Facing dismissal because of a mistake

Treevo

It sounds to me as if you wanted to get rid of him but are surprised that he feels the same way about you. I'd be looking for another job, if I were you.

jacques_chirac

The 'blame the AM' suggestions will not wash. Why would the AM be willing to pay out of their own pocket for the OP when they do not get on? Plus any misunderstanding would have come to light when the change was returned to the OP, yet they did nothing about it.

The best outcome from this would be a warning and retraining, possibly involving a demotion. Start making up stories and you will be out the door.

yvonne13_2

Sorry to hear that you're stressed out OP but what have you decided to do?

Southend1

jacques_chirac wrote: »

The 'blame the AM' suggestions will not wash. Why would the AM be willing to pay out of their own pocket for the OP when they do not get on? Plus any misunderstanding would have come to light when the change was returned to the OP, yet they did nothing about it.

The best outcome from this would be a warning and retraining, possibly involving a demotion. Start making up stories and you will be out the door.

As far as I can see no stories are being made up. OP had not discussed using petty cash for personal postage therefore understood her conversation with the deputy to have been that he would pay for the postage and she would reimburse him on his return.

jacques_chirac

Southend1 wrote: »

As far as I can see no stories are being made up. OP had not discussed using petty cash for personal postage therefore understood her conversation with the deputy to have been that he would pay for the postage and she would reimburse him on his return.

Then you need to keep reading. The OP acknowledges several times that she knew the postage was to be paid from the petty cash.

yvonne13_2

OP how many times did the AM remind you to put the money back before reporting you? I personally wouldn't have posted the package with any other money except my own, but everyone's different.

monty-doggy

yvonne13 wrote: »

Sorry to hear that you're stressed out OP but what have you decided to do?

I guess I need to face up to the fact I've made a mess of things and face the consequences. I may resign.

I am good at my job however I had a horrific car accident in January and only been back at work full time for three weeks. I know a lot of the replies on here have said its my own fault and if I'm a manager I should know better, however I have been struggling with everything, there is no crime in that.

I don't want to get rid of my deputy, I fought to get him his job as he applied and was unsuccessful as he gave an awful interview. However since then he has made it quite clear he wants my job, and I'm sure this is his way of making it happen. I know I've given him the opportunity. I feel so stupid.

I am not blaming anyone else. I just feel I don't deserve the sack because regardless of how it happened, it wasn't intentional.

And given my health, I may well look for a less stressful job.

Thanks for all your comments, I still feel a wreck!

monty-doggy

yvonne13 wrote: »

OP how many times did the AM remind you to put the money back before reporting you? I personally wouldn't have posted the package with any other money except my own, but everyone's different.

Not once. He is claiming this conversation never took place. However I guess it doesn't change much anyway.

Savvy_Sue

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Is that how it happened?

He went to the post office with company post and money from petty cash, and you asked if he could post yours and you'll sort it out with him later. Or did you ask him to send it pay for it out of petty cash?

If you just asked him to send it and you'll sort it out later, I personally, would use the argument that you didn't ask him to pay for it out of petty cash.

Proc wrote: »

3) Your deputy chose to spend the money knowing it was petty cash. He should have refused. Your only defence is that you assumed he would fund it out of his own pocket (unless you’d blatantly given him far more than would be required for work purposes)

<snip>

Apologise profusely, play dumb, and if possible just say you thought the deputy was going to fund out of his own pocket.

I agree that someone from a loss prevention background should have refused to pay for a personal parcel from petty cash. However they may argue that it's difficult to say 'no' to the manager. Also it's worth checking the staff handbook carefully: one company I worked for had an explicit clause saying that senior staff should not borrow money from their subordinates. It didn't stop me lending a manager a fiver from time to time, BUT we both knew the clause was there.

I'm a bit lost as to what is happening next: you've been suspended, is that while they investigate? A disciplinary should follow, and you're entitled to be accompanied by a colleague (or a union rep). At the disciplinary I'd go for apology, made a mistake, grovel.

THEN I'd make sure I was on the AM's case ... every little mistake, failure to follow company procedures etc. Maybe ...

AP007

monty-doggy wrote: »

That's why I mentioned lack of training. I didn't receive any cash procedure training at all. Not even tills or cashing up. I've picked it up as I've gone along. If I'd been informed, I would never have put myself in that situation. I'd have driven to the bank or something.

As a manager you do not need to have training on the procedure where you are not allowed to use company £ for your own means regardless of you saying you were going to pay it back.

Sorry but as someone who works in accounts and does the petty cash I have seen managers taking advantage and when you call them to ask where they want the newspaper, the milk shake and the chewing gum coded to they say 'oh erm no that's my personal stuff' yet they have claimed for it.

You really should have just gone to the post office yourself and delegated something else to the deputy while you were out.

Was the deputy even insured for going tot he post office?