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suspended on full pay

Hi!

My company has currently suspended me on full pay because of a high company mobile phone bill that arrived.

The bill is formed by data transactions I was upgraded to a company smartphone 5 months ago but still had an old sim with no data plan.

Looking at the companies mobile phone bill I have found out that my bill went up by 8 times during 4/5 months without me really using the smartphone (i imagine that was app refreshes or system updates).

Recently, I moved home and was without broadband for 2 weeks. Because I work from home, I used my mobile phone connection to work, hence the reason of the huge bill.

Before the suspension, we had a disciplinary meeting and these are the main points:

- the smartphone was never authorised by my line manager, i had an old handset that was defective and I requested a phone swap.

- another colleague had the same problem but was assigned with an old handset

- the company has never provided a schedule of costs of the company mobile phone bill or advised on what plan I was put on.

- I disputed the fact that nobody made me aware of the data costs or checked my mobile phone bill until it got to a 4 zeros figure 5 months after.

Do you think there are grounds for a company dismissal ?

Cheers
«13

Comments

  • tomtontom
    tomtontom Posts: 7,929 Forumite
    How long have you worked there?

    Were you aware that you had no data plan?

    You mention 4 zeros - £10,000+?
  • Hi tomtontom!

    1 year and 7 months

    Correct 10,000 plus.
    I wasn't aware I was on a data plan nor the cost by KB
  • BillJones
    BillJones Posts: 2,187 Forumite
    natureboss wrote: »
    Do you think there are grounds for a company dismissal ?

    Hard to say, but you can't really expect your company to subsidise your personal data usage, so should probably, as a first step, apologise and pay back what you used.

    Unless, of course, they'd told you that you could use data.
  • tomtontom
    tomtontom Posts: 7,929 Forumite
    natureboss wrote: »
    Hi tomtontom!

    1 year and 7 months

    Correct 10,000 plus.
    I wasn't aware I was on a data plan nor the cost by KB

    Unfortunately as you have less than two years service they can dismiss you for any (non discriminatory) reason, so I'd say the risk of dismissal is high.

    Is the bill definitely correct? That must be an immense amount of data, and would probably have incurred excess charges even if you had a plan in place.
  • whitewing
    whitewing Posts: 11,852 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Gosh, that is a massive bill.

    Surely from the company point of view that is an unreasonable amount to be charged from the mobile phone company?

    I would be tempted to point out that if they are planning to raise a complaint with the phone company, then it would be unreasonable to take action against you until you know the outcome of the complaint.

    If they aren't planning on a complaint, then it is still unreasonable because someone in the company should have raised it sooner.
    :heartsmil When you find people who not only tolerate your quirks but celebrate them with glad cries of "Me too!" be sure to cherish them. Because these weirdos are your true family.
  • BillJones wrote: »
    Hard to say, but you can't really expect your company to subsidise your personal data usage, so should probably, as a first step, apologise and pay back what you used.

    Unless, of course, they'd told you that you could use data.

    Hi!
    No personal data usage really, we are home based and all the data was used for business.
  • tomtontom wrote: »
    Unfortunately as you have less than two years service they can dismiss you for any (non discriminatory) reason, so I'd say the risk of dismissal is high.

    Is the bill definitely correct? That must be an immense amount of data, and would probably have incurred excess charges even if you had a plan in place.


    I have accepted that the risk of dismissal is high but would it be for gross misconduct ? or without notice ?

    To give you an idea, 1 GB was charged at 2 grand
  • natureboss wrote: »
    I have accepted that the risk of dismissal is high but would it be for gross misconduct ? or without notice ?

    To give you an idea, 1 GB was charged at 2 grand

    Looks a bit excessive, most mobile sim only deals will include this for £20 per month!
  • Looks a bit excessive, most mobile sim only deals will include this for £20 per month!

    indeed, that is what I'm disputing, whoever agreed and signed that contract is bonkers.
  • duchy
    duchy Posts: 19,511 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Xmas Saver!
    Was anyone like your manager aware you were tethering the phone to work ?
    I Would Rather Climb A Mountain Than Crawl Into A Hole

    MSE Florida wedding .....no problem
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