Money Moral Dilemma: Should I start using the employee discount card from my old job again?

shortseller09

The big supermarkets are notorious for squeezing suppliers to increase their profits, and paying ridiculous bonuses to senior staff. I would have absolutely no moral issue receiving a discount from a profiteering corporate behemoth, at least it ensures they would keep my business. Then the savings can go to more deserving causes. To call it fraud is laughable when you look at supermarket practices.

Sheepster

I’m not commenting on (or even interested in) the morality of using a discount card, plenty of others have covered both sides.

What I am wondering is, if this is some sort of chipped card which would link to an account somewhere…. or something with a barcode on.
If the latter then possibly this is just a barcode which tells the checkout to apply 10% staff discount (or whatever it is) and it’s actually impossible for them to cancel it unless they cancelled every single discount card.

If that was the case, you can’t get “caught” using it, they won’t even know it’s you unless you also used a Clubcard or Nectar or whatever links your purchase to you.

Not saying it’s good or bad to use. I personally wouldn’t, I suspect some of those saying ooooh you can’t do that are a bit jealous because THEY don’t have one. My work takes an extremely dim view of any sort of fraud. Hey it’s your call 

Tiger_Tony

Why don't you write to the company for the fourth time but this time, tell them you intend to start using the card again from... (give a date 14 days after your letter to them). State that if there is any objection to this, they must let you know within the next fourteen days.

ambioni

cut the card up and remove all temptation to use it. you WILL get caught if you use it fraudulently

tripod2000

Your ex-employer used your labour to give you the minimum it could get away with and make thousands and then some in profit as most do and you're worried about using a discount card?

My only concern would be courts and the law are set up to protect business interests and as others have said this could be classed as fraudulent or theft. Being an electronic card that data is probably stored somewhere. Is the discount worth the hassle? Nah. Bin it or pass it to someone for whom it would be worth the hassle.

prowla

It very much depends upon the T&Cs of the card:

• Do they say it is only for use by current employees?
• Do they say it must be returned/destroyed on leaving the employment?
• Do they say you must not use it after leaving?
• Was there any notification in the leaving process, exit interview, etc. saying it must not be used?

If there is nothing in the T&Cs which say you can't use it, then there is nothing to say you can't...
 

gloriouslyhappy

Tiger_Tony said:

Why don't you write to the company for the fourth time but this time, tell them you intend to start using the card again from... (give a date 14 days after your letter to them). State that if there is any objection to this, they must let you know within the next fourteen days.

Exactly this ^

9moosehead

What a decidedly sanctimonious world we occupy, reading here you would think nothing remotely untoward had ever crossed their saintly minds.

It is up to you. You should never have asked the Godly.

superbigal

All the posters jumping to conclusion the loyalty card has been used are talking bollox.
It is like adding any old discount code for some retailers.
You can see if it is valid before you click the purchase button.

I know it does not apply in this case but retired staff with company pensions often retain their discount.  Even if they pop their clogs their spouses may get it.

Jude57

Jillanddy said:

shortseller09 said:

The big supermarkets are notorious for squeezing suppliers to increase their profits, and paying ridiculous bonuses to senior staff. I would have absolutely no moral issue receiving a discount from a profiteering corporate behemoth, at least it ensures they would keep my business. Then the savings can go to more deserving causes. To call it fraud is laughable when you look at supermarket practices.

No. To call it fraud is a fact. To call it anything else is laughable. If you want to take on capitalism, have at it. But theft is theft. 

The regimes which oppose capitalism (usually, but not exclusively communistic) take an extremely dim view of theft. Most totalitarian regimes do, often in a rather medieval way. I'd rather be nicked for theft in the UK than North Korea, that's for sure!

N.B. As I'm one of the 'holier than thou' types, it's unlikely I'll be nicked for any crime....