Due to be fired for false accusations

Yesnibbles

I'm due to have a disciplinary meeting for gross misconduct.
This is for claims that i took someones bottle of water out of a fridge on the 1st floor during a night shift.
I did not do this, and upon having a meeting and being provided with the evidence used against me it is as follows; 2 cleaners state they saw someone matching my description "walking on the 1st floor around the area of the fridge with an item that may have been a bottle". This is all the evidence they have, there are no cameras and they did not directly see anyone take something from the fridge.
As i say this isn't me, the cleaners see us regularly and can only be confused as to who they saw or when.

At the time the cleaners say they saw "me" I had seen them briefly, I went on my lunch and took a nap in an office on the 2nd floor, another cleaner saw me go in and come back out however this part isn't being investigated.

Do i have any leg to stand on for this upcoming meeting, anything I can do or say to help me out as I really dont want to lose my job.

GarthThomas

You can (politely) point out upfront that it was not you, and then point out (correctly) that you have no idea why anyone thinks that it is you.

Don't speculate on how or why people might have been mistaken as this is likely to sound like "I may have done it, but you can't prove it, ha!", just stick to the truth, and the facts as you know them. It was not you, you did not take it. If you were not in the kitchen anywhere near the time then say that.

How long have you worked year? Under two years and you can be let go without any justification being needed, so bear this in mind. No-one has to prove anything against you, if an employer does not want you there they will get rid of you, so do not go in angry, or demanding anything.

aife

Has there been an ongoing issue with theft in your workplace ?
Where I work stuff is always going missing from the fridge , it's annoying but it's never really occurred to me to report it. Seems strange that a bottle of water has gone straight to gross misconduct.
Have you got on the wrong side of anyone ?

TBagpuss

Are you sure the meting is for gross misconduct, and it's not that they have given you general information about misconduct and the disciplinary process?

Either way, all you can do is attend the meeting, make clear that you didn't take a bottle of water or anything else from the fridge.

You can explain that based on what they have said about the time the theft occurred, you believe that you were taking a break on the 2nd floor at the time, and that [name of person] may recall having seen you there, as you recall seeing them.

I think you can also raise a concern that they appear to be making a serious allegation (of theft) against you on very flimsy grounds and can ask, specifcally, what the cleaners said they saw (i.e. did they say "we think it was Yesnibbles' or did they say 'it was a man/woman of slim build' (or whatever is appropriate. )

It does seem odd to go direct to gross misconduct for a bottle of water, particularly if you have no previous disciplinary issues - have you had any previous issues?

Takeaway_Addict

aife wrote: »

Has there been an ongoing issue with theft in your workplace ?
Where I work stuff is always going missing from the fridge , it's annoying but it's never really occurred to me to report it. Seems strange that a bottle of water has gone straight to gross misconduct.
Have you got on the wrong side of anyone ?

If someone is nicking from the fridge they're probably up to no good elsewhere.

GM def

xapprenticex

maybe im lucky but where i used to work, nobody ever stole from the fridge, i guess we were too civil.

But i once lived in a nasty HMO (horrid times) and there were people stealing out of shared fridges (I had my own as it was a **studio** flat as they call them) and resulting in some serious issues involving police and violence. leaving that hell-hole was one of the best days of my life.

Masomnia

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

If someone is nicking from the fridge they're probably up to no good elsewhere.

GM def

Purloin a bit of the payroll department's semi-skimmed and get sacked for it?

Seems a bit harsh.

GarthThomas

Masomnia wrote: »

Purloin a bit of the payroll department's semi-skimmed and get sacked for it?

Seems a bit harsh.

I don't think so. The sort of person who steals is not the sort of person who most people want working with them.

I sacked a member of staff a few years ago for dodging his tube fair, and reported him to the FCA, so he won't work in finance again. Honesty matters still to a lot of people.

Masomnia

GarthThomas wrote: »

I don't think so. The sort of person who steals is not the sort of person who most people want working with them.

I sacked a member of staff a few years ago for dodging his tube fair, and reported him to the FCA, so he won't work in finance again. Honesty matters still to a lot of people.

I think you're right about that, but I do think there is a lot of discretion there. There are employers who would sack employees for using a stamp from the office, and there are employers who wouldn't.

I think if everyone who 'borrowed' a bit of milk from the fridge was sacked then half of the UK workforce would be out on their !!!!!!.

GarthThomas

I agree. If someone once in a while took a tiny bit of semi-skimmed for their tea from a full two-pint container then just about everyone would say that that was the right side of the line. If someone lifts a colleague's packed lunch once a week then that's the other side.

Yesnibbles

Worked there continuously for just under 2 years however I was there before for another year.
The meeting is definitely for gross misconduct, I've had no previous issues with the company or anyone within it.

The only thing they are trying to prove is that i was in this area at a specific time, numerous other people will have been into the kitchen between the hours that the bottle was left and as you say this could affect me getting any future job.

It does all seem ridiculous and unfortunately i'm in the cross hairs.