Could I be disciplined for a FB post unrelated to work?

Waldir

To lnmb:
I know nothing about this, so please take advice from others first, but reading your first post, I feel like these women are harassing you at work for something completely unrelated.

It may not help... but it may: can't you go to the police and report this as harassment or equivalent?

theone999

lmnb wrote: »

Last Friday (19th), I received some upsetting news from two people I loved.

My mind was messed up from the news and I posted a generic post about kids should not play football where there are no ball games allowed signs on the town's Spotted page on Facebook. Spotted pages, for those that don't know are pages that you can post anonymously, providing you start with 'Anon' The post was not targeting anyone or anywhere This post is totally unrelated to work.

When the post got published, a few nasty women that live near me commented on this with nasty replies. I wasn't expecting that kind of response. So I unliked the group and blocked the women.

The following day, I was at work in the DIY/Gardening/soft furnishings shop. I was changing the promotional banners to the side of the shop. One of the women, turned up from nowhere shouting threatening things at me about this FB post. What she said was lies. All I said was excuse me, I'm working.

She made me shaking and crying. She has shouted at me whilst I was serving other customers at least twice over 2 years, again with false stuff. Plus I have seen her behaving very similar to this in other shops when I have been the customer. Managers have been thin on the ground as one is on holiday and another one is helping out a newly opened shop in the next town. I told one of the managers as soon as it happened but I said I didn't send the FB post - I was in shock and my words get muddled due to my dyslexia if I'm under great stress, worry or upset.

Things died down for a couple of days. Then I heard from the security guard, that she and her friend (one that made the nasty comments too) were seeing the shop manager on Thursday. I finished work on Wednesday (24th) and not back until 5th July as on annual leave, booked back in Feb. I have no idea why they want to see him. Unfortunately, there wasn't a CCTV camera pointing at the area the confrontation . Unless they have a pack of lies to tell him to make myself in the bad books. The FB post was unrelated to work and not pointing at anyone. Some women got this at the wrong end of the stick and blown this out of proportion. A couple of colleagues thought these women would shoot themselves in the foot as they just shout, yell and swear - as I can hear them from my home and they live 5-10 doors away. We have banned customers that do this to staff in the past.

Now I am worried about going back to work as I have heard nothing from work, any colleagues that are working or visited the shop since Wednesday.

I checked the employer's social media policy does discipline colleagues that use any SM website to harm them, disagree any policies, reveal sensitive information, slag them off etc. Nothing about non related stuff, The post contains nothing employer related.

What do you think my employer would do? See through the women's lies, tell them the FB post has nothing to do with the shop and the women? Or await my return to be sent straight to the office to be questioned or is forgotten about?

These women have got nothing better to do as they are benefit claiming mothers that don't work. I have reported these women to the housing association about their behaviour.

I have stayed clear of these women.

yes, i was fired from my job because my views offended someone, even though it was not rude or illegal.

some !!!!!!s have nothing better to do than sit at home and be offended

lmnb

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

If their report of the post is accurate there is no reason to deny it. It had nothing to do with work whatsoever and was perfectly reasonable. The story we are being told involves two irrational people seeking to cause trouble for the OP and any reasonable employer would see it as this, ban them from the store and call the police should they return.

That is if their report of the situation is accurate.

I do wonder how, if how these women found the fb post was sent by me. As I think, only the police and other organisations have the power/rights to gain this info. But if the admin team of the group revealed my name to the women, are the breaking the law?

The worrying is still on the back of my mind..

Though, I have thought, if the managers didn't want me visiting the shop during my time off, they would have wrote a letter on 25/6, after seeing the women advising me not to do so. There is no reason to visit the shop during my time off as I have no need or want to buy anything we sell.

I just hope that the manager was able to see through these stupid women. If nothing happens against me, they probably want a private informal meeting to inform me what happened as colleagues can manipulate things.

moneyistooshorttomention

Fingers crossed your manager is a reasonable sort of person.

There will be managers who will do exactly what I would do in their position - and that is to tell you to let me know if these women come into the store disturbing one of my employees when they were working. I would then ensure those women were escorted from the store to stop their disruption.

You have expressed a fact (not an opinion) - which you are entitled to do. There are some people (in any context) who try to say that you quoting a fact (ie warning notices should be respected) is a personal opinion and you aren't allowed to have it.

Yep...been there...done that....only earlier today in a very different context. But I know all I've done is state a fact - and not express an opinion so ......

lmnb

Update

I returned back to work yesterday. The women didn't see the manager face 2 face, but spoke to him over the phone. He said I cannot be punished at all as I haven't broke any work rules or policies. Then said if they want to complain, then to ring the head office careline. My manager said if anyone rings the careline with store issues, a c\areline colleague rings the shop asap. Nothing from the careline.

Though these women may see me walking to work in my uniform etc and that could trigger off things. If they enter the shop and try to approach me, if I'm in a position where I can walk to the staff areas, I must do so. If I'm on a till, then I signal to a supervisor can I get off and go to the back. Both instances, the manager or security need to be informed. These women hardly spend anything in the shop. So chances are, there are in the shop trying to start things with me or my colleagues.

If they speak to me in a threatening manner or slag me off with another colleague, they will be banned for unacceptable behaviour and intimidating colleagues.

maninthestreet

Good news!