sacked...

Torry_Quine

onthewayout wrote: »

To the OP, you were doing it wrong but immediate sacking still seems harsh. Still, it was your mistake and I don't think disputing this will help you.

Basically you have two options. Either own up and try to explain when you go for another job, or leave it off your CV and fill the gap with something else. Have you been studying recently and could you get a tutor or teacher's reference? If not, you can get a start in some sales jobs on the basis of an interview and passing tests, or you could look at starting your own business. Try and get a place to stay with friends or family to cut your costs while you sort this out (I'm assuming you moved out already?)

Some will say honesty is the best policy, but I can't see how owning up to being sacked for gross misconduct would ever do you any good. It sounds far worse than just making an error of judgement, and to be honest I doubt you would ever get hired anywhere that checks that reference. Better face up to that now while you still have some money in the bank. Good luck.

He worked there for six years from school so can't leave it out.

Honesty is the only way forward as a prospective employer if not before from reference, will find out what happened. It gives them the chance to explain. It wasn't the worst mistake an employee ever made and there are employers who will give a second chance.

My cousin was sacked for gross misconduct and has found it hard but has had several interviews and has now been offered a job and in the same sector.

vax2002

A point to remember is POLICY is not the law, we have laws to protect us from unjust policy.
Take them to the cleaners !

onthewayout

A few other options:

Go to university, and take the government loans to do it. It's a pretty large debt to build up, but if you pick a useful degree subject it should still pay off.

Do volunteer work at a charity and get a reference from that, if you can stay anywhere rent-free for a few months.

European Voluntary Service. The EU has a grant scheme to cover all your costs on a long charity project somewhere on the Continent. Even your flights to get there, and it can last up to 12 months.

Join the Army. They will want to know about your dismissal, but I think they're more likely to consider it in context than another bookies shop would.

DCFC79

McKneff wrote: »

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

What is a 'think 21 audit'

By sounds of it I think its like what the shops have to do with trading standards and police, asking for ID if they look under a certain age eg 21, refuse sale/transaction if NO ID/ID turns out to be for another person

micflair_2

I was starting to think in more your favour OP, until you mentioned that you was the shop manager.

Its your responsibility in the shop to set the standards and ensure this kind of thing does not happen. IF the better happened to be 17 instead of 19 you would be in legal troubles aswell as losing your job. Your company (aswell as mine) clearly has a zero tolerance attitude towards this, as its them who will get the bad name and fines aswell as yourself.

However, my store has failed this before - for selling a lottery ticket to an underage person. They actually where underage though, so Im not sure technically the details of what you have actually done wrong as the person sent in to test you was of legal age. Was the guy who came in to test you sent by the company, or by the council?

I think you have not lost your job on YOUR failure of what happened, but for the STORES numbers of failures of test purchases/bets. If you was not the manager of the store it would be a different outcome I think.

dacouch

In fairness to the OP if he is aged 24 then he / she is probably better at judging the age of people of a similar age than older staff.

As other state being the manager carries more responsibility and the shop failing other age tests would not help.

Reading the paper and texting is a big no no, as a customer it really annoys me how staff in certain betting shops (Normally seems to be William Hill) are forever on the phone. In my area they give you real attitude if you dare to interrupt their phone call by wanting to place a bet especially if the game / race is about to go off. If they had not been on their phone it would not be a problem.

They really need to realise that the product they're selling is exactly the same as any other bookmaker, if they give a bad customer experience, the customer simply goes to a competitor who offers good customer service.

There cannot be many customer facing businesses who allow their staff to text or make phone calls while on duty.

thorsoak

Why not come clean about it? Admit what happened - that you thought the person looked to be 24, and therefore you failed to check age/proof of age? It happens. To admit to the failure, but say that you worked there fore 6 years with a clean record is surely far better than fudging the issue.

You made a mistake - you were dismissed. If you admit it, it's not as if you are likely to make the same mistake again - therefore surely it makes you a better candidate for the job.

Macca83_2

The customer was 19 not 17 so no laws were broken and following their think 21 POLICY, the poster believing the customer to be over 21, served them. i don't see how the company could have any grounds for gross misconduct.

mynameistallulah

Macca83 wrote: »

The customer was 19 not 17 so no laws were broken and following their think 21 POLICY, the poster believing the customer to be over 21, served them. i don't see how the company could have any grounds for gross misconduct.

The retailer's policy is that ID must be asked for where the customer appears to be under 21. The fact that the individual was over 18 is irrelevant.

tupac662

The job market is quite tough so I wish you all the best OP. I failed one of the numerous Think21 audits and ended up with a disciplinary warning, but thankfully I found another job in a less pressurised environment.
Was it Ladcrooks by any chance?