Facing dismissal because of a mistake

jobbingmusician

You asked your deputy if he would post a package for you, saying you'd reimburse him when he got back. He chose to use PC for this transaction. You then were unable, and then forgot, to pay him back.

Not ideal, but definitely not gross misconduct or abuse of company funds - except, perhaps, by your deputy. I would apologise for any misunderstanding, but state that you expected him to use HIS money, not the company's!

jobbingmusician

You asked your deputy if he would post a package for you, saying you'd reimburse him when he got back. He chose to use PC for this transaction. You then were unable, and then forgot, to pay him back.

Not ideal, but definitely not gross misconduct or abuse of company funds - except, perhaps, by your deputy. I would apologise for any misunderstanding, but state that you expected him to use HIS money, not the company's!

wiogs

It could come down to a he said/she said argument if you want to go down that road.

Depends who the bosses choose to side with and what outcome they envisage.

If though they have not followed their process correctly any appeal would be likely to succeed.

Southend1

wiogs wrote: »

It could come down to a he said/she said argument if you want to go down that road.

Depends who the bosses choose to side with and what outcome they envisage.

If though they have not followed their process correctly any appeal would be likely to succeed.

I would be wary of gambling on the employer changing their mind because procedure wasn't followed to the letter.

OP should argue as jobbingmusician and others say: it was the deputy who used the petty cash money not her.

wiogs

It then becomes a gamble as to who the disciplinary panel choose, or want, to believe.

Southend1

wiogs wrote: »

It then becomes a gamble as to who the disciplinary panel choose, or want, to believe.

Rather than a straight case of OP breaching company procedure and possibly theft too depending on how they look at it. Which is bound to lead to disciplinary action.

OP can build a strong case around length of service, previous good conduct etc which may persuade management to believe her over the deputy.

cod3

Devil's advocate here - Petty cash aside, what is the company's policy on sending staff on personal errands? I know he was going to the post office anyway, but given the cost of the package it sounds like he would have had it weighed, stamped, possibly waited for a certificate of posting. All in the company's time. Could they trip you up on that?

scheming_gypsy

Doubt they could because the person going should have refused.

cod3

Refused a request by his manager? Hmmm.

At the last place I worked at that used petty cash, if you had an emergency such as forgetting your purse, you would leave an IOU in the box as a courtesy to the bookkeeper who would otherwise be scratching her head at the end of the day. Takes seconds to write an IOU.

keyser666

I'm with some of the other members above, I would be using the angle that I meant him to pay personally and you would give it back. Being that he is from a loss prevention background and you a manager it would be ludicrous and career suicide to suggest utilising company funds in such a way.

I also think he was angling for you role based on what you've said