suspended from work advice needed

I have to disagree too, on the grounds that 'public services' are at all not a law unto themselves *and* that they would need to demonstrate that a suspension from work was a *fair and reasonable* response: ie., if you could do your job anyhow, in most important respects, post-allegation, it is up to your employers to demonstrate exactly why it was deemed necessary to suspend you

I did not say that public services are a law unto themselves. I was very specific. Public services generally consider shouting at a child as potential abuse or bullying. In such circumstances they generally suspend until the outcome of the investigation. That does not mean they will necessarily take it any further at the end of the investigation, but they are very careful on even the most minor of infringements when child protection is an issue.

Suppose so, in that, if you've been suspended on full pay as a result of an allegation, it's arguably no detriment to you.

BUT if you believe the allegation was made falsely or maliciously, you should youself raise a formal grievance to that effect.

Okie so I work at Aldo Accessories and last week me and another employee got suspended they didn’t tell me what i did only that I was under investigation and that my name came up in thing investigation that was all they gave me they didn't tell me what date i would get a call back just one to two weeks..... i called my manager and she told me that she didn't know anythign that was going...... and by the way i didn't do anything.......and i don't want to quit.........so I’m here wondering if I should look for a new job I don’t know any of my rights I don’t know what I should ask so if anyone can help me here It would be greatly appreciated

You ought to have been suspended on full pay [or your average past pay if your working hours and pay vary each week] so that there's no financial loss in this having happened to you. It sounds very odd that they haven't told you the exact reasons behind their suspending you nor yet held an investigating interview with you. Your employers have an overall responsibility to act fairly and to take the pretty serious action of suspension only when it's justified, usually in cases of suspected gross misconduct and/or if they believe that your presence at work might hinder their investigation.

From the few details you have given it sounds as if there was an investigation already going on, and you have somehow got dragged into it. If you are sure that you haven't done anything, then it is possible that you have just been removed so that they can check everything out without any risk of interference. If you decide to look for another job, you need to be aware that your current employer can state that you are suspended and under investigation in any reference.

They don't have to tell you anything, but it may be worth writing to them and asking why you have been suspended, and how long this is likely to be for. You might also say that you are willing to talk to them at any time (it never hurts to be seen to be co-operative) as you know that you haven't done anything wrong. But before you do - be sure you haven't! You would be surprised how often I get members telling me that they haven't done anything, and it turns out that they have, albeit that they genuinely think they haven't!

I handed my notice in and gave the shop two weeks notice on monday (I only had to give them one). On friday they suspended me for eating a piece of toast. Some one else had paid for this but not paid discount and therefore not written it in the discount book. At the meeting I was shown footage of me eating the toast and shown the book where nothing had been written down. As I had already handed in my notice i asked what i should do about this as I start my new job soon. I was told that I could not quit under suspension even though I had already handed in my notice. I was told however that I had to write out a notice there and then and then they would allow me to resign. So I did this.

Straight after they interviewed the person that paid for my peice of toast, they took full responsability for it and said that they have paid for it but not written it in the discount book as they paid full price. I know they would not be able to sack me but I have to start this new job and being under susspension means that I would not be able to. I don't think I will get a reference from this company now though so I don't know if there is anything I can do.

Thanks Fellicia

Also a collegue of mine was susspended for signing that someone had paid for their products. They did not look at the day written and accidently signed that the person paid on monday not wednesday. Can they sack him for this?

Fellicia

Hi, I was working for a few weeks as a sales rep after being redundant fot 3 months, after i started my new job i recieved a call from my ex employer saying that they had opened up a new company and wanted me back - i said i had found a job and would see him around, on this he got very angry and said if i didnt work for them i wouldnt work anywhere again!! the next day surprise surprise my x boss walked into my store looked around and left. 3 weeks later i had an interview after they had given a false reference under the new company name in which i had never worked for- i have ben suspended awaiting further references - after two weeks i phoned up and they said they couldnt find any as the previous companys i had worked for did not keep references for that amount of time, i was asked to source any references i could includin character references. i have faxed over 7 am wondering whats next? any help much appreciated.

I mam afraid that there is very little that you can do. You have no employment protection, so if they wish to get rid of you they certainly can. In relation to the reference, if you can prove your version of events, including the fact that the reference is false, then you MAY have grounds for legal action - but this is so difficult to prove that it very rarely happens. You could take legal advice on this aspect, but I am not hopeful unless there is evidence of falsehood in the reference.

i have been sirpend today cus i miss sum time no my time out sheet and did them to late i am guted and relly need sum help

I am very sorry but we really need some help too! Because "i have been sirpend today cus i miss sum time no my time out sheet and did them to late i am guted and relly need sum help" makes utterly no sense and tells us absolutely nothing about what has happened. To give advice we need to understand what happened and how it happened - this post explains neither.

And it would be really helpful if you could start a new thread (look under the list of thread titles for a link to do this) as then we can keep all the replies to you in one place easily, without getting them mixed up with other peoples topics.

Thanks.

I was suspended from work yesterday (Wednesday 30 September 2009) at 4:50 pm, I was called into the board room for a informal conversation. There were was Head of Customer services manager and Operations Director present. I was informed that a complaint was made against me of telling customers “I didn’t want/care to help them” and “this job makes me want to kill myself”. Now I know with 100% conviction that I have never said this to any customer over the phone or in person. I was not informed whom had made this accusation against me. I am now off until Friday 2nd October to hear what investigations have found. The main thing that worries me is that no telephone conversations are recorded. It is the word of someone else against the word of mine. How can I prove I haven’t said these things? I suggested to the investigating managers to contact the customers that i’m in communication with and simply ask them about there interaction which me. I’m not sure where I stand on this matter, other than i know these accusations are incorrect. What advice can you give?

I'm not sure that we can give you much practice advice when you do not yet know the extent of the accusation.

There are some practical things we can tell you, however.

The first is that suspension is a "neutral" act. It won't feel like it now, but it's best not to read too much in to it. Suspension is often over-used (in my opinion) but in a case like this the argument is probably that if you had been saying that sort of thing, it's best to get you away from dealing with customers. So, the fact that you have been suspended means nothing more than the accusation is serious, not that you have been pre-judged and found guilty.

In terms of the actual accusation, the employer needs to have a "reasonable belief" that you did what they say you did, not absolute proof. It may come down to choosing which version of events to believe, particularly if there is no method of recording what you said to every client. But it will depend heavily on who is making the accusation - a client saying it is perhaps more difficult to disprove (your word against theirs) than a colleague who claims to have overheard you (as this could be checked by speaking to the clients).

I can't give you a guarantee that if you haven't done it you won't get disciplined, but try not to panic and give in.

So, stay calm, cooperate with any investigations, and when you know exactly what you have been accused of, work through the best way of defending yourself.

i am very touched you have taken time, to reply to my issue. Thank you, you have reinforced my initial feelings. Your overall response has helped, and I guess you are correct that at this time there is nothing a can do as I’m not aware of the true extent of the accusation. I will reply with the full results of the investigation for further advice. Once again thank you for your time.

Damian2049@live.co.uk

Hi, I work as a sales advisor at an esso garage. Was due to start work today at 3pm but when I got in my colleagues weren't saying much and were acting suspicious. The manager then asked me to come into the office for a chat. She said a customer had complained about the garage being closed on saturday night as I had to shut it to take a half an hour break as the company had advised. However, this is not the main issue. Earlier that evening, a customer had been in purchasing a mobile phone top up but had left her e-top up card on the counter. I had put it behind the counter expecting her to come back down for it at some point. Later on, after my break I think, I noticed on the back of the e top up card she had written her mobile number. I first thought to phone it from the landline in the esso garage but as I looked up it was starting to get busy so I decided just to send a quick text to the number on the back of the card. When they were reviewing the CCTV footage in response to the customer complaint, they saw me doing this and as the manager described to me today 'taking details from the customer's e top up card without their permission'. She advised me that this is fraud and there is a high possibility that I could be dismissed over this which I think is ridiculous. She also advised me that after he had viewed the footage, her boss (the Area Manager) had told her to suspend me pending an investigation. She also reminded me of another incident where a former colleague (working at a different petrol station) had been using her mini laptop notebook at the till area whilst serving customers and had then been sacked on the grounds of 'suspected fraud'. I just dont see the comparison here at all.

I only had today left (Wed 14th) & tomorrow anyway and then I was due to be off on holiday from Friday 16th until Monday 26th as it is my birthday on Saturday. I still get my holidays and was told the hearing would be afterwards and that I would get a letter out. I have been advised that I can have a trade union member present at the hearing and im currentley looking into it through GMB. Although you have already been a member for 90 days, they advised me that you can sometimes pay the 3 months up front and they will happily accompany you at the meeting. I also just phoned the local police station and spoke to one of the officers there who said that it is most definitely not fraud unless you actively try to use it for your own personal gain. Somehow I dont think trying to help someone out and copying a phone number 'without her permission' is fraud at all. If anyone can help/advice please reply.

Lewis

I have been suspended from work because the manager told me to do something, which i did but now that process of what i did is being investigated for fraud!! I'm so angry. I'm going to hand in my resignation as i feel i have been set up and it'll be me that takes the blame for it all. What will happen if i hand in my resignation?

You will have to serve your notice, during which time the disciplinary may go ahead. Whatever happens your reference is likley to say that you resigned whilst suspended and under investigation. In other words, at this stage resigning won't help you one bit, so you may as well fight it out.

HI there, i have been suspended from work for 4 wks now, i was told when i went in on overtime i had to leave the premises and was not allowed to return until further notice! I was then asked to attend a meeting with my managers in which i was told that i had taken a day off sick 6 weeks prev and they don't believe that i was actually sick?? I was also told there that i was not allowed to enter any premises owned by the employer or allowed to talk to ANYBODY aout this issue. I have not been in touch with anybody from work and nobody has rang me to tell me what is happening. I was due to get back into work on the 18th jan, however on checking rotas i have seen that i am back on supsension until 1st Feb, but have not been told by work?? Where do i stand on this?? i am in a union but they have said they can't offer legal advice as i have not been with them long enough! please any help you can offer is accepted gratefully! Lyndsey

Well, it seems like a gross over-reaction, but the employer is allowed to do all of this provided they pay you. And conceivably, if they have evidence that you did take a day off sick when you were not sick, it MAY be cause to dismiss you. But at the moment all they have done is supend you, so there is nothing you can do. You can write and ask them what is going on, but that is all you can do.