Dismissal for gross misconduct- advice needed

qwert_yuiop

I'd have fired you.

stugib

Deleted_User wrote: »

Well who really thinks phone calls are free just because you don't pay for them, the company does.

The OP did evidently. I don't think your stationery analogy works, clearly the company would be deprived of physical goods if taken but it's not a wild assumption to think VoIP calls were included/'free' though they should have checked first.

pinkshoes

I worked at a company that had free international calls, but these were for business use only.

Any personal calls were not permitted other than in your lunch break from your own mobile.

They checked the phone bills, and those few who did have permission in advance to make personal calls abroad paid for them. (We had quite a few foreign workers).

Why not turn up to the meeting with your cheque book, and offer to pay them bill immediately and beg to keep your job?

You will probably have to pay the bill anyway, so all you can do is grovel.

Undervalued

stugib wrote: »

The OP did evidently. I don't think your stationery analogy works, clearly the company would be deprived of physical goods if taken but it's not a wild assumption to think VoIP calls were included/'free' though they should have checked first.

Maybe, but that is only relevant for calculating how much (if anything) needs to be paid back.

Plus, the fact that the company may have got the calls for free doesn't not give somebody the right to use them for non business purposes.

In any case, as said before, with only seven months service he can be dismissed for no reason at all.

stugib

Undervalued wrote: »

Maybe, but that is only relevant for calculating how much (if anything) needs to be paid back.

Plus, the fact that the company may have got the calls for free doesn't not give somebody the right to use them for non business purposes.

In any case, as said before, with only seven months service he can be dismissed for no reason at all.

I don't disagree, it just annoys me when people throw around things like 'theft', 'stealing' for what could have been an innocent misunderstanding. Maybe I'm just prepared to give people the benefit of the doubt rather than label them as criminals though.

[Deleted User]

stugib wrote: »

I don't disagree, it just annoys me when people throw around things like 'theft', 'stealing' for what could have been an innocent misunderstanding. Maybe I'm just prepared to give people the benefit of the doubt rather than label them as criminals though.

Yes me personally would accept payment for the calls and that would be the end of the matter. But we are dealing with heartless corporate entities here. They don't care about peoples lives.

stugib

Deleted_User wrote: »

Yes me personally would accept payment for the calls and that would be the end of the matter. But we are dealing with heartless corporate entities here. They don't care about peoples lives.

Tell me about it! (long story)

MEM62

Undervalued wrote: »

The OP has only worked there for seven months so the appeal doesn't have to be looked at "only on the facts" or even at all!

If an appeal has been offered I would expect it to be conducted properly. If they just wanted the OP out they could have terminated his employment without raising a disciplinary case.

paddyrg

Deleted_User wrote: »

They don't care about peoples lives.

Companies aren't there to be surrogate parents and give you a cuddle when you misbehave/do something stupid. Many try to be accommodating, but some people do take the mickey bliss hugely as you've doubtless seen yourself.

That means having to have strict rules and following them so the boundaries don't erode until someone says "well you let Mary come in late so why not me, is not fair, I'm calling the union, boo boo I want compo as you're discriminating against me because I'm (whatever)". Corporations are made of people, people aren't unreasonable, but have to protect the company (that employs multiple people) from unthinking or malicious individuals fairly and consistently for the sake of all employees (which means having rules).

As for VoIP, there's still an associated cost, although cheaper than POTS (normal landline). It still requires QoS and decent bandwidth to have low latency talks, so is still use of company resources and time.

Simpleton1

Sorry folks. I stayed off this thread as I was getting upset reading some of the comments. I dont think the company had any malified intentions re my dismissal. I like to think they are following process. Even my line manager was sympathetic. The grey line is around intentional use or unintentional use and they have not considered this. To those who have been alleging that I "stole" please be reasonable and consider the facts and circumstances.

I have not been provided any bill just a report from IT which was wrong in the first place and did not even have the correct country that I called. Normally the country that I call has call rates 10 times cheaper than the country on the incorrect report. Would it be reasonable to ask them for a bill while I am begging to get my job back?