it was a COT3 through Acas, does that make a difference? and if i went to court would it be in my favor that in the first instance i was not after money but just a simple reference so i could get on with my career. Thanks

Hi guys I was after some advice, i lost my job back in december which then led to a tribunal case against my ex employer and it went to acas conciliation in which a compromise agreement was reached whereby any request for references would be supplied in a agreed format that would not state my reason for leaving. I have just recently applied for a job which i was offered pending a reference however the job offer was then taken away as they had a received a reference which was not satisfactory, the manager for the new company said he felt sorry and that he would supply me with a copy of the reference, which he did, and it clearly states my reason for dismissal. What can i do now??? i have been unemployed for over 9 months and the first job offer i get and they ruin it for me, i am also afraid as i went to another interview and was also offered the job pending a reference.... Does anybody know where i stand legally against my ex employer they are a very big retailer and i do not have any money to take legal action, where can i go? what can i do?? i am currently claiming jobseekers allowance and hate doing so I initially took the action against my ex employer through a tribunal not for money but just for a reference as i had worked for them for over 7 years and felt that was the minimum they could do, i am worried sick now that i will not be able to find a job and it has really stressed me out, and for the interviews where i have been and have been honest about my reason for leaving they have just knocked me back straightaway (i was dismissed for gross misconduct) but in my previous position i was an extremely successful manager but now it just seems its all over, because of a mistake.

Hi thanks Ali for your input it is greatly appreciated, the reference is all i,m after i have responded back to their initial wording requesting that they give me further assurances to which i will post their answer to as soon as they respond.

Hi i really would like to thank everybody for their help, the respondent has replied with the reference below and the promise that they will never give an oral reference is there anything else that i can ask for over and above in the reference e.g timekeeping, Our ref: XXXXXX xx March 2009 Strictly Private and Confidential To Whom It May Concern Dear Sir or Madam Re: Mr. XXXXX XXXX – Employment Reference Date employment commenced: XX XX XXXX Final position held: XXXXX Manager Date of leaving: XX XX XXXX The information outlined above is strictly confidential and without legal liability. Kind regards Name Colleague Services XXXXXXX XXXX PLC Xxxx x x x x xx x Xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx I really would like to stress how grateful i am for everybody's help, i would like to take it all the way to tribunal but i do not have the strength to do so and am on verge of loosing my house so i need to get a job fairly quickly as i,ve been unemployed for 3 months already and i cant cope financially.

hi the Et is in the stage of concilliation with ACAS .....i will add more as soon as i hear back from acas, i,m having to represent myself and it is all quite daunting

hi just an update, i submitted the ET1 form and the claim was taken on/accepted at the tribunal office and since then i have been in touch with the ACAS concilliator and i stated that i was after a clean reference, to which the respondent replied that they were prepared to supply a reference stating the dates i worked at the company and my job title and that they would leave off the reason why i was dismissed, is that the most reasonable reference i can expect or can i push for more?? i had a extremely great record within the company for 6 and half years until this incident any help would be greatly appreciated Thanks

Hi how do i find out if i had a contract of employment and to retrieve my employment file from my employer that i have been dismissed from

what happens after i submit the ET1?

hi i sent all my details to my house policy provider to claim under the insurance for legal cover and they have replied back stating that they cannot help "I understand that your claim relates to your dismissal by your employer for an alleged act of theft. Under the terms of your policy any claim in relation to your alleged dishonesty is not covered.Therefore your claim is excluded under the terms of your policy. what do i do now? are the NO WIN NO FEE SOLICITORS any good or can someone recommend me a good one, would i be entitled to legal aid?

well recieved a etter today and appeal was not allowed ...where can i go next?

surfer the reason why i stated what i did is because i worked for the above said retailer for over 7 years in a senior management position and so yes i know the store can take i up as i have done in the past...... XSVLY ...email your issue to customer services labelled for the attention of the directors office there is no external email address..

Hi First things first...YOU ARE COVERED....so not to worry there ...which store did you go to? Take it up with the store, in order of ...Sales Manager.....Store Manager ...document everything you have said....any half decent manager will take this up for you...if you have no luck there ....Put it into writing and send it to Comet head office in hull marked for the attention of the directors office via recorded delivery ...you will get a response... If you need anymore advice dont hesitate to ask SAM

hi yes i did have a representative with me it was another manager from another store....why does it take that long for them to respond? if they decide to not overturn the decision would this be a good case for an employment tribunal?

Hi guys these are the reasons for appeal that i put forward today 1.I have offered to repay the value of the voucher as soon as i had realised a mistake had been made 2. My excellent record with ***** and exceptional character has not been taken into account 3.The extremely difficult circumstances that i was working under (a) Lack Of a manager (b) No formal training © staff shortages/absence (d)Inadequate procedures (e)Lack of support from my manager who was not following official company procedure The recviewing manager said that he would be contacting me within two weeks? is that a normal length of time for a response?

hi just to clarify my arrest has nothing to do with the allegation in the disciplinary hearing but to do with a missing product the day before my initial hearing for this, but thy felt the need to question me about it in my investigatory hearing for this dismissal which i think is unfair as the two had nothing to do with each other? Also there was another colleague that was suspended for gift card usuage but is now back at work with i think a final written warning and yet he has been with the company only 2yrs and myself 6yrs, how can i find out what happened to him?

hi also the appeal hearing is 30 miles away from where i live and i cant afford the travel that far as i,m job seekers at the moment could they not move it closer?

hi i dont belong to a union and no one from my colleagues apparently has time hmmmm i was refused a representative in my investigation not the the disciplinary, i demanded one in the investigation as they were shouting at me and i felt intimidated and threatend

thanks angel

Hi Guys just to mention my appeal hearing is this wednesday on the 14th any advice as to what is going to happen would be appreciated

Hi guys i need some advice, i,ll explain the details i had been with company for 6 1/2 years and was summary dismissed with a pending appeal. this is the appeal letter i wrote does anybody think that i would take it for unfair dismissal? I am writing in regard to the decision on the 18th December to dismiss me as a ***** employee. The grounds for appeal are as follows The use of the gift card was a genuine error. As I tried unsuccessfully to explain in the disciplinary interviews, due to pressure of work at that time, I was unable to get to the Store safe to deposit the gift card. Therefore, to safeguard it, I had stored the gift card in my wallet. The intended use of the gift card was to acquire an item for the staff canteen. It is common practise as a motivational tool within the stores I have worked in past and present to use gift cards or/and zero valuing products as rewards for colleagues. I went to **** **** store to purchase goods for my own use, which I try to do as a matter of principle. I do not want the staff at my own branch to have knowledge of my own transactions or to feel compromised whilst serving me. As I went to pay for my purchase in *****, I noticed two people I thought were potential thieves I had apprehended operating in the ****** **** store previously. I mentioned it to the manager at the time. I was preoccupied by these events and just drew a number of gift cards from my wallet handing them over without checking them. Unfortunately the errant gift card was amongst my personal gift cards and I did not notice. I also consider that at neither hearing the notes taken accurately reflect the whole of the proceedings. Investigation Hearing 1 on 12 December 2008 − The persons conducting the interview were aggressive and threatening. − They did not listen to anything I said. − They would not tell me why I was there in spite of my many requests. − I asked for a witness but was refused. − I asked for the conversation to be recorded but was refused − Large tracts of the discussion were omitted. − The length of notes are clearly not an indication of the time I was in the investigation − I said that I wanted to amend or have the minutes amended but was refused − At first I refused to sign the minutes but was told that I would be dismissed if I did not sign − I agreed to sign only to enable me to get out of the hearing as I had to travel to M*********h over 250miles to see my partner and son plus then being able to take the matter to the next disciplinary level. Disciplinary Hearing 2 on 18 December 2008 − The minutes are still selective. I refused to sign. The interviewer stated categorically that if I did not sign I would not be able to appeal. Therefore I signed. − I told the interviewer, during the interview, that I still had in my possession an Ipod that remained a company asset. The interviewer was not aware but the notes are written to indicate that he knew previously. − Both managers taking part in the interview stressed that I should appeal, possibly to encourage me to sign the minutes I joined ***** in 2002. I have an exemplary record and have worked above and beyond what is required. In 2006 I was transferred to the ****** store and since that time it and I have continued to consistently meet targets, the store has constantly been at the top of the league and has won numerous awards. I am the only original manager out of five that still remain within ***** ***** since it was opened and through constant innovation I have strived to maintain high levels of sales, service and staff morale. Colleagues, both past, including those in other stores, and present, including area managers, appear to speak very highly of me and my level of commitment and competence. During my time with ***** I have never had any official training on any subject especially on refunds or how to SER (write off a product for store use) a product. I am not aware of any official implemented policy with regard to these procedures. All my knowledge has been gained on the shop floor from more experienced individuals. Over the last few months, there has been enormous work pressure. The ***** store has been running with only two managers; me and the store manager. This has been the situation since August this year, during our most difficult months. To ensure that the store continues to maintain the high standards previously achieved and now expected by my line management, it has been necessary for me to commence working prior to my allotted shift start time and to continue working past the end of my shift. Due to the extraordinary circumstances that we have been facing I would request you to use your discretion, allow me to repay the value of the gift card I used in error and enable me to get back to work earning ***** more money in these uncertain times. Yours sincerely --------------------------------------------------------------------- The day before the investigation i was in another investigation regarding a theft of a product but the other colleague was arrested, then when i went into work the next day they had me investigated for gift cards but at the start of the investigation they were more interested in what happened the day before and this is written in their notes, ...an interesting point they dismissed in disciplinary for "using a gift card to purchase a product" but in my dismissal letter it says that they are dismissing me "for using gift cards that have not been paid for" can they do that? subsequently i got arrested by the police for "suspicion of theft for the first investigation but the officer even said that ***** do not want to take it further as it the other colleagues word against mine and that they had to arrest me to get my side of the story? i am on bail at the moment,what happened was the other colleague cliamed that i told him to take a product out to a customers car when i never. 2 weeks prior i had a conversation with my manager regarding myself looking for another job as i could not cope with being the only manager there when there should be at least one more, could this have been there excuse to get rid of me? ANYONE PLEASE HELP

Hi guys just to give you an update ...the credit card company refunded the full cost back to me and they did not even ask me any questions ..i just filled out the form sent it off and two days later received a refund

hi mark i would hold onto it and speak to the manager first if you dont get a satisfactory answer then post it make sure you post it to the head office in hull, that way when they recieve the letter and then contact the store they will already know youve been into them to try and resolve it and it has not helped, the directors office is for serious complaints but to be honest i have seen some really trivial matters being esculated to them and they are really there to resolve issues quickly. Sam

Comet...... Ive just left comet as a senior manager after a very long time and i can assure you will not be better off spending your money there .... Sam

hi mark comet lakeside i know the store well,even though its in the warranty period you can still ask the store to to take the matter up on your behalf ask to speak to a sales manager best time would be to go in and when its quiet dont come across aggressive just be polite and firm and request to speak to him/her you,ll first get told that it has nothing to do with the store but any self respecting manager will take up the matter for you, the reason i say go in when its quiet is because the sales manager has to run the shopfloor and when its busy i can assure you they are doing the work load of a fair few staff as there have been a fair few cutbacks certainly around security,deputy managers...there will be no point quoating sales of goods act etc.. because i can assure you the staff on the helpdesk are not clued up on it.... if you have no luck with the manager then ask to see the store manager you will probably be fobbed off and told he/she isnt there but they certainly will be if he/she isnt then ask when they will be? if you still have no joy with the store manager then you need to call customer services and ask for the directors office the staff in there are absolutely commited to resolving issues, but the main thing to stress to them is that you have been reasonable and polite and have exhausted every avenue? What is the role of the directors office? well they are the final point of contact in resolving issues, they read your email letter etc? then they start contacting the relevent departments and really start pushing for a resolution, they send of an email to the relevent department and will expect an answer back within 4hours this is called the "4hour response" if an answer is not received then it passed onto the area manager or which ever manager is the most senior, then they will contact you but you must leave a contact number but i cannot stress how important it is to remain polite and courteous at all time it really does work in your favour. If anybody is having any issues with the following comet stores please get in touch and will i try and help Enfield,Romford,Lakeside,Greenwich,Barking,Beckton,Chadwell Heath,Basildon,Southend,Tottenham Hale. any advice i can give will apply to comet as a whole but i have sufficient experience with the above stores and managers.

hi mark which store did you purchase the t.v from?