Son told to 'start looking for another job'

ceridwen

O.P. - Good on your son for making sure his colleague got his belongings back.

As your son has been there over a year - then I don't see how his supervisor could possibly say it was misconduct of any description to hand personal belongings back to someone.

Wise for your son to keep the letter/s requesting the possessions back and it would be best for him to get one from the ex-employee saying "Thank you for giving me my belongings back" from the man concerned.

Obviously the supervisor is a bossy, nasty little man. This being the case - I very much doubt he could make anything "stick" right now for charges (as your son has done nothing wrong). However - Mr Nasty may try and "trump up" some charge against him in the future - so he would be wise to "watch his back" against him.

Hopefully - Mr Nasty is just having a "bout of sound and fury" because he is so upset at not having had the chance to continue to be nasty to the former work colleague. Maybe Mr Nasty will "pipe down" - now he's vented his frustration at a stop being put on his nastiness.

Stay watchful - and keep a Diary of Events - just in case Mr Nasty gets vengeful about not being allowed to derive as much enjoyment as he was planning to by being nasty to the former colleague.

Mr Nasty must have been SO upset that no-one took the hint and accidentally threw away the former employees' belongings - and now no-one can do so. Thats why the !!!!! is so upset that he's taking it out on your son. He must have really hated the former employee something rotten...

shikoku

Incyder wrote: »

In my days of being employed i always took home everything of mine every night.

I always assume I may not want to go back ever again or I may not be allowed back again.

Either way, it matters not.

I take my stuff to work, I bring it all away again. Always.

Agreed I always make a point of never having more personal possessions at work than I can fit into a carrier bag just in case I need to remove them all quickly.

MrRedundant

What I would add is employees posessions or not it was not your sons role to return them; for all he knew they were being withheld for legal reasons (i.e a lien over a debt or as part of an investigation)

Whilst the manager shouldnt have said what they did it probably doesnt mean the outcome was going to be anything else.

gilligansyle

All investigations long over and former employee dismissed, can't think that a spare pair of trousers and some books would be any use to anybody else. If that was the case, surely they would have been put somewhere secure or even left in the locker, rather than just dumped in the kitchen in a bin bag.

It may not have been my son's role to return them but it was the ex colleagues right to have them back, but the legal issues aside, the question was could it be grounds for gross misconduct and dismissal.

Having read what people have said, I think its a case of watching his back now. He probably can't be dismissed for this, but they will try to find some other reason.

DVardysShadow

MrRedundant wrote: »

What I would add is employees posessions or not it was not your sons role to return them; for all he knew they were being withheld for legal reasons (i.e a lien over a debt or as part of an investigation)

Whilst the manager shouldnt have said what they did it probably doesnt mean the outcome was going to be anything else.

As a lien for a debt, in a black bin liner, the locker they were in having been forced open? Nah.

As part of an investigation? Employers do not have these powers.

Uncertain

MrRedundant wrote: »

they were being withheld for legal reasons (i.e a lien over a debt or as part of an investigation)

And when, exactly, did that become legal?