Falling asleep at work - grounds for dismissal?

surreysaver

If you work in a safety-related job, I would expect you to be prosecuted and sacked. Office type job, no one will probably notice.

But if you are not fit for work, you shouldn't be at work.

dori2o

I have found over the past 6/7 months that I'm always very tired, and I have more than once felt myself going, but thats down to the medication I take.

I have found that I can control it better by taking my evening meds a bit earlier, but sometimes it just cannot be helped.

It doesn't make a difference going to bed earlier either as I still only get between 3.5 to 4 hours sleep a night anyway. By going to bed earlier it just means I spend more time staring at the ceiling

I have also found it better when I have an earphone in and my ipod/radio playing.

My worry is driving. So far I've not had a problem, I seem to be able to manage when driving (a sort of 2nd wind), but I've used up most of my annual leave by going home early on days where I have struggled, for fear of what might happen if I stay and tire myself out even more.

heretolearn_2

I think it depends on the reasons as to the overall attitude I'd take.

Other job/late night/etc - not my problem, would treat it very seriously. You are paid to work not sleep. Had an issue once with someone very religious who kept going to all night prayer vigils and then falling asleep the next day. They were given a final written warning and told to think about whether they were serious about the job or not.

Medical reasons: I've known 2 people who kept falling asleep, they went to the doctor, one had sleep apnoea and one had undiagnosed diabetes. They got their problems sorted out and it stopped being an issue. I think most employers would be more sympathetic under these sorts of circumstances.

Acc72

Janey7 wrote: »

it is written down in the HR policy so if someone gets caught they don't have a leg to stand on.

Really ? - your companies procedures actually specify falling asleep whilst at work as an example of gross misconduct ?

I can only imagine that the person who put together the procedures has previous experience of having to deal with an employee falling asleep on the job and decided to include it !

crabyducky

suppose it would depend on the employer, and the job.

Any job with a duty of care, sack, and possible criminal procedings

Slinky

Somewhere I worked a new staff member fell asleep in a meeting on their first day......... Didn't get the sack, but they were never allowed to forget it!

I started a job a day later than I was supposed to (with permission) after coming back from holiday on a long haul flight. I reckoned people would forget that I'd started a day later than intended, they'd not forget me falling asleep on that first day!

scooby088

I have fell asleep on the toilet at work before only for 15 mins but was really tired still managed to do the 8 hour shift though.

KiKi

It would also depend on the reason for me. If someone had been up with a very sick child all night, I'd have some sympathy. If they'd been out partying - which is a choice - I'd have no sympathy whatsoever.

It would also depend on the job - it wouldn't be a huge deal work wise for anyone in my team, but if they were a driver, that would be a HUGE issue.

I don't think it would be gross misconduct if it were a one-off...but I'd consider a warning if it was a serious problem in the role, or brought about wilfully.