disciplinary

ch8797

Ive been disciplined at work and have been invited to a meeting and dont know what to say

hcb42

did you tag anyone or any place in the postings??? These postings show on searches on the building in question for example, hence the disrepute thing.

In terms of how to play it, all yo can do is grovel grovel and state it was a one off and you realise that it was inappropriate and will never do it again...etc.etc...and stick to it.

Social media policy will follow I expect, as in a lot of companies.

copa_feela

ch8797 wrote: »

I need some advice, thought you clever bods might be able to help me out.
Right, I have been suspended from work. I wrote a couple of comments on someones status on a social networking site ( I know, groan!) which were construed as contravening our "dignity at work" Policy.
In a nutshell, I had a training course and referred to the external trainers who I felt were bullying a colleague as "a couple of absolute knobs". They were extremely unprofessional. Strike one. Another colleague posted unrelatedly about being ignored when holding the door for a staff member from another department. Amongst other things she referred to her as a stupid f**ing b*tch. I did not agree nor disagree but said there were a few bitey people in the room, told her to ignore it but did refer to an imaginary person as (name) f*ck face. I also said about people being afraid to go to lunch. Now, I admit it was bad language and I shouldnt have posted it on the grounds of the nature of my posts potentially being offensive. But they are trying to say I was bullying or affecting someones dignity at work which certainly was not my intention. I do not say where I work nor is any person named in the postings. It was posted in the evening from my personal mobile. There is no social networking policy in place. I have up to this point not denied that I posted it nor have I tried to make excuses and would accept that the company is in its rights to punish me but I am really not sure whether it constitutes the serious misconduct which I have been accused of. I dont know who is seriously offended and I am upset that I might have made someone feel bad. I am not sure how to play this as I dont want to be sacked and I feel this may happen.
The policy dignity at work refers to conduct which the recipient finds offensive and affects their dignity at work but if I did not name or direct the post at anyone how can it be deemed to be personally offensive or bullying? I accept that the company thinks it is wrong but I am unsure about the severity of the punishment if they decide to hold me up as an example. Thank you in advance.

You have made your working relationship with the individuals you have referred to completely untenable. I would apologise at the disciplinary, offer to apologise to the individuals in question ... and expect to be dismissed.

How long have you been there?

SarEl

Well at the very last your insulted their trainers and that's identifiable people. You brought the company into disrepute (people being afraid to take lunch breaks). That's quite enough for dismissal even if the other comments can't be linked to a specific individual. I suggest grovelling, and eben that may not be sufficient. This is pretty serious stuff and whether they have a social networking policy or not - you must have known that making such comments would be entirely unacceptable.

ch8797

6 years. I didnt refer to anyone hence there wasnt any targeted comments at a particular person. So I can grovel which I certainly will do as it was totally a stupid thing to do..

ch8797

So, so stupid...

copa_feela

ch8797 wrote: »

6 years. I didnt refer to anyone hence there wasnt any targeted comments at a particular person. So I can grovel which I certainly will do as it was totally a stupid thing to do..

If I was one of the trainers, I would take this very offensively:

I had a training course and referred to the external trainers who I felt were bullying a colleague as "a couple of absolute knobs"

You don't need to specify names for people to know who you are talking about.

On a positive, your length of service will go for you, assuming you have not been in trouble before?

ch8797

Nope no trouble before. You are absolutely right though, offensive.

copa_feela

You come across as truly sorry. All you can do is apologise and explain the comments were spur of the moment, you didn't think about what you were saying etc. I would not think about trying to mitigate by attempting to justify the comments, they were wrong full stop and you now realise that.

Let us know how you get on.

trishandbubs

Someone I know was disciplined for writing comments on someone else's social networking status and was facing dismissal. Union was involved and they argued that as the person involved profile was private and only available for friends to see it technically wasnt public and they asked for evidence of how the company got aquired the evidence. This could not be provided and eventually he just got a written warning and told by the union to be more careful in future.

You have done something daft but check with the person involved that they have security settings set to friends only and ask how the company obtained the status. Make sure you are treated fairly with all the others involved as well and they dont make an example of you. If there were a few people involved it could cause problems for the company having to sack a lot of people at once!!

Good luck but you were still daft

Googlewhacker

trishandbubs wrote: »

Someone I know was disciplined for writing comments on someone else's social networking status and was facing dismissal. Union was involved and they argued that as the person involved profile was private and only available for friends to see it technically wasnt public and they asked for evidence of how the company got aquired the evidence. This could not be provided and eventually he just got a written warning and told by the union to be more careful in future.

You have done something daft but check with the person involved that they have security settings set to friends only and ask how the company obtained the status. Make sure you are treated fairly with all the others involved as well and they dont make an example of you. If there were a few people involved it could cause problems for the company having to sack a lot of people at once!!

Good luck but you were still daft

The company should have just said that another employee told them and then if they can prove that it then shows that whilst its on private settings it can be put into the outside world.