Arrested - should work be informed?

busymum79

Hi, I'm posting on behalf of a work mate who has got himself in a bit of a jam...
About 3 weeks ago he was arrested and charged with Drunk & Disorderly. He appeared in court last week and was fined £100.

He didn't mention any of this to his manager and is now worried because a small item appeared in the local paper about it. He has a very unusual surname and if anybody from work sees it, they will know it was him.

Is he better off coming clean to management? The incident happened outside of work and has now been resolved, so would he get in to any trouble for it?

He has been with the company for just under a year.
Any ideas?

Newbiesw

Hmmmm! depends what he got up to and how much information was in the paper.
If the worst thing the newspaper states is "....was arrested for being drunk & disorderly", I wouldn't mention it hoping no-one spots it but if they do, I would shrug it off as just a bit too much to drink that night as it's hardly on the same level of crime as murder, rape, embezzlement, arson etc is it?
The papers are constantly showing us images of young women blotto'd and lying in the gutters every weekend so I'm sure a bloke having a bit too much one night is not the crime of the century.

Newbiesw

busymum79

I think he's more worried that his arrest could count as a misconduct and he could lose his job. Yes, a D&D isn't exactly bank robbery but an arrest is still an arrest. The only thing that worries me, is that when I asked him if he has any previous convictions he got very shifty and changed the subject.

Morgan_Ree

I think it depends on what he does for a living.

Working in a warehouse - no-one needs to know
Working with vulnerable people - he should come clean because his employers could do a random CRB check and it'll show up then.

Newbiesw

I think only your friend can decide what to do as he knows his work situation and the likely reaction from Management better than any forumer.
They say that honesty is always the best policy and your Management may appreciate his honesty, be aware that it is totally out of character and value this employee that they just may privately laugh it off or......
it may be just the excuse they've been waiting for to get rid of him ?

Awful situation to be in........

Newbiesw

busymum79

It's fast food! I think he's got so worried because, to be honest, he's not a popular member of staff and if people there thought they had the chance to 'grass him up' they would.

Morgan_Ree

busymum79 wrote: »

It's fast food! I think he's got so worried because, to be honest, he's not a popular member of staff and if people there thought they had the chance to 'grass him up' they would.

The I'd tell him to keep his mouth shut.
Is it a requirment to have a clean CRB for the job? I know he might be handling money but drunk and disorderly does not make him a thief!

If it does come out I'd just say I doesn't affect my work so I didn't feel the need to mention it.
Tell him not to make a drama out of it. It's nothing

dmg24

The chances of it coming out seem very high. For this reason, I would be honest before it comes from somebody else.

SarEl

I'd have to point out that it may all be moot for a few weeks anyway. If he has worked there for "just under a year" then unless that means 51 weeks (+ statutory notice of one week) he can be dismissed for anything - pretty much.

However, it seems that at the very least, whilst this in itself may not be the crime of the century, he needs to "buck his ideas up somewhat". Drunk and disorderly, possibly something else there in the background (I am sure your judgement on his "shiftiness" is better than his judgement on most things!), and he happens just to have p!!!!d off his co-workers enough for them to want him gone... To paraphrase Oscar Wilde - "once is a tragedy, twice is carelessness". In other words, you can only be "anti-social" so many times before it catches up with you.

scubaangel

busymum79 wrote: »

It's fast food! I think he's got so worried because, to be honest, he's not a popular member of staff and if people there thought they had the chance to 'grass him up' they would.

In that case I'd probably advise that he tells them, you can't be 'grassed up' for something thats already out in the open.

dave4545454

no work shouldn't be informed, it's nothing to do with them or what he does out of work hours.


companies look for any excuse to get rid of people without you helping them too!