Suspended for investigation car GPS tracker

[Pringle]

I have been suspended whilst the company look into the cars GPS tracker details.

The company are saying my work calendar does not reflect the locations on the GPS.

When the GPS was installed, I was never told it would be used to cross reference my calendar, and never been told to make sure my calendar is kept accurate to where I have been in the day. So I have used my calendar more as a task reminder for the week, and a lot of it does not cross reference with what the gps would say . In addition the GPS has been recording all the time, including my unpaid lunch breaks which I was not told about either.

I also work in the car as find it more quite than being in the office, so will do my paper work in the car and make calls. Again this will show on the gps as a random stop but wont cross reference with my calendar.

The way I work is very much, im out and about and will juggle my work around but not keep the calendar up to date, or calendar will show a time for a visit but i might go early etc.

So the investigation based on the GPS not matching my calendar will be in the company's favour as yes it wont match so they will state its false calendar.

Have I any chance on this one or not? Have I any defence. Should also say I'm dyslexic so my way of working is a bit random hence use of outlook calendar. We also work flexi working so I will do paper work at night sometimes and not log this.

Any help at all please very welcome.

[echat11]

Hi Pringle

Welcome to LB

Have you looked at your Terms and Conditions of Employment?

What does it say about GPS and managements ability to monitor you via GPS?

It sounds from your post that you have a reasonable explanation for the mismatch and your employer maybe over 'over zealous' in their actions. You need to be prepared to give them you explanation for questions they may pose.

Here is an article of interest, posted for that reason only -

https://www.hilldickinson.com/insigh...protection-law

No doubt ULA will advise further.

[Pringle]

Hi Pringle

Welcome to LB

Have you looked at your Terms and Conditions of Employment?

What does it say about GPS and managements ability to monitor you via GPS?

It sounds from your post that you have a reasonable explanation for the mismatch and your employer maybe over 'over zealous' in their actions. You need to be prepared to give them you explanation for questions they may pose.

Here is an article of interest, posted for that reason only -

https://www.hilldickinson.com/insigh...protection-law

No doubt ULA will advise further.

Many thanks for the warm welcome and reply.

If Id known they was going to track and cross reference with a calendar id make sure it matched spot on, my worry is none of it will match now and have gps data that dpes not reflect any of my time or visits.

The only policy I can find is below.

7. Tracking Devices and CCTV 7.1. All Council vehicles are fitted with GPS tracking devices which record the location of the vehicle and driver behaviour at all times. Some vehicles e.g., sweepers, 7.5t caged tippers and refuse collection freighters are also fitted with CCTV. 7.2. Real time location information can be accessed and will be used in some instances to effectively respond to service demands. 7.3. Tracking and CCTV supports the Council in its duty of care, providing safety and security for employees, especially when lone working, and can help to ensure that employees and the Council are protected from false claims made by third parties. 7.4. The data will be used to monitor how and where a vehicle is being driven and can highlight issues such as speeding, excessive acceleration and braking, periods of inactivity, excessive idling, unauthorised use outside of permitted hours and incidents of poor driving. 7.5. Driving behaviour will be monitored via the tracking/CCTV systems and its data used to improve driver behaviour, vehicle utilisation and to investigate driving issues. Data may be used as evidence to support additional driver training, or in serious cases as part of disciplinary investigations. 7.6. Where CCTV monitoring devices are fitted to vehicles to record the vehicle and operatives’ movements, the information will be used to ensure compliance with safe working practices and should the vehicle be involved in any accident, incident, or insurance claim.

[echat11]

All they are doing at this moment is investigating, so you really are 'jumping the gun'. How does your way of working compare to other employees in the same position? Do they work in the same way? Will they have the same 'anomalies'?

[Pringle]

All they are doing at this moment is investigating, so you really are 'jumping the gun'. How does your way of working compare to other employees in the same position? Do they work in the same way? Will they have the same 'anomalies'?

To be fair, ive been there 13 years and kind of stayed the same working way as never been told to match calendar spot on with day and we only had the gps a few years back. Others are more new staff and the office and home workers ones no they dont really use calendars, the field based i think do more. And the staff that use own cars they dont get tracked on gps.

It all started as I had got ahead one day, so decided to go for a run as lunch break, but never moved my lunch break in my calendar as forgot and then they started to say, you not been this address thats in the calendar and you been a different address. I explained I dont keep it up to date and might do for example whats in on thursday on a monday if im passing and think lets do it now as passing and running ahead, but then as i use calendar task based id not always bother to move it to reflect the day i did it.

I was very open and said I can see where they coming from and if they need my calendar to be journey exact to match a gps it will be from now on, as know it does not match now, but she was having none of it and said your suspended and it be investigated then a hearing. I thibk she wants me out to be honest.

I dont have much defence on this other than say how i used calendar and how i have always have worked from in car with paper work and hope they believe me I guess. If they dont I can only see them sacking me.

I hope i am jumping the gun but I just have a really bad feeling about this.

[echat11]

You need to fight your corner, point out that, nobody has complained previously and you've done the job for 13 years.

Update the thread, hopefully ULA will lookin shortly, I'll caveat that by saying shes on a break at the moment.

[ULA]

A couple of questions I would like to ask first before advising;

1. Have you made the company been aware you are dyslexic?
2. If so when?
3. Has there been any difference in the way that you have been working post GPS tracker installation and after?
4. Is this the first time there has been any issue raised with you, even informally, between the calendar entries and the GPS tracking.

Many thanks

[Pringle]

A couple of questions I would like to ask first before advising;

1. Have you made the company been aware you are dyslexic?
2. If so when?
3. Has there been any difference in the way that you have been working post GPS tracker installation and after?
4. Is this the first time there has been any issue raised with you, even informally, between the calendar entries and the GPS tracking.

Many thanks

Hi

Many thanks for the reply.

1 - The company was made aware I'm dyslexic in 2022 when they asked about my letters having some grammar errors in them. And reminded again last year when after suffering deaths in the family I became very stressed and this made my dyslexia worse.
2 - 2022
3-No I have always worked in my car and juggled appointments around and used the calendar as more a task for week and not edited it much or included every adhoc or on the off chance they might me in type visit, and had reminders in it and to call someone, and if running ahead its different times or order. We have been very short staffed of late and when I can I just fit things in but then other days i might get around quicker. I have not felt myself of late so been working in car a bit more. But no real change.
4 yes first time ever. I feel what made it was this week my appointments went quick one day, and I therefore took an early lunch but forgot to change it in my calendar so showed late lunch. Then they looked at gps and my calander and saw how they dont match during week, but as I say I mix and match things around and total my fault i guess but dont match it up, but do my work and it works for me. I explained this on the day they suspended me, it was a thursday and i said for example i intended to call at these places today that are in on monday next week, but if they was not in id do monday and if they are in today i done them but i dont always remember to take them out of monday if i did them today and id not put in i cold called mondays on thursday either. I said i can see it makes no sense but always been that way. manager said i was making up false things in calendar and dis honest in my working day so suspended me.

I know it sounds a odd way to work but it worked, it might be dysleix or the feeling not great made it worse, but since they sent me home ive felt awful and not sure i have it in me to do the hearing whenever they decide i need to go. Maybe I should pay for a supporting letter from gp or legal or something I dont know.

Any help more than welcome.