Help please. Husband suspended from work. **Updated**

stelly

I'm sitting here feeling slight shell shocked.

My OH has come home early from work today and told me he has been suspended.........

For stealing a packet of crisps !!!

He is an HGV driver for a supermarket and a manager from one of the shops caught him last night (he didn't know they had) and obviously told his boss.

He's admitted it and they suspended him.

He now has a meeting on Monday and i guess i'm just trying to plan for the worse.

I know they will see it as theft and therefore i think he'll get dismissed. Im really hoping not but can understand why they would.

Where does this leave him with trying to get a new job?

Will he have to tell any new employers?

Is there any point in even thinking of using them for a reference?

Will he qualify for any benefits if he was dismissed?

Sorry for all the questions. Im having a bit of a panic as his wages pay all our bills and I only work part-time. Even if i went full-time i would'nt earn enought to keep us going.

I cant believe he has put himself (and me) in this position because of a packet of crisps.

INT1

Theft is theft at end of day.

Has he been pinching any other snacks? It might be they want to make an example of him to the other employees.

Hope it's just a smack on the wrist for him however it all depends if the company need to let staff go and maybe this could be a way of doing it?...

shikoku

How long has he worked there?

stelly

I don't think he has done it before.

There would be no point in asking him though as he knows i'm angry and would deny it so that i did'nt totally freak at him.

He's worked there for over 2 yrs and has really put himself out for them in those years so i'm hoping that would go in his favour, plus they are quite short staffed just now.

I definately agree with you about the theft.
Which is why im trying to be realistic about the fact he'll be dismissed.

greendollar

Where does this leave him with trying to get a new job?

Very difficult , many firms will not touch him as its seen as gross misconduct .

Will he have to tell any new employers?

Not if he doesn't want to .

Is there any point in even thinking of using them for a reference?
No

Will he qualify for any benefits if he was dismissed?

Yes , but expect them to be sanctioned (reduced) for up to 26 weeks as they will deem that he has made himself intentionally unemployed .

Hopefully they will be lenient as its just a packet of crisps but be prepared for the worse . Good Luck .

shikoku

It's good that he has worked there for over a year, this means he has a great deal more in the way of employment rights.

For a first offence sacking would be a disproportionate response. His employers know this. Let's see what happens, then consider the options, it might just blow over with a warning.

Oldernotwiser

shikoku wrote: »

For a first offence sacking would be a disproportionate response. His employers know this. .

Why would sacking be a disproportionate response to theft - how many times do you have to get caught for it to be an appropriate action?

SarEl

shikoku wrote: »

It's good that he has worked there for over a year, this means he has a great deal more in the way of employment rights.

For a first offence sacking would be a disproportionate response. His employers know this. Let's see what happens, then consider the options, it might just blow over with a warning.

Sorry, but I disagree. The OP is correct, both morally and in law. Sacking is not a disproportionate response for a first offence if the first offence is theft. Tribunals have no power to determine that theft of one thing is more or less important than theft of another thing. So what he stole has no relevance in law - just that he stole (and he has admitted it, so no chance of denying it now). I would suggest a mitigation that argues his previous good record, any effort above and beyond the call of duty, his length of service, and a deep and meant apology. In such circumstances, pleading would also be advised. If he is lucky he may get a final warning - to get anything less than that I would make him buy the lottery tickets in future !

olias

Only advice I can give is for him to attend his meeting and be grovelingly apologetic and repentant and hope they accept it as a one off. If they do state their intention to sack him, I would suggest he apologises again and explains the hardship this would bring (difficulty getting a new job etc) and that he asks if they would be willing to accept his resignation in return for an adequate reference.

Olias

GEEGEE8

Why didn't the bloke who saw him say something there and then? Surely he would know that it would be deemed theft, and for 40p or whatever did he really think it was fair to possibly mean the guy losing his job?

I know theft is theft, but for a bag of crisps!?

I hope they see it for what it is, and that is a sneaky snack grab from his employers and not as a viscious act of doing them out of money.

Errata

OP - I'm sure your OH is deeply upset and sorry and it's sad that you think he would lie to you if you questioned him about the theft. Nevertheless, it would be sensible to have a discussion with him about it.
He has admitted to you that he stole a bag of crisps, but packets of crisps being delivered on an HGV to a supermarket are usually packed in multiples in a sealed cardboard box. If this is the case, was the box damaged and did a packet fall out ?
You may face very difficult times ahead and your OH needs to understand and be completely open and honest with you about what was stolen and how and if this is a first offence, in order to gain your understanding and support.