sacked...

slim1690

I was sacked by a high street bookmaker after 6 years service for a failure of a Think 21 audit (gross misconduct), I have spoken to other high street bookies and they all say they won't take anyone on who's been dismissed by another firm, I have found another job but after two days I've been called in to see the manager on Monday and I'm certain he's gonna say that they've contacted my ex employer (which in this case I omitted to tell them about because I couldn't even get an interview otherwise) and that I'll be out on my !!!! again. I feel like I'll never be able to get and keep another job because this ex employer is my only working reference, and they're obviously giving people a poor reference when contacted.

McKneff

They cant give you a 'poor' reference but they have to give a truthful one.

What is a 'think 21 audit'

scooby088

Think 21 is like asking people their age if they look under age and probably OP didn't/ hasn't asked the question are you 21.

phoneguy

It's like a 'think 25' audit :-) Basically, not allowed to sell bets / alcohol to anyone who *looks* (and that's the key word) under 21 (or 25).

My daughter failed a Think 25 on an Alcohol sale for a supermarket where she worked. She was given a final written warning, but not sacked.

slim1690

Yeah, that's it, person was 19 but looked 24 to me. When I asked, the company said they can and will inform anyone asking for a reference that I was dismissed for gross misconduct, so from where I'm sitting it just makes me look like some kind of thief or fraudster. I was 18 when I joined them and have no other work references to give a future employer.

londonTiger

That sucks man. One momentary lapse and you're screwed. I guess they're covering their backs. One sale to an underage person and that's it, they're facing biiig fines and loss of their license.

SO they need to have a hard stance and do these audits so when that odd sale to underage person does happen, they can show to the prosecution that they're proactive with enforcement, so it's not the fault of the employer but the employee.

You've just become a statistic, other employers in the alcohol and betting business might think they're taking a risk with you.

micflair_2

I work in a retail shop, so very similar to your former job.

The age restriction thing is MASSIVE at the moment. If anyone sells any restricted item to someone under age its a big problem as both the employer and the employee can get trouble.

Your former employer is not doing anything wrong in telling people in a reference that you got dismissed for this. They are being honest thats all.

Its unfortunate that you are in this spot now, as you said its going to be hard to find another job now. Your best bet (no pun intended) would be to look for work in another area now, and not mention your former job as this is always going to follow you about if they ask for a reference.

Good luck.

slim1690

Exactly. Numerous others have got away with warnings for the same thing, so I'll be speaking to ACAS and taking it to Employment Tribunal, but in the meantime I just want to get working, don't want to be signing on or claiming benefit....

Breezay

It's odd that you were fired for this one failure.. I've never heard of that - especially if the person was old enough to be served. Technically, although you failed their test, you didn't do anything wrong.

And I don't think it's something that can be classed as gross misconduct. I was wrongly fired for 'gross misconduct' a couple of years ago, it was a joke. The owner of the company sat me down & read out a list of mostly made up 'problems' and told me that all of them grouped together was gross misconduct! I had no idea what that meant at the time & ended up calling ACAS, who told me that it wasn't GM. Not even close! Lol.

I'd recommend calling ACAS & seeing what they say about this.

slim1690

micflair wrote: »

I work in a retail shop, so very similar to your former job.

The age restriction thing is MASSIVE at the moment. If anyone sells any restricted item to someone under age its a big problem as both the employer and the employee can get trouble.

Your former employer is not doing anything wrong in telling people in a reference that you got dismissed for this. They are being honest thats all.

Its unfortunate that you are in this spot now, as you said its going to be hard to find another job now. Your best bet (no pun intended) would be to look for work in another area now, and not mention your former job as this is always going to follow you about if they ask for a reference.

Good luck.

Two points here, Firstly the person I served was NOT actually underage, thats what sticks in my throat, and I'd love to not mention my previous job but how do I account for the six years of my life between leaving education and now?

slim1690

Breezay wrote: »

It's odd that you were fired for this one failure.. I've never heard of that - especially if the person was old enough to be served. Technically, although you failed their test, you didn't do anything wrong.

And I don't think it's something that can be classed as gross misconduct. I was wrongly fired for 'gross misconduct' a couple of years ago, it was a joke. The owner of the company sat me down & read out a list of mostly made up 'problems' and told me that all of them grouped together was gross misconduct! I had no idea what that meant at the time & ended up calling ACAS, who told me that it wasn't GM. Not even close! Lol.

I'd recommend calling ACAS & seeing what they say about this.

In the training everyone received, it was stated that failure to enforce T21 policy could be gross misconduct, I've gone through the company's appeal process and they've upheld the original decision, so ACAS is my next step.