Suspended for gross misconduct...help

Brynsam

ds383 wrote: »

When I have the actual meeting for the hearing I will be telling them that I have quit drinking and will be starting on anti-depressants. Would this help my defence?

Just making up little stories to sound good won't help at all. They won't believe you unless you can show concrete evidence that you have taken steps to address your drinking (anyone can say they've quit drinking, which is why it is rarely believed without supporting actions to prove you are trying to do so) and possibly confirmation from your doctor that you are starting anti-depressants.

chrisw99

My son has autism and we've found that the cannabis oil extract stuff that you can now legally buy in the UK really helps to calm him down.

sangie595

You didn't know that turning up to a disciplinary drunk was gross misconduct? Pull the other one. Neither depression nor autism explain believing that turning up to work drink is ok. If you really exist, grovel, but I wouldn't be hopeful of anything.

AstroTurtle

I don't think any defence will help this.

You've given them all the ammunition to send you out the door with no pushback.

As above mentioned i'd just push for a mutual agreement you'll resign and ask for a neutral reference.

JReacher1

Being drunk means you do not really have any defence. It is now purely up to the company whether they want to keep you or not.

If they like you then they won't sack you. If they don't like you then they will sack you for Gross Misconduct!

motorguy

ds383 wrote: »

I am actually serious, I went to the doctors recently and got prescribed the anti-depressants, but have not started them yet. I'm going to take them with me and I'll tell them I will stop drinking in order to allow them to work. The threat of gross misconduct has scared me enough to change.

Oh come on, you clearly havent committed to giving up drinking and looking at resolving your depression, and you're only going to do so if they give you another chance?

If you were serious, you would have stopped drinking NOW. You would be taking your anti-depressants NOW, you would be attending a self help group NOW.

Sitting in a meeting with a box of tablets and saying "well i will take these if you give me another chance" is !!!! poor frankly, and i'd be telling you to make sure the door didnt hit your !!! on the way out.

pmduk

ds383 wrote: »

I didn't know that being intoxicated was gross misconduct.

Please, just don't say this during the hearing, it'll convince them you're not taking the job seriously. Drink and work never mix

waamo

It sounds like you have gone to your GP specifically to get pills to show them. I see no commitment to actually taking the things. I really can't fathom out why you didn't start them straight away.

If I were on the panel that would be going through my mind.

You might be wise to consider making a dignified exit citing health reasons as why you need to leave. Being sacked for drunkenness isn't going to look good no matter how you dress it up.

Comms69

ds383 wrote: »

They haven't given me that option yet but if it came to that I would do it. I really don't want to lose this job though as I really enjoy it. I didn't know that being intoxicated was gross misconduct.

No, you suggest it, that's why I said 'offer', not 'wait and hope'

waamo

ds383 wrote: »

I actually went to get them in August and I can prove that because the date on them says 16 Aug, and i was planning on giving up drinking then and I took one of the pills but the side effects were so bad that I decided back then to wait until my week off in September so that I can go through the side effects then without having to worry about going into work. The side effects only last a week. Should I tell them this??

Have you ever come across the first rule of holes?