Behaviour at a disciplinary?
Discussion
Right.
Tomorrow, I have been invited to an "interview without coffee".
This is down to an "unacceptable" level of tachograph infringements. These infringements were in no way deliberate; they arose from my slight misunderstanding of the nuances of tachograph regulations.
So, do I:
a) Go in, admit what a t
t I've been, what a retard I am, but how I've learned my lesson and now fully understand the ins-and-outs of tachograph regulations and will never let this happen again and how lucky I am to be employed by such a wonderful employer.
or
b) Accuse them of victimisation, picking on me 'cos I'm a bit slow, not providing the proper training to someone who's been driving lorries for over 10 years and should know the tacho rules inside-out and then get straight on the net to Bent-Lawyers-Can-Sue-Your-Boss.com for some tasty compo?
Well?
Tomorrow, I have been invited to an "interview without coffee".
This is down to an "unacceptable" level of tachograph infringements. These infringements were in no way deliberate; they arose from my slight misunderstanding of the nuances of tachograph regulations.
So, do I:
a) Go in, admit what a t
t I've been, what a retard I am, but how I've learned my lesson and now fully understand the ins-and-outs of tachograph regulations and will never let this happen again and how lucky I am to be employed by such a wonderful employer.or
b) Accuse them of victimisation, picking on me 'cos I'm a bit slow, not providing the proper training to someone who's been driving lorries for over 10 years and should know the tacho rules inside-out and then get straight on the net to Bent-Lawyers-Can-Sue-Your-Boss.com for some tasty compo?
Well?
Edited by Sciroccology on Tuesday 9th September 19:19
Option a is the best and then fall back on the fact that the company has the obligation to ensure that you know and understand the regulations which the clearly have not done or you would not have made the genuine and honset mistake.
However
Sit quietly with a witness, and listen to the case against you.
Ask what it is that you were supposed to have done in each case in order to comply and then explain your understanding of the law.
This will be clearly different to your boss's and then you can state that his version is not how you interpreted the law.
Agree to work to the boss's version of the law from now on so that there will be no further transgressions.
IF you have had no formal warnings before you should be OK, just a bking and maybe a writen warning.
However
Sit quietly with a witness, and listen to the case against you.
Ask what it is that you were supposed to have done in each case in order to comply and then explain your understanding of the law.
This will be clearly different to your boss's and then you can state that his version is not how you interpreted the law.
Agree to work to the boss's version of the law from now on so that there will be no further transgressions.
IF you have had no formal warnings before you should be OK, just a b
king and maybe a writen warning.Edited by odyssey2200 on Wednesday 10th September 13:00
Admit nothing, do not assume they will be reasonable, fear the worst. Be very careful indeed -if they want to get rid of you, don't give them any ammunition. You don't need to be confrontational, but much closer to (b) than (a). If it is a formal interview, take a companion and take notes of what is said.
Don't ask me how I know!!
Don't ask me how I know!!
johnfm said:
Excuse my naivity, but what are tachy infringements?
Speeding or too many hours without a break?
Too many driving hours without a break.Speeding or too many hours without a break?
Actually, no, that wasn't quite the case. Basically, the good old EU changed the tacho rules some time ago so that your 45 minute break (after/during 4.5 hours of driving) had to be 15 minutes and 30 minutes, whereas before you could have three 15 minute breaks, or 20 minutes then 25 minutes and so on.
Thing is, the breaks had to be taken in that order; 15 minutes, then 30 minutes.
This was the tiny detail that I had missed at Trucker School.
I was taking my 30 minute break first, then sticking in a quick 15 minute break later. The digi tacho in the cab accepted this as a 45 minute break and reset my driving time to zero. However, when my digi-card was downloaded and the reports created, it flagged up an infringement, because it "knew" that I'd had my breaks the wrong way round.
So, in my ignorance, I thought I was doing the right thing - but wasn't.
10 Pence Short said:
Couldn't you have exchanged some of your 'home videos' in return for a blind eye from the powers that be?
Possibly, but only if one (or all) of "the powers that be" had appeared in one of my home videos. Which they didn't. Sadly.odyssey2200 said:
Option a is the best and then fall back on the fact that the company has the obligation to ensure that you know and understand the regulations which the clearly have not done or you would not have made the genuine and honset mistake.
However
Sit quietly with a witness, and listen to the case against you.
Ask what it is that you were supposed to have done in each case in order to comply and then explain your understanding of the law.
This will be clearly different to your boss's and then you can state that his version is not how you interpreted the law.
Agree to work to the boss's version of the law from now on so that there will be no further transgressions.
IF you have had no formal warnings before you should be OK, just a bking and maybe a writen warning.
Possibly a liitle late in the day, but well meant none the less....However
Sit quietly with a witness, and listen to the case against you.
Ask what it is that you were supposed to have done in each case in order to comply and then explain your understanding of the law.
This will be clearly different to your boss's and then you can state that his version is not how you interpreted the law.
Agree to work to the boss's version of the law from now on so that there will be no further transgressions.
IF you have had no formal warnings before you should be OK, just a b
king and maybe a writen warning.Edited by odyssey2200 on Wednesday 10th September 13:00
Sciroccology said:
johnfm said:
Excuse my naivity, but what are tachy infringements?
Speeding or too many hours without a break?
Too many driving hours without a break.Speeding or too many hours without a break?
Actually, no, that wasn't quite the case. Basically, the good old EU changed the tacho rules some time ago so that your 45 minute break (after/during 4.5 hours of driving) had to be 15 minutes and 30 minutes, whereas before you could have three 15 minute breaks, or 20 minutes then 25 minutes and so on.
Thing is, the breaks had to be taken in that order; 15 minutes, then 30 minutes.
This was the tiny detail that I had missed at Trucker School.
I was taking my 30 minute break first, then sticking in a quick 15 minute break later. The digi tacho in the cab accepted this as a 45 minute break and reset my driving time to zero. However, when my digi-card was downloaded and the reports created, it flagged up an infringement, because it "knew" that I'd had my breaks the wrong way round.
So, in my ignorance, I thought I was doing the right thing - but wasn't.
Your transport manger should have told/reminded you when it was introduced
Do it your way means an hour break in future
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