Sacked for gross misconduct.

Been fired form my job I was there for 22 months. When I started I was given no induction on how to take payments in cash and there has been several occasions where I have had to take large sums of cash home as I didn't know where to leave it in office. Some cash was taken 4 months ago which I deposited in the safe when I eventually found out where to deposit it when I couldn't get to the night safe after hours. There was three transactions which have had monies missing from them totalling to £900. I have been held responsible for the missing money and they have kept my wages in order to cover the loss. They have called the sacking as missappropriation of money but in my appeal hearing I was told that no one is accusing me of theft!!! One one of the transactions I did take some cash but I paid this back on my debit card the same day, I know that this is not right but one of the managers did it a few months ago and I didn't see a problem with me doing it. I have also informed the company of wrong doings going on within the rest of the business.

They want to see me again this week to go through further findings. I thought after an appeal that is it yes or no. This just seems to be dragging on now and I just want to either get my job back or leave. I want my wages back from them but not sure what steps to take. To top it all off they haven't returned my contract of employment after 5 requests. I think that their processes and procedures are flawed as they only realised the money was missing 3 weeks ago when it was taken from the customers in August.

I just think that if a company has no policy for handling cash and there is no written rules for borrowing money from the business how can they sack you for this. There is also money missing which I have taken from customers, I am no thief and only thing I will admit to is paying money on my card which I know is wrong but I did it and I was only following what a manager did. He was found out but got no warning or telling off. He is related to my line manager hence the scott free apporach to it. I always follow manager's instructions and follow examples. How can I be sacked for this? I am also pregnant too which doesn't help matters to me as finding another job at this stage in my life is very hard and with no references available I am really struggling. They also have witheld my wages without my consent. I have commitments and a family to support and I can do with the money to feed myself and son. I am not sure what to do in regards to a ET or recover my money from them and put it down to bad experience and move on when my baby is born and find a new job. Please advise.

I am afraid that it isn't any good. They have evidence against you and the only thing an employment tribunal will consdier is the case that applies to you - not what someone else allegedly did. What you did would be a dismissable offence, and a tribunal would certainly uphold it. As for the withheld money - well they may in fact have your permission. There are often contractual clauses allowing an employer to recover misappropriated money. But even if this was an unlawful deduction of wages, it isn't a very strong position. If you sue them they can countersue you for their losses caused by you. In the end you could end up worse off. So I wouldn't suggest that you did anything without getting some proper legal advice as to the prospect of getting the money back without them countersuing - which would depend on what eveidence they have to show that money in your care went missing.

I'm sorry, but I'm either struggling to follow this or it doesn;t make sense?

You are saying that you did take money (but paid it back), but were framed for a different incident and the reason you were framed was that the person had got someone pregnant (presumably when married into the manager's family??)

Why would they frame you to stop you letting the secret out? Why would they not do everything in their power to keep you onside??

Sorry I know this is confusing, I am in such a pickle over this issue. I did take money and paid it back on my card on the same day but there is other money missing which I am not accountable for. Take the framed business away from all this. How can I go about proving I have not take n this money when I paid back the money on my card from the same transaction. I am not wishing to return to my job as there is too much bad feeling from the place now I want my wages and to have my baby and forget about this whole mess. I know I made a mistake with paying the money on my card but I only did what someone else did which is no excuse. I can see how this looks. What do I suggest to them about this money from my wages???