Final Written Warnings...

person30

tomtontom wrote: »

In which case, given that she understands how serious the matter is, she'll understand a FWW is warranted. As well as apologising and explaining there was no ill intent, she should volunteer for (re) training to back up the fact that she knows she messed up.

She has since written a letter to her employer doing so.

ohreally

person30 wrote: »

She has since written a letter to her employer doing so.

Given that the disciplinary process has started it would be unwise to feed in written communication as it simply gives the employer additional material to draw upon at this stage.

What is her case statement going to consist of come the hearing?

T_A, none of this situation is lost on me - I am pretty clear on the state of play from the op's friends perspective and from the employers (mis)handling thus far. I refer to my previous comment about letting the process unfold and pick it apart at appeal stage if necessary.

person30

ohreally wrote: »

Given that the disciplinary process has started it would be unwise to feed in written communication as it simply gives the employer additional material to draw upon at this stage.

What is her case statement going to consist of come the hearing?

T_A, none of this situation is lost on me - I am pretty clear on the state of play from the op's friends perspective and from the employers (mis)handling thus far. I refer to my previous comment about letting the process unfold and pick it apart at appeal stage if necessary.

She wrote the letter but was going to give it at the hearing. Personally, I think she's a bit lost as she's never had to deal with anything like this before.

J_i_m

I wouldn't want to downplay the importance of safeguarding. I do have some experience in that area.

However, if the information from the OP is to believed then the reaction is completely over the top.

To simply receive the "FFW" straight off the bat and for it to be referred to at the "least punitive" action is ridiculous.

To be threatened with instant dismissal, if anything happens whilst that is on their record is also paramount to bullying. Any number of false complaints influenced by personal agendas for which she could have no part may be leveled against her, and any number of mitigating factors could cause her to be late for work.

Yes, safeguarding is an extremely important thing.. but I'm sorry but this is overly heavy handed.

keyser666

I would be contesting the fact there is no social media police and therefore unaware.

I would also not be happy my punishment has been decided pre disciplinary and would fight both corners

duchy

themull1 wrote: »

How can you have a final written warning without anything before it? it sounds like the carehome is using this to maybe dismiss her or make her resign - how is it against anything when the carehome and no names are mentioned? Blown out of all proportion as usual.

It would be gross misconduct as she has brought her employer's business into disrepute with her comments. Even though it may not say on her FB page where she works it's a pretty fair bet people who know her also knows where she works. Probably quite hard to prove they don't.

Yes it is harsh but looking at it from the employer's viewpoint - imagine someone seeing it who was thinking about placing their relative there. They'd run a mile !

Best advice- remove any other employees from her friend's lists- check she's set viewing to friends only , keep her head down and work the warning off.

elsien

person30 wrote: »

This was my thoughts, as I have a few people from her work (mutual friends) who have always posted things about the work place, even going as far as naming other members of staff and what they had been doing (or not been doing) but yet all they got told was to take the posts down and no further action...

Then it may be that the employer has got fed up of staff ignoring the policy about social networking and has decided they need to stamp down on it more than they have been. And as your friend is the person who's breached it most recently, she's the one being made an example of. If she's aware other people have been made to take down posts about work, then she's been a bit daft to post about it herself.
However telling her she's getting a final written warning prior to the disciplinary is ridiculous - it's meant to be the panel making that decision based on the facts presented at the meeting.
Is she in a union?

person30

duchy wrote: »

It would be gross misconduct as she has brought her employer's business into disrepute with her comments. Even though it may not say on her FB page where she works it's a pretty fair bet people who know her also knows where she works.

Best advice- remove any other employees from her friend's lists- check she's set viewing to friends only , keep her head down and work the warning off.

She only had 3 people from work on her fb, she has since deleted them all... Her profile is locked down to private anyway so she knows where its come from (not an excuse in any way).

tomtontom

keyser666 wrote: »

I would be contesting the fact there is no social media police and therefore unaware.

I would also not be happy my punishment has been decided pre disciplinary and would fight both corners

A lack of policy is not the main issue here - you don't discuss or comment on residents outside the work environment full stop.

The individual can appeal the outcome on the basis it may have been pre determined. That would simply mean the employer would redo the process correctly, dragging it all out with the result being the same.

tomtontom

elsien wrote: »

However telling her she's getting a final written warning prior to the disciplinary is ridiculous - it's meant to be the panel making that decision based on the facts presented at the meeting.
Is she in a union?

In a small business the disciplinary may not be heard by a panel, the whole process may be done by one person.