After the manager told me about my sanction, he asked me did I want to carry on doing the papers. He was understandable about my reason - some colleagues will find it uncomfortable about me doing it. Most of my colleagues are lovely, but everyone does not like the snitch. I have been in workplaces where ALL the female colleagues are nasty pieces of work, like her. No wonder I left these places 10-19 months after I started.

Sorry about the delay. Have been busy. Plus my internet has been playing up The three of us all of got the first written warning - lasting 6 months. The reason was that customers needed to buy the paper to get the coupons and if they found out colleagues were helping themselves to coupons/tokens etc in unsold papers, it will be bad for us. 1stWW is the lowest sanction applied to gross misconduct. A few points which came up: . The fact finding was not done correctly. When a fact finding is done, it's informal and there is no note taker. There was a note taker present at mine and another colleague's. Cannot comment about the 3rd one as not spoken to her. The TUR said once a note taker is present - it's classed as a proper investigation. I was not given any opportunity to get a rep - either the union rep who was at work at the time or another colleague. The shop manager that conducted the disciplinary was not bothered about this. . There was nothing in any of my employer's documents about newspapers. The TUR does other shops in the county and said when he has been waiting for his client in the canteen, he has noticed newspapers with gaps in them - is not just coupons. TV guides, 1D posters etc. . Was not given full training, which included a signing off booklet. I have never seen or filled one in. I only started doing newspapers when the regular colleague that did it for 2 days was on long term sick last year. Then another colleague that did the other days when I was there, moved depts, so I was kinda roped into it full time. I have requested not to do the papers anymore as they belong to another department. It's that department's responsibility and problem as I am concerned now. Also if there are any incomplete papers, they are locked away until the other papers are processed. If colleagues want to buy a paper for themselves, they need to get their receipt and staple it to the front of the paper and take it away with them when their break is over. I have heard another supervisor snitched on me when the team leader dropped her token on the floor in the cloakroom and she picked it up and noticed what it was. They found my application form, which I filled in Autumn 2008 and they did question why I did tick 'no' to the have you got a disability. The reason is that I ticked no is because many employers see a yes and stuff the application form in the reject pile. They presume people with disabilities are thick, useless etc. I did an experiment for one job about 8 years ago - same company, same job, same pay, but different locations (bank branches). One application form I ticked yes and the other no. Guess which one I got an interview? The one where I ticked no! Just shows that the people that looked at the application forms just went for the disabilities - no mention of applying for another branch during the interview. At previous jobs, I was able to have a quiet word with a manager within a 2 weeks of starting about my dyslexia. I never had the opportunity to do so as I was away from my place of work and working at other shops doing refits (staying overnight at hotels) for the first 7 weeks of my working life. Then I completely forgot about it. Many colleagues are disgusted about the treatment of the three of us. Taking clippings from newspapers has happened everywhere. One former colleague told me that a manager that worked in the shop took home full papers unpaid! She was the deputy manager and did this with two papers each day (national and local) she was in. She was with the shop for 2.5 years and did this most days. This manager is still working for the company as I have googled her name and my employer's name. I wonder did she carry on with this in the two other shops she has been since leaving us?

I thought of something. If when asked 'why did I removed coupons?' Because the supervisor ASKED me to do so, I thought it was ok. Plus another supervisor removed at least one coupon (no info about how many she actually took) as she did it in front of me. If two supervisors thought it was ok, it hopefully make matters easier for me. But the saying two rights make a wrong can apply here. Also these coupons started the day before my supervisor asked me to remove them for her. She did not work that date and I did process the papers that day. Further proof of following supervisor's orders. As to why I bleurted out another (innocent) colleague's name when someone asked 'who did you get permission for doing this'. I am dyslexic and I generally have good days without my dyslexia interfering with my life. But I was put on the spot and very tired. This brought my dyslexia out as dyslexics have general probs managing stress in an instance. The disciplinary which happened in 2010, my TUR thought using this as to save me. The practice of removing coupons has been going on all the time since I have worked there. Even one manager that worked in the store (moved to another store 2 years ago) partook collecting coupons!!

I remember about a year or so ago, one newspaper used to have a free puzzle book of 8-12 pages. Some colleagues did take this home from any unsold papers. Similar principle to the coupons if I am so to believe. Also do newspaper wholesalers check every single bundle of unsold papers that gets delivered to them? They know one of the bundles is from my shop as a sheet with our details attached to one of the bundles. But prob no idea about the other bundles. The weekend papers, I do at least three bundles due to the weight of them. Weekday papers - 2. It's a huge task. Think about every single place that sells newspapers - newsagents, supermarkets, corner shops, petrol stations, large office complexes, street vendors (for the local ones) - a wholesaler may supply 1000 places and could have 2,000-3,000 bundles to deal with. I tie them up with string like a parcel. I am not too sure I am being disciplined for theft through the coupons or the theft through 'damaged' papers. It just satates on the letters that I have removed holiday coupons from a paper between x-y Jan. I have talked to a few non colleagues friends about what they class as damaged. Removing a small piece which is less than 5% of the size of the oage, none of them would classes as damaged. One former colleague and the suspended supervisor that is responsible for the papers said to me that they just get pulped. I think the supervisor that is responsible for the newspapers should get the harsher outcome than me and the other supervisor as she knows about the rules, what actually happens to them and never passed that info to me. I was led to believe that these papers just get pulped (with the supplements in shrinkwrap removed beforehand)

In my suspension letter, it has been said I am not allowed to visit the store, unless going to a meeting about the investigation/disciplinary. Though does not mention about going to other shops. Some retailers make their suspended colleagues to be banned in every shop of the chain. I don't have the phone numbers of the other two suspended colleagues and they are not on the social media. Then, earlier this week, it was 2 colleagues' birthdays. Normally, I write on their facebook wall wishing them a happy birthday, but not done so. The only FB contacts I have done this week are to those friends that never worked for my employer. I never updated my status. Some customers recognise me. I was in the chemists down the same road, collecting my prescription. A customer said 'is this your day off?' I said 'it is' - though that day of the week is my day of normally. I think if the employer KNOWS you have broken these simple rules of entering the premises and/or talked to colleagues about this, then it will not help your case and get disciplined for breaking suspension rules. Sidewinder, we were never been told that it's unacceptable practice to remove coupons or free discs from papers. If we were, I would not be in this position. I don't process the unsold magazines - more complex and different system they use. But there are even better free gifts like £10 face cream, paperback books etc. At work, I am often finding magazines with the free gift removed. I put a note 'free gift stolen' on the front of the mag. I wonder how many shop workers across the UK have taken these gifts when they return them unsold? Mag wholesalers have no clue as if its a colleague or a customer taking the gift! I have seen newspapers strooned in a messy heap down another aisle and yep the customer took the coupon for whatever it was. As when we had the free discs, those that taken them home only took 1 or 2. The other one was for a relative. The whole issue with the ripping out coupons is huge. It's not just me and the two colleagues. Anywhere that sells newspapers has had this. If I am dismissed, I will get this appealed. Do you think, the three of us will get the same punishment level? If not, which one will get the biggest one? The two other colleagues are supervisors. One of them is part time on the checkouts/customer service. She was the one that asked me to rip the coupons out for her. The other one is her dept does the processing of the papers and magazines. If I do get a warning, can I suggest to transfer to another shop? If the other two are allowed back to work, they may find it difficult and uncomfortable to work if I am still there. Though I will be financially losing out as I will be driving to work and not walking and be driving 23 miles or 55 miles per week, depending on which shop I will be transferred to. The other shops are larger and have more departments.

A former colleague (now retired) (person A) lives next door to a colleague that still works there (person B). B told A that there are three colleagues on suspension - myself and the other two colleagues I have said their names as they either took the coupons themselves (person C) s or they asked me to do it for them (person D) This is certainly very interesting as they are actually benefiting from the coupons, I had no plans to use the coupons as these holidays the coupons are for are my kind of hell. But the thing is are they going to lie? I am even more worried because of this in some ways and other ways I am glad they are getting the punishment for this. Obviously, I will not mention in the meeting that they are suspended and comment if they mentioned like I was unaware of it - which shows I am following suspension rules. Now, A did process the papers when she was working and in those days, many of the weekend papers had free DVDs and CDs in them. She did distribute the discs among colleagues. I did not pick any of these discs up as it was not my kind of thing or had the disc at home. The manager will not be interested in this as the colleague has retired 2 years ago. What do you think about what will happen? My first meeting is Sunday am.

My employer does a generic reference 'worked between x and y in the role of a' and will not help things.

Nope. I haven't had the time

I am in the process of doing my CV and applying for a couple of jobs. I have an issue with who to use for a 2nd reference. Been with my present employer for just over 5 years. The previous 3-4 years of employers don't exist anymore. I worked for a temp agency for a firm that still exists. When my current employer tried to contact the firm, they had no record of me, despite I was there for 18 months and all the managers in my dept have left. Friends cannot help either as I know them for not long enough or speaking to them after a gap of 15 years and only been in contact for 1 year.

So what do you think may be the outcome? Left a text with the union rep and not heard back. Tried to ring her but she has no voicemail. Any other advice?

My FWW written warning expired in Sept 2011.

I work in a shop where each night that I work, I gather up the unsold newspapers and process them. A colleague asked me if I could get the tokens out from a certain paper. I have done this for 3 days now. I have been caught out as I as for an envelope (wish kept my mouth shut) never gained permission from anyone above me. I did blurt out a name when I was asked did I get permission. I was bloody stupid and have no reason why I did this. My manager is disappointed with me for lying and breaching trust. I was never caught taking the coupons from the paper or handing them to the colleague. The area where I do the papers is in the staff area and no CCTV cameras. I am suspended on full pay and not allowed to visit the shop or contact any colleagues. The thing is sometimes, we have papers in the staff room - esp during the weekend as sometimes we receive more papers than supplements (have to insert the supplements ourselves) and cannot sell these to customers. Sometimes these newspapers have other coupons like 'free bottle of pop' '2for1 at Alton Towers' and these coupons are torn out by colleagues, and probably without permission. The same applies to the customer magazine (paid for) and have them in the canteen and coupons are torn from that. There have been other colleagues that have been ripping out these coupons recently in front of me. I did mention these names to the manager that was gathering up facts. Not too sure what is going to happen to them. I am not benefiting from these coupons at all. Colleagues rely on me. I am very worried that I will get dismissed for this. I don't feel I can carry on with life and want to end it. I feel I have let myself down. It's my 2nd suspension in 3.5 years. The first one was adding too many loyalty points to my account. I did get a FWW for 12 months. I am in the union and will be contacting her. I am on annual leave as from tomorrow for a week til 19th Jan. If I am dismissed, then its unfair as colleagues have been ripping out coupons from various sources for years and never been caught. I am surprised with that as one colleague ripped out the same coupon from 10 magazines for £1 off something when this particular product was down to £1. I have never ripped out any coupon before this episode. Any advice please?

Thanks.

May have to text her. I don't know her usernames to any forums.

This is the only forum I have discussed this. If there is another post on another forum then its concidence.