Royal Mail Application Question re: Cautions

[Geronimo1]

I searched for threads about this and found one which dealt with convictions and Royal Mail, so apologies if anybody feels I should not have started a fresh thread.

 

I recently started to apply for a job as a Post Person with Royal Mail (in Scotland) and the questionnaire asked if I had ever received a police caution.

 

I was cautioned over five years ago (in England) for a bit of freelance art a friend and I did and was advised that it would expire after five years - which was last October.

 

I am a bit concerned that I have even been asked whether I have EVER been cautioned as this does not seem legal to me. I have worked with vulnerable people and have obtained several CRBs without any problem - even though I declared the caution but why should I be asked to declare something which no longer legally exists?

 

I would simply not bother to apply as it isn't my normal kind of occupation but the Job Centre exert significant pressure to seek work even when the prospects of actually getting the job are slim beyond reasonable expectation.

 

[edit] BTW - this seems to indicate that cautions should expire after five years:

 

http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/Road_Traffic_Law/Rehabiliation_of_Offenders_Act

Edited January 21, 2012 by Geronimo1

[papasmurf1cx]

Unfortunately they do still legally exist. Your problem lies in the wording of the question. You CANNOT lie as to do so would be dishonest and by lying you may be culpable of a criminal offence. In these circumstances you should honestly disclose the caution and explain the circumstances, your age and the fact that Police records may show that the matter is extinct. Explain that you are a much different person to the person your were then and regret your actions and your desire for the matter not to be taken into account in making their decision.

 

Best of luck. Let us know if you get the job.

[Geronimo1]

I had no intention of lying - that was the dilemma. I was simply going to complain to Royal Mail that they are asking inappropriate questions.

 

As it is, I think I will just discuss it with the Job Centre and explain why I chose not to apply.

[papasmurf1cx]

Please don't take offence, I was only trying to point out that not answering truthfully would harm the application. I wouldn't be put off trying to get the job, shows guts to face up to the past and move forward.

[Geronimo1]

No offence taken, I assure you.

 

I'm involved in an employment tribunal as well at the moment and honesty is a huge factor in that. It seems that lying is expected these days and having an honest CV seems to be a handicap but if nothing else, simply witnessing people who profess to be Christians lie to protect themselves from the consequences of their actions will be ample satisfaction to this agnostic.

[papasmurf1cx]

Not just "christians" I assure you. Any and all will lie to save their necks and money more to the point.

[Geronimo1]

In my employment tribunal case they are all self-professed Christians.

[papasmurf1cx]

In my wife's case (which I won by the way) the chair of the employer's appeal panel was a Church of England Vicar (female one too) I looked to complain and challenge her legitimancy but the fact was that vicars of theior own churches are 'sacrosanct' and only accountable to the almighty.

(Almighty = the power of the buck!!!)

[Geronimo1]

Sorry that this has gone way off topic but my case is stringing out unbearably. I was forced out of my job last May. The tribunal started at the end of November and at the beginning of December it was adjourned until the middle of March.

 

Good that you won. The whole process seems stacked in favour of the employer. It's little wonder that only 5% of constructive dismissal cases are successful.

 

• They get to present their case after hearing yours and there is no way of contradicting anything they say.
   
   
  
• Witnesses who still work there are reluctant to testify against the employer.
   
   
  
• They outnumber you grossly and if they get their story straight - especially with the advantage of a three month adjournment, they appear more credible.
   
   
  
• Plus, the three month adjournment means that their evidence is fresher in the minds of the adjudicators.
  

I have been tempted to jack it in because my girlfriend (who still works there) is being intimidated and (according to my solicitor) bullied - but I feel that to give in would be dishonouring myself.

 

The organisation presents itself publicly as ethical but as I discovered with the Co-operative Bank, PR and reality are filed in different folders.

Edited January 22, 2012 by Geronimo1

[papasmurf1cx]

Geronimo ........ we hear your pain.

 

It is not 5% unfortunately it is only 3% of CD cases that make it, which is why we on CAG advise to stick the short term pain and let vthe employer do the nasty work. It is best to go to GP and get the cover of the sick note for anxiety and depression. What more can one experience but the anxiety and depression that the employer FORCES on you.

 

I was wondering if you want to share the experinece you have had? Maybe a bit late for you but maybe not for your GF?

 

'love' (man love ... which means a 'manly hug' )

[Geronimo1]

I'm being very careful not to give any details as it's ongoing but depending on the outcome, she may well be leaving.

 

I realised when it was too late that I should have stayed off sick - I had been off for six weeks but felt duty bound to go back but ended up getting stressed to a point beyond which I hate to think what could have happened. Well, actually, I know what was on my mind. I had been trying to get help from ACAS but it had been a bank holiday and contact with them was difficult. Having contacted the Samaritans and done a bit of research online about how to avoid waking up with brain damage, I decided to give ACAS one more go the next day and if they could not help, I would resign and that is what happened.

 

But to hear their solicitor, you would believe that I had either made it all up or planned the whole thing from the beginning including relocating over 250 miles. They actually said I should simply go back to where I came from, i.e. England (I am now living on the edge of the Highlands in Scotland).

 

They have mad two paltry offers to settle 'without prejudice' but the first was barely a week's wages and the second, twice that. I didn't need a moment of thought to reject the offers. I asked myself if, having been through all this, I could imagine myself thinking that if only I'd accepted the offer...

 

And there is much going on that stinks of them trying to get at me through my girlfriend. People offering to say 'anything' to help my case (which I rejected) and then lying through their teeth once they took the stand as witnesses for the employer. Like I said, real commandment adhering Christians.

 

I would say more but I really feel that if I am too specific I could be messing things up now that things are in process.

[Geronimo1]

I know this is increasingly of topic but I needed to vent this somewhere and I thought I had started a thread about this rather than digressed into it.

 

In so far as my constructive dismissal Employment Tribunal case, it was due to resume in two days. I received a couple more offers and finally accepted the last one. I just received a call from my solicitors to say that due to a change in Legal Aid last year, any damages received are subject to clawback, i.e. deduction of fees, and if I accept the offer I would receive next to nothing. So, settling the case early would be pointless.

 

I just had my first decent night's sleep in a year thinking that this was all over.