Being keyholder and responding to alarm callout

agrinnall

I'd suggest that you buy a cheap pay as you go mobile and use that number as the contact for call outs, then on the days when you're not prepared to be on call just switch the phone off.

Takeaway_Addict

Gordie1975 wrote: »

I'm a keyholder with my company, me my manager and another staff member are the 3 for our store, my manager put me 1st in the list (so i get called out first) because he says i stay nearer, despite him driving and me needing to phone a taxi there.

Anyhoo, i was out friday night watching a band as it was my day off, at 1am as i was waiting for a taxi home i get an automated call from the alarm company asking of i would respond or not, i hung up as there was no way (IMO) that i should be turning up to a shop, alone , drunk, to deal with a potential break in, also i would need to go home and get the keys and come back, so the company would automatically contact the next person on the list, the manager claimed he never heard his phone go off.

I was in work next morning and all was fine, even though no on had apparently responded, but my manager is saying the area manager got a report on her desk saying i the first n the list refused a call out and isnt happy with me.

My question is, was i right to refuse?. should i have staggered in there no matter what condition i was in?

Not that it makes much difference, but i am salarised, so dont get paid extra for the call out, or the time back, or the expenses paid back.

thanks for any help.

Your manager IMO should be first on the list, then you or the other member of staff.

We have it that if the person who is first on the list is going to be unavailable then they inform the other two. It just makes people prepared.

TBagpuss

I don't think being a key-holder for an alarm is the dame as being on call, as it is likely to be needed much less frequently. The whole point of having a list is that if one person is unavailable then the call goes on to the next.

At this stage, I would say to your manager, "Please let the area manager know I did not refuse, I was unable to attend. I assume that the call went on down the list"

I also think it would be perfectly reasonable for you to ask that your name is put at the end of the list, not the top - and if the reports go to the area manager, make that request of her, directly.

eamon

Thre three of you need to get together and organise a rota. That would impress the area manager more.

Southend1

Absolutely you were right to refuse to attend if you had been drinking. However, you should have informed the alarm company that you were unable to attend, rather than hanging up. Also there is the question of whether you should have been drinking - I.e. Were you "on call" or "off duty". I think you should clarify the situation with management as to when you are expected to be available "on call" and when you can let your hair down and have a drink of an evening. There may be a company policy you are not aware of. Have a chat with your union rep about how best to approach this.

Gordie1975

Southend1 wrote: »

Absolutely you were right to refuse to attend if you had been drinking. However, you should have informed the alarm company that you were unable to attend, rather than hanging up. Also there is the question of whether you should have been drinking - I.e. Were you "on call" or "off duty". I think you should clarify the situation with management as to when you are expected to be available "on call" and when you can let your hair down and have a drink of an evening. There may be a company policy you are not aware of. Have a chat with your union rep about how best to approach this.

As i said, it is a automated service, i either say yes or no, i have no opportunity to explain.

i am off duty at the end of my shift, its just that if something goes wrong, someone needs to respond, and im first on the list.

I have no rep, and any call to HR goes straight back to the area manager.

I might have a word with them soon, to clarify.

Southend1

Gordie1975 wrote: »

As i said, it is a automated service, i either say yes or no, i have no opportunity to explain.

i am off duty at the end of my shift, its just that if something goes wrong, someone needs to respond, and im first on the list.

I have no rep, and any call to HR goes straight back to the area manager.

I might have a word with them soon, to clarify.

I didn't say you should have explained, I said you should have informed them you would not be attending. It may be that hanging up was interpreted as an acknowledgment of attendance by the automated system. You should have given positive confirmation that you wouldn't attend by pressing the correct option.

However, you can't change what you did now.

I would advise against calling HR at this stage in case you say something prejudicial to your situation

When you say you have no rep, does that mean you aren't a union member or just that you don't know who to contact for advice?

CalumHeath

The first thing to establish is whether your area manager does have an issue with you over this matter; your manager may not be telling you the whole truth.

Take the initiative to contact the area manager yourself, explain that you've heard they might not be happy with you and clarify whether this is the case or not. If they say they have no idea what you're talking about, or have no issue with what happened then that's that.

If they confirm that they do have an issue with what happened, give your side of the story. If they still have an issue with you, respectfully suggest they get a better procedure for managing the alarm call-outs. Also point out the unfairness of there being a list with 3 names on only for one (of three) to be in 'trouble' for not attending.

I suppose all this only really matters if there's any real prospect of it being taken further. Your area manager won't die just because they're "not happy with you". You have a robust defence. And your manager sounds like an idiot.

jobbingmusician

And I wouldn't say you'd been drinking. That is none of their business. Just say that although you have willingly responded to call outs in the past, on this occasion it was not possible, so you refused the call out knowing it would go to the next person. If pressed, state calmly that as a 'reasonable employer' they must appreciate that you will SOMETIMES be unavailable.

fairy_lights

Gordie1975 wrote: »

With regards to pay, as i said i dont get overtime, my contract states how much i get per year, and that i am required to work at east 40 hours, i get the same wage no matter what.

Does the company at least reimburse you for the cost of the taxi if you need to get there to deal with the alarm?
You certainly shouldn't be left out of pocket by being a key holder.