Suspended

Thekop198

Hi. I was suspended from work pending a investigation. I am a agency worker who has been in the job for 1 month. There is a continuous joke that goes on which is knocking people's bump caps off while not in the area you have to wear them. After doing this to a fellow employee who is not a agency worker I was slapped across the face. (Full blown slap). I was in total shock and pumped my chest out and had verbals with the person. I DID NOT react with any violence at all. During our first meeting with a supervisor which was ten mins later, the accused admitted he had slapped me across the face but said it was banter. It wasn't. We have both been suspended for 6 days now and I'm unsure as to what my rights are if I have any. I have tried phoning the on site agency with no joy. I now in danger of losing my property as I can not go back on benefits. And jobs are hard to come by. Is me knocking his bump cap off categorised as gross misconduct? Any help is very welcome

ohreally

Thekop198 wrote: »

Is me knocking his bump cap off categorised as gross misconduct?

You interfered with PPE which may well be viewed as G.M.

The outlook is not encouraging. I'd be searching for suitable vacancies while awaiting your fate.

Given you are " agency worker who has been in the job for 1 month", why did you feel compelled to participate in this?

Thekop198

Compelled because everyone in work does this. Almost on a daily basis my cap is knocked off. To my knowledge it has never resulted in anyone being assaulted which is what a slap across the face is

TELLIT01

If you can persuade other permanent staff members to support your claim that everybody does it it might help your case. However, as ohreally says, this is interfering with other people's PPE and can be grounds for dismissal.

London50

Thekop198 wrote: »

Compelled because everyone in work does this. Almost on a daily basis my cap is knocked off. To my knowledge it has never resulted in anyone being assaulted which is what a slap across the face is

Just because everyone else does it should not make you COMPELLED to join in. What you do in your own time is your choice but work time is just that and the fact that horseplay goes on does not mean that it is right. The company IMO have done the right thing and if I was in charge of hiring staff both you and anyone else I found messing around would be shown the door.

Thekop198

London50 I think the world is a better place with you not hiring staff. As for the other answers. Thanks

RichardD1970

In every factory I have worked in horse play has been frowned upon and could be classed as G M.

Yes it has always gone on and you have a laugh with your mates, but if someone takes exception, for whatever reason, then you potentially have to face the consequences.

As you are agency and have only been there 1 month, I would hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

bluenoseam

If everyone else jumped off the white cliffs of Dover would you do it? Answer to that of course is no you wouldn't because it's as dumb as it gets - you bowed to peer pressure to do something incredibly stupid, didn't warrant you being slapped but it is unsafe.

You'd be sacked if I was the boss as well with everyone else being broadsided for their actions, other fella would be sacked for assaulting a colleague.

FBaby

I don't think you have been suspended for knocking the guy's bump cap, you're being suspended for the way you reacted. He is being suspended for slapping you, so he is being punished too, but you did act unprofessionally by giving him 'verbals' as you say. That IS a form a violence too and the appropriate action should have been to walk away and file a complaint.

London50

London50 I think the world is a better place with you not hiring staff

You MAY be right but at least the staff that I hired would know what was expected of them during working hours and IF the job was that important to you as you suggest perhaps it would have been a better idea to think what could happen if you were not kept on then you would not be posting on here, feeling hard done by and in the position that YOU have put yourself.
IF you are lucky enough to either keep this job or get another one think carefully before you decide to join in the "fun time"after only being employed for a short period of time then {I hope} you will not have these problems again in the future.

sangie595

Thekop198 wrote: »

London50 I think the world is a better place with you not hiring staff. As for the other answers. Thanks

Unfortunately for you (but not for the rest of the world), most employers would agree with London50. Personally I would dismiss the two of you. This sort of behaviour is not acceptable in work - and given you are an adult and not a two year old, it isn't really acceptable anywhere.

Perhaps you should have thought about needing the job before you assaulted someone - which is exactly what you did. You started the whole incident with a physical assault - whether you or anyone else thinks it funny, that is what you did and the other person reacted to your provocation.