7.55pm I required deodorant

Shopping on company time is enough to see you dismissed at any time, let alone after just 11 weeks' work. Being paid for not doing your job is effectively stealing.

No Security on voucher at till
Suspicious voucher given to my friend

I gave my friend an unwanted voucher that a customer had refused!!!

What kind of voucher was this? An actual gift voucher, or some kind of 'money off' coupon? What was the monetary value? Just curious.

I have admitted the offences but I insist it was the result of lack of training on my employer's part particularly around the issuing of these vouchers that has led to the last two offences - I honestly believed I had done nothing wrong by giving my friend an unwanted voucher knowing she would use it and in all probability spend more money.

Even if you genuinely did not know it was an offence to give away vouchers to family/friends, you can't simply blame poor training. There should be something in your contract/company handbook relating to incidents like this. It's your responsibility to read up on the relevant guidelines and - no offence - to use a little bit of common sense (particularly in regards to shopping on company time).

My questions is that I was told at the end of the hearing that this matter may be passed to the police [...] Also it may be passed to Civil Recovery to recovery the cost involved investigating this matter

This is quite unlikely. It's possible for the company to get the police involved, but really unlikely - if that makes you feel any better.

Why was I not pulled up by my manager on this matter and explained what the correct procedures were around issuing vouchers

Sorry, I don't understand this. Was your manager present when you actually gave this voucher away?? Or do you mean why weren't the procedures explained in general? If you mean in general, then it's something that is bound to be covered in your employee handbook - whether relating directly to the issuing of vouchers, or relating to serving family/friends, or both.

DVardysShadow

muckle_dunt wrote: »

My questions is that I was told at the end of the hearing that this matter may be passed to the police and my friend and I could be further investigated (my friend is mortified that she has been involved in my act of stupidity) - I think they are hoping to prove that we were in on this together whereas it was a split moment decision on my part to give my friend this unwanted voucher. Also it may be passed to Civil Recovery to recovery the cost involved investigating this matter

Why was I not pulled up by my manager on this matter and explained what the correct procedures were around issuing vouchers and more importantly why was I put through this on my 11th week of a 12 week probationary period - why not dismiss me instantly by revoking my contract and not waste money investigating this case which I will probably have to pay for through Civil Recovery

I am really stressed and upset at what my ex employer has put me through for a mistake that was made unwittingly and without intent but I am more upset that my friend is completely innocent and is being involved through no fault of her own

Please can you offer some advice and help - do you think I need legal advice ?

I think you do need legal advice.

If I am not mistaken this is Boots, who I believe use 'Civil Recovery'. The police may dismiss the matter as not worth their while, but from other sites, Civil Recovery is little more than a self funding scam, with hint of suspicion that store detectives put wrong price labels on expensive goods which they watch and then accuse the unfortunate customer who spots a bargain of swapping price labels. Once they are let loose on something they will pursue it aggressively. You will need to be very strong to resist this if it goes down this route.

maninthestreet

DVardysShadow wrote: »

If I am not mistaken this is Boots, who I believe use 'Civil Recovery'. The police may dismiss the matter as not worth their while, but from other sites, Civil Recovery is little more than a self funding scam, with hint of suspicion that store detectives put wrong price labels on expensive goods which they watch and then accuse the unfortunate customer who spots a bargain of swapping price labels. Once they are let loose on something they will pursue it aggressively. You will need to be very strong to resist this if it goes down this route.

With bar code labelling, do items in Boots actually have a sticky label with the price on???

DVardysShadow

maninthestreet wrote: »

With bar code labelling, do items in Boots actually have a sticky label with the price on???

Sorry if there is any confusion. Civil recovery is used across a number of retail concerns. The one I was citing was obviously not from OP's sector.

muckle_dunt

Yes, I agree with what most of you say- I was really stupid in passing the unwanted voucher to my friend but as a customer had refused it and the voucher was in the public domain as such I considered it good customer service to pass it on to someone I knew would make use of it. I bought the items at 7.55pm and finished my shift at 8pm - I tried to get approval for this but the team leader was in the office on the phone so stupidly I took it upon myself to purchase this and showed the team leader when she came through to cash up.

I have not been pulled up before on anything in the previous 11 weeks infact if anything I was the model employee who's customer comment feedback was the highest instore.

The day following the incident with the voucher the team leader came and asked if I could run the shop floor whilst she and another member of staff did important "training" in the office and could not be disturbed for any reason ( I believe this is when they gathered their CCTV evidence) yet my honesty and integrity were not brought into question that day.

I am not new to retail (I was previously a store manager for 15 years) before being made redundant and therefore I am fully aware of how the system works - yes I made stupid mistakes unwittingly and I think the situation could have been handled differently

If anything I wish to clear my friend's name who is the innocent party in this.

Many thanks for your replies - much appreicated

DVardysShadow

muckle_dunt wrote: »

...
I have not been pulled up before on anything in the previous 11 weeks infact if anything I was the model employee who's customer comment feedback was the highest instore.

The day following the incident with the voucher the team leader came and asked if I could run the shop floor whilst she and another member of staff did important "training" in the office and could not be disturbed for any reason ( I believe this is when they gathered their CCTV evidence) yet my honesty and integrity were not brought into question that day.

I am not new to retail (I was previously a store manager for 15 years) before being made redundant and therefore I am fully aware of how the system works - yes I made stupid mistakes unwittingly and I think the situation could have been handled differently

OK, thought you might have been younger. Your previous experience indicates that you do not really have a complaint of inadequate training, you don't need training with your experience. What we have here is a difference of working practices and a very valid complaint about not being adequately briefed.

I would say your problem is that you were too good and they were looking for any excuse to get rid of you because they could see themselves being eclipsed. Would you agree? Has anything happened to indicate that this might be the case?