Dismissed today from my job

aaron

aaron

aaron

Associate
Joined
20 Nov 2008
Posts
1,040
Hi guys,

Unfortunately I was dismissed with immediate effect today from my place of work due to gross misconduct.

I received a call on Fri 21st for a job interview and was invited to attend on Mon 24th for an opportunity that was too good to ignore.

Now we have a real problem in my place for getting time off at short notice. For instance I've had some holidays on the waiting list for months and it is still not approved. Also it is known that a few members of staff have asked for time off for interviews and been denied.

As such given the short notice I decided maybe naively that it would be best to call in sick so I could attend the interview.

It went really well and I was in the final 2 but sadly the other person had more experience and got the job.

Anyway long story short work found out I wasn't Ill and proceeded with the disciplinary despite my pretty much spotless record. In three years I've been off 3 times, 1 for a funeral, 1 for a chest infection and finally this.

And investigation hearing was carried out on Wednesday last week where I openly and honestly admitted to attending an interview instead of being sick.

On Friday I was issued a notice the it was proceeding to disciplinary which was in turn held yesterday.

Their stance was that I had lied and had defrauded the company out of sick pay. I advised that due to the climate in the place regarding time off I did not feel like I could approach management especially given the short notice, I had a spotless record for 3 years and that i didnt do it for the money and was more than willing to take it unpaid or work the time back (bear in mind Ive not been paid for this yet). I also have plenty of lieu and holidays left and if I felt I could have used them I would have.

Anyways they had me working till the very end today and take me into the decision meeting to advice they are letting me go for gross misconduct with immediate effect. (Also bear in mind I've not been suspended this whole time)

I'm honestly a bit shocked as I've built up a good reputation during my time there and I'm a bit numb at the moment, I was somewhat hoping for a written warning and a stern telling off.

I did have my Union shop steward in with me but in reality he wasnt much help. But did advise me to appeal.

I just wondered what are your thoughts on appealing, would I have a case?

Thanks guys, just panicking like hell at being unemployed for 1 silly decision over my tenure.
 
As you have held your hand up and admitted it they potentially are within their right to dismiss you without notice unfortunately (without evidence otherwise they'd have been in a more awkward spot) though most employers wouldn't for a one off - they obviously don't value you enough or there is more history here you've not mentioned. (It is still worth getting proper professional advice and appealing though - there are many technical details they might not have covered properly).

aaron said:
I did have my Union shop steward in with me but in reality he wasnt much help.
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I'm yet to meet one that is any help.
 
Rroff said:
As you have held your hand up and admitted it they potentially are within their right to dismiss you without notice unfortunately (without evidence otherwise they'd have been in a more awkward spot) though most employers wouldn't for a one off - they obviously don't value you enough or there is more history here you've not mentioned. (It is still worth getting proper professional advice and appealing though - there are many technical details they might not have covered properly).



I'm yet to meet one that is any help.
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Thanks Rroff. That's kinda what I was worried about. Everyone has told me I should have just lied but I thought honesty was the best policy.

Lesson learned I guess.
 
aaron said:
Thanks Rroff. That's kinda what I was worried about. Everyone has told me I should have just lied but I thought honesty was the best policy.

Lesson learned I guess.
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Unfortunately it is something you learn pretty quickly in working life - you can bend over backwards for a company but there aren't many who will bend over backwards for you.

If you've not got something lined up I'd get down and sign on - depending on circumstances you should still be able to get some benefits and/or it starts the clock ticking - otherwise they might make you wait a certain length of time before you can claim unemployment benefits.
 
tom_e said:
How did they find out you weren't ill?
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I found out the day after the interview I didn't have the job. One of my team mates asked why I was down so I explained I didn't get a job despite the interview going well.

One of the managers overheard and put two and two together with my sickness the day before and took it to senior management.

Was dragged into the investigation the next day where they point blank asked was I Ill on the Monday or did I attend an interview.

Not knowing at the time what evidence they had or how they found out I decided to be honest and come clean hence all this.

Rroff said:
Unfortunately it is something you learn pretty quickly in working life - you can bend over backwards for a company but there aren't many who will bend over backwards for you.

If you've not got something lined up I'd get down and sign on - depending on circumstances you should still be able to get some benefits and/or it starts the clock ticking - otherwise they might make you wait a certain length of time before you can claim unemployment benefits.
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Nothing lined up currently hence the panic. I'll get myself down to the job centre tomorrow and sign on as really quite worried with not much in the kitty to support myself for long (own place, car, loan etc).
 
aaron said:
Nothing lined up currently hence the panic. I'll get myself down to the job centre tomorrow and sign on as really quite worried with not much in the kitty to support myself for long (own place, car, loan etc).
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Time of year a lot of places are starting to look for temp staff for the Christmas period so worth hitting that early for something to tide over maybe. (One of the few times of year you might not get the CV immediately filed under bin if you go around hah).
 
Rroff said:
Time of year a lot of places are starting to look for temp staff for the Christmas period so worth hitting that early for something to tide over maybe. (One of the few times of year you might not get the CV immediately filed under bin if you go around hah).
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Very true, Ill definitely give it a shot.
 
Unless you can identify a technicality then I doubt you've grounds for appeal or chances of reversing the decision. This was far from the best time to be as honest as you were, not only not absent with sickness but absent to interview for another job... your employer is probably going to make an example here.
 
damn dude, you really screwed yourself by speaking about it in work

Now if new employer asks for a reference from your previous one, they can say you were fired for gross misconduct ?
 
A good company, one that values its employees, appreciates that time off work is a right and also important to motivation and not something they should begrudgingly tolerate. I can understand how short notice time off is sometimes challenging, but again a good company finds a way and appreciates good people need time out, sometimes at short notice. It can't always be company first, sometimes it needs to be the employee.

But you are where you are. Their action and lack of accommodation for your holiday demands tell me you are best looking for another company, but you know that because this is why you are here. I'd probably look to find an ear at the senior level of the business. It seems odd that a business that seems so stacked it can't provide time for people to take a break is happily firing their obviously limited resources for such a thing.

I suspect it was an ego thing by some middle manager seeking to play hardball. A cleverly written (soft, positive but disappointed) letter to a senior exec outside of your little area would be my suggestion.

But also get busy finding your next role and be absolutely honest about your dismissal from this role as for me it would not something I would seek to hold against you if I believed your story of course. Good luck, logistics is a tough, low margin revolving door type of business, but get busy finding your next job as I promise you this was just a job and pain today will be a laugh down the pub in 3 months.
 
Sounds like an awful company to work for and will probably work out for the best in the long run. I would rather dedicate my time/energy into finding a new role than trying to get your job back as your card will always be marked.

As Housey says, sometimes it's better to look after the employee as I find if I allow people time off to deal with personal matters they'll be more accommodating when I need them to go over and beyond their usual hours, it's a two way street.
 
Ouch

As others have said, pick yourself and apply elsewhere, even for temp work

Obviously there are Xmas jobs about, I know for a fact boots hires more over Xmas. Hell, do multidrops for a few months if needs be.

Keep plugging away
 
I can see why you did it and understand why.

It was a gamble and in this case you lost. Unfortunate but put it down to experience and move on. As JanesyB says put your energy into going forward instead of looking back. It may well turn out to be a blessing in the long run.
 
Thanks very much guys and Housey I really appreciate the above.

I think I'm just so frustrated as I've loved my job and like to think I built up a good level of respect with management here and abroad however the way Housey summarises it (middle management etc) is just so spot on to the actual circumstances.

My career in logistics was just taking off and I really did enjoy it, and now it just feels like it was all for nought.


I do have the ear of a few higher ups in Ireland so will take your suggestion and contact them to see if they have any sway.

Thanks for the advise also about being honest about the dismissal as truthfully that is one of my bigger concerns when it comes to seeking new employment.
 
aaron said:
(middle management etc)
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It is funny how just one person can really change the tone when it comes to work - only takes one person in middle management who wants to throw their weight around to sour the whole environment or that one person leaves and you realise how much they were keeping some of the other people in check, etc.
 
Rroff said:
It is funny how just one person can really change the tone when it comes to work - only takes one person in middle management who wants to throw their weight around to sour the whole environment or that one person leaves and you realise how much they were keeping some of the other people in check, etc.
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That’s very true of my place, or ex place shall I say.

As a company they generally promote within the business so they have the knowledge to...well manage.

The manager who did my disciplinary was brought in from outside the business and despite being here for over a year honestly does not have a clue how the systems work or how we conduct operations hence I guess throwing the weight around to prove they are on top.

Speaking to my colleagues they are all shocked and disgusted at how this went down and believe I’ve been used as an example as morales is extremely low currently and many people are considering leaving.
 
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