Advice needed, disciplinary meeting.

vesuvius

Hi Everyone.

first time poster please be gentle. Ok the set up.

Basically I was asked to attend a HR meeting recently. the allegation was I broke a fire evacuation procedure by entering the building again before the procedure was over.

I searched my works intranet for a fire evacuation policy and I read over one that came up. this procedure said once the alarm bell has stopped that is the signal to re-enter the building. and this is what I did.

The outcome was they indeed said I broke the procedure as the fire evacuation document I presented was an old document used by my work before a merger had taken place. they called it a 'legacy document'.

Now I argued that if the document is on the system, it stays a live document. could anyone give me some legal clarification on this issue if possible? I mean, are my management now saying you cannot trust any documents on their system now as some may be old? it seems a little funny to me.

Also they decided to take no further action against me. though they still say I was in the wrong. obviously im not pleased about this and I would like to be fully exhonerated from all responsibilty. In truth I think they are hoping ill just go away and say no more about it.

For me it all hangs on whether this document they say is 'legacy' but in my opinion its live.

What do you guys thank? and help would be much appreciated

Thank you.

whitewing

Did you read that policy after the event? I assume they can track that.

So really you actually did re-enter the building without knowing it was safe to do so, and that potentially puts others at risk.

I think you should just leave it.

vesuvius

whitewing wrote: »

Did you read that policy after the event? I assume they can track that.

So really you actually did re-enter the building without knowing it was safe to do so, and that potentially puts others at risk.

I think you should just leave it.

They can probably see I downloaded and printed a copy of the procedure after I had initially been contacted for a meeting. though they would have no way of proving I did not read over that particular policy long before the incident took place.

And even so should my employer not have a duty of care here to remove any old documents that could potentially put employees at risk by following a wrong policy?

Takeaway_Addict

when did you start working for them?

agrinnall

What's different about the new policy? If you are only allowed to re-enter the building once an authorised person says so then surely you would have seen that nobody else was going back in.

vesuvius

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

when did you start working for them?

around 8 years ago now 2005.

vesuvius

agrinnall wrote: »

What's different about the new policy? If you are only allowed to re-enter the building once an authorised person says so then surely you would have seen that nobody else was going back in.

Thats another part of this. a lot of other staff members were re-entering the building. there were no designated staff present to relay it was safe to enter again.

The person who reported me appears to have sinlged me out. I had a colleage right beside me at the time of re-entering. I was called to a meeting, he wasnt. makes me feel like I have been victimised. the colleague with me has made it clear he is prepared to give a witness statement. though thats a fight for another day im thinking.

Takeaway_Addict

To be honest if they have held an investigatory meeting and decided not to do anything then you are better of letting it go.

Pick your battles as they say

duchy

I'd let it go -especially if you were told to not re-enter and did so anyway.

I was a witness in a similar sort of disciplinary where wording had changed. It was acknowledged that certain staff hadn't had the correct notification and that because of this there was no action to be taken but it was also commented that the staff member now knew the new policy and was expected to follow it. Poor admin certainly but I don't see what else you have to gain by pushing this. Common sense should have told you that no-one else was acting as you were anyway. (I'm not going to ask if you were told directly not to re-enter and ignored the advice)

EDIT If they have held an investegatory meeting and it is deemed there is no case to answer then there isn't anything to be a witness to -and I'd agree pick your battles - but watch your back too as it seems someone is not a fan !

vesuvius

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

To be honest if they have held an investigatory meeting and decided not to do anything then you are better of letting it go.

Pick your battles as they say

Good advice. I do feel however I have been wronged. also the fact that my employer believes I have broken fire evacuation procedures will now be held in my record which I wouldnt be happy about.

Takeaway_Addict

vesuvius wrote: »

Good advice. I do feel however I have been wronged. also the fact that my employer believes I have broken fire evacuation procedures will now be held in my record which I wouldnt be happy about.

People make mistakes, its one of those things in life that you can let consume you or ultimately accept that the employer knows you do a good job overall and they cocked up and let it go.