Tesco misprice policy discussion area

bylromarha

That's an appalling story. Surely innocent until proven guilty? How can the manager prove he knew the employee was out to defraud the company? If you're going to risk a bad career record for something like this, you would have got more than 2 crates, and rung up friends to come and take advantage too, surely?

Did the guy work in Wines and Spirits?

If not, industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal is heading his way IMO.

ben500

johanne wrote:

a member of staff in our store was dimissed for gross misconduct this week over the overcharge policy. He bought 2 crates of budweiser beer on his break for a party that night - which is perfectly acceptable (were allowed to shop in our breaks)... he then genuinely realised afterwards that hed been overcharged so went to get his refund (while still on his break) - as per company policy...

Now why was he dismissed?.. Because the manager believes he purposely KNEW he was going to be overcharged for it and therefore get it for "free"... which is "purposely defrauding the company"! :rolleyes:

If this is how they treat their staff over the policy! Well... :rolleyes:

I wouldn't like to be in the managers shoes if he doesn't have some evidential backup to his "belief" that the act was premeditated, does your colleague belong to any Trades union and if so how did they allow this to happen? Just because the management believe something to be true this is not strength enough to support dismissal they must be able to provide some evidence to support the accusation and justify dismissal, given the details you have provided this person should seek advice from someone specialising in employment legislation or better still a trade union if affiliated.

johanne

im not sure of the whether the guy is in any unions or whatever but i'd love to find out...... i only know the guy from seein him around and whats happened through my boyfriend who told me the story (boyfriend is on security at the store so got told the details as he had to escort him out the building)

Tesco seem to make up laws themselves... especially our store!! :mad: (says the girl facing a disciplinary leading to a final written warning for being off ill even though most (maybe a day or two isnt) of my time off has been covered by a sick note from the doctors :rolleyes: - oh and thats with union intervention from Usdaw. My rep told me they were in the right and just to accept the disciplinary and not to bother appealing cos it wouldnt be overturned)

redfox

johanne wrote:

a member of staff in our store was dimissed for gross misconduct this week over the overcharge policy.

If it happened as you say, then that's outrageous!

So not only do they treat their customers badly but the staff as well :mad:

Joel_4

Thats not enough evidence at all to sack someone!

You should see the lengths (time and manpower!) they have to go to get evidence to prove a cashier has nicked money from a till!

It's bloody not easy.

wilhelminajmd

ben500 wrote:

I wouldn't like to be in the managers shoes if he doesn't have some evidential backup to his "belief" that the act was premeditated, .... Just because the management believe something to be true this is not strength enough to support dismissal they must be able to provide some evidence to support the accusation and justify dismissal, given the details you have provided this person should seek advice from someone specialising in employment legislation or better still a trade union if affiliated.

It's not criminal law, it's employment law. If there's reasonable belief, and luck of trust, then that can be enough to dismiss someone.

Often the 'whole' truth doesn't get fed back to all employees, and mis-interpretation can come into play. We have dismissed on lesser evidence on one occasion, and this was upheld in an appeal.

Dick_Dastardly_3

johanne wrote:

Tesco seem to make up laws themselves... especially our store!! :mad: (says the girl facing a disciplinary leading to a final written warning for being off ill even though most (maybe a day or two isnt) of my time off has been covered by a sick note from the doctors :rolleyes: - oh and thats with union intervention from Usdaw. My rep told me they were in the right and just to accept the disciplinary and not to bother appealing cos it wouldnt be overturned)

Thats absolute horsesh**, what is your union rep on (the tescos payroll). You can have as much time off sick as required as long as it is backed up by a sick note from a qualified GP (surgeon/hospital) they don't have leg to stand on. This is backed up in the relevant emploment legislation.

If you have written warnings for this (being sick with doctors note), it's time to consultant a professional in the area of employment law, as they have been rather naughty. This could be considered discimmination (ie because you are sick for whatever reason, comes under same area as disability discrimination) on thus open them up the prosecution. 'the dismissal of an employee absent through sickness may be regarded as unfair dismissal in most situations' taken from employment case law. This is expecially the case if sickness is backed up by doctors sick note.

Edit : From DTI

Dismissal on grounds of unlawful discrimination

Where dismissed employees have made a complaint under the legislation relating to discrimination on grounds of sex, race, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation and are also eligible to make a complaint of unfair dismissal they should do so, even if it is thought that the reason for dismissal was an unlawful act of discrimination.

Dick_Dastardly_3

johanne wrote:

a member of staff in our store was dimissed for gross misconduct this week over the overcharge policy. He bought 2 crates of budweiser beer on his break for a party that night - which is perfectly acceptable (were allowed to shop in our breaks)... he then genuinely realised afterwards that hed been overcharged so went to get his refund (while still on his break) - as per company policy...

Now why was he dismissed?.. Because the manager believes he purposely KNEW he was going to be overcharged for it and therefore get it for "free"... which is "purposely defrauding the company"! :rolleyes:

If this is how they treat their staff over the policy! Well... :rolleyes:

This is horsesh88 as well. He has a valid POS contract entitling him to the same rights as other customers. There is separation of the act of employment and the act of being the customer. The only way he would be in trouble is if he caused the actual problem in the first place, thus knew about it and then took advantage of it, ie he engineered the misprice. Although I doubt this to be the case for 2 crates of beer that does not seem at all logical Dr Spock. Plus if the guy was on his break then he ain't at work is he !

derry_kerry

Went into Tesco Stockport today and bought £80+ goods (which just happened to include two over priced books :j ). Went to CS for refund and was met by a very sour faced 50+ lady. Simply stated that I thought I had been overcharged. She checked the books prices on her till, looked me up and down and then asked for someone to come to CS over the loudspeaker. When a young assistant arrived she showed her the books, told her to go and take any stickers off any remaining copies "before someone else tries this", glaring back at me. She then curtly asked me for my switch card, (no explanation why) and proceeded to refund my card :j and brusquely shoved it back at me.

No apology, no explanation, although refund without argument albeit stroppy attitude.

I have never received a refund at this store before, so it's not as if she could think I was a habitual misprice hunter. Although this would not excuse her behaviour. An overcharge is an overcharge!

Tesco really do need to retrain their staff. I wonder whether they see every refund eating into their profits. Many of them hold shares.

DazedByTheLight

!!!!!!_Dastardly wrote:

This is horsesh88 as well. He has a valid POS contract entitling him to the same rights as other customers. There is separation of the act of employment and the act of being the customer. The only way he would be in trouble is if he caused the actual problem in the first place, thus knew about it and then took advantage of it, ie he engineered the misprice. Although I doubt this to be the case for 2 crates of beer that does not seem at all logical Dr Spock. Plus if the guy was on his break then he ain't at work is he !

Isn't it also possible that he took advantage of his position at work? Like, for instance, where they have competitions and they say that employees cannot enter. I know that people do benefit from finding the sale items first where they work but there is a difference between that and getting the items for free!

Still feel sorry for the guy though...to sack someone for that really demonstrates a miserly penny-pinching attitude.