Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

[Zabisco]

Hi i have been reading through the forum and was hoping that someone may be able to help.

i have been working for a high street bank and found myself being invited to an informal meeting today regarding a large fraudulent transaction that occured in my branch earlier this year.

i had nothing to do with the transaction which the company are fully aware of, but i have been interviewed today and been suspended for negligence and failure to follow process.

I am waiting for the investigation notes to come through so that i can start to build my case. The issue lies with a new assis manager who did not follow the correct process which led to the loss of the money.

I am getting the blame for not providing the assiss manager with suport and development, even though the individial has signed the process which confirms that she has read, understood and implemented the process.

as far as i am aware no action has been taken against this individual just myself.

I have been in banking for the past 10 years and all of a sudden can feel my career going down the pan. They have informed me that it eill be managed under gross miss conduct as i have failed to carry out my duties as a manager.

To add to this situation, my branch scored a successful audit review in dec 09 after failing this in q3 last year. i helped manage my previous assis manager out to a smaller branch as she found it too demanding and requested that due to the development areas around risk, for a experienced assiss manager. instead the new assis manager was interviewed by the regional risk manager and my regional sales manager, and although she was only a cashier in her most recent role was given the job as an assiss manager. i protested as this individial had no experience in this field and felt i would not be able to train this new manager as i was also learning myself.

so i am now in a position where the new manager has denied all knowledge of support and i have been landed with the consequences of her actions.

i feel that i have been treated unfairly as this situation was out of my control.

sorry for the long post!

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

zabisco do you want to pop into the legal beagles chat room and discuss further in private? I will go in there and direct you to the right place where we can discuss this....
Legal Beagles

[MIKE770]

Re: Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

Best chat to Natty this is his area knowledge.:beagle:

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

Hi i have been reading through the forum and was hoping that someone may be able to help.

i have been working for a high street bank and found myself being invited to an informal meeting today regarding a large fraudulent transaction that occured in my branch earlier this year.
Was this with one or two people present?
Were you able to take notes?
Were you advised in advance of such a meeting?
i had nothing to do with the transaction which the company are fully aware of, but i have been interviewed today and been suspended for negligence and failure to follow process.
If you did not make the transaction, were not involved in the transaction either via face to face interaction or authorising of the transaction, why are you being told you were negligent and failed to follow process? It doesn't make sense this bit.
I am waiting for the investigation notes to come through so that i can start to build my case. The issue lies with a new assis manager who did not follow the correct process which led to the loss of the money.
If the new assistant manager did not follow the correct process, why are you being investigated? How long have they worked in banking and should their own experience be questioned?
I am getting the blame for not providing the assiss manager with suport and development, even though the individial has signed the process which confirms that she has read, understood and implemented the process.
Why? How long has the assistant manager worked for the bank? How many times have they been involved in the process?
What information on the process is available internally?
Why did they fail to follow the implemented process if they didn't understand what they were doing?
as far as i am aware no action has been taken against this individual just myself.
If they were involved then that is their disciplinary and not yours.
I have been in banking for the past 10 years and all of a sudden can feel my career going down the pan. They have informed me that it eill be managed under gross miss conduct as i have failed to carry out my duties as a manager.
If I am being honest, when I was suspended, the only issue for me was the void of unknowing, ie what am I going to do now? My personal view initially is that you have not committed an act of gross misconduct and if you are in the banking union please consult a union representative. If you aren't then make sure you have the banks' code of conduct and disciplinary measures as to what constitutes dismissal.
To add to this situation, my branch scored a successful audit review in dec 09 after failing this in q3 last year. i helped manage my previous assis manager out to a smaller branch as she found it too demanding and requested that due to the development areas around risk, for a experienced assiss manager. instead the new assis manager was interviewed by the regional risk manager and my regional sales manager, and although she was only a cashier in her most recent role was given the job as an assiss manager. i protested as this individial had no experience in this field and felt i would not be able to train this new manager as i was also learning myself.
Did you put this in writing or was this done verbally? if it was in writing you have, perhaps an even stronger case for not being dismissed.
so i am now in a position where the new manager has denied all knowledge of support and i have been landed with the consequences of her actions.
Is this your regional sales manager?
Did you make these representations verbally? Did you keep notes for yourself on what you said and when?
i feel that i have been treated unfairly as this situation was out of my control.
I think the bank, at the moment, does not have a strong case as such because I am not sure I understand your involvement in this.
You private message me here with more details(if you want to keep the details specific to your case off the forum). I worked for a bank for 10 years, and what some people do not know, is that I was very well versed with the disciplinary process as a cashier for cash differences, absence monitoring, performance monitoring and I even had a verbal warning for swearing at a manager in a team meeting (and all of that prior to being dismissed for gross misconduct). Cashiering I was rubbish at but disciplinary I was expert at, lol.
sorry for the long post!

See above and if you want advice I'm happy to give it, if not then so be it and good luck with it all.

[Zabisco]

Re: Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

hi natweststaffmember

thanks for your input.

i will be back on later at abut 6pm can u show me how to pm you please?

you have raised some valid points which i agree with and would like to discuss further with you

thanks
z

[Luminol]

Re: Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

Hi Zab

If you click on Natties name, the one next to his picture on his post, it gives you the option to send him a message.

Lumi x

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

Zabisco, I am unfortunately at work at that time during the weekdays ie Monday to Friday. However, some additional advice is that if you are in the union at work to get some advice from them. Otherwise there is always ACAS

Acas - Contact us

I have used them since I have never joined a trade union and they will give confidential advice to you if need be.

[charitynjw]

Re: Suspended from high street bank for gross misconduct

Hi Zabisco,

If the allegations are serious enough to affect your future professional 'employability', you may have a right to legal representation at any disciplinary meeting.

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2009/504.html

(In particular, paras 67 - 69)