wrongly accused of breaking company policy

[Gail5678]

I was wrongly accused of breaking company policy and received a verbal warning.

"PROVIDE A CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDING NAMES/DATES.
Associates are not permitted to eat food on the sales floor. Gail was seen several times on 9/18/2010 eating the decorated cake that she was demoing."
It further states
"CORRECTIVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN: Gail must follow rules and not eat anytning on the sales floor whether you are doing a demo or on break"

I am a diabetic and decorated cake is off limits to me. I do not eat any of my demo's on the floor or off and bring my own lunch to work.

My supervisor did not give me a chance to defend myself/or tell my side of the story. I was guilty as charged with no defense allowed.
I was not told who accused me, and was told to sign the paper and return to work.

What can I do about this? I have never in all my 45 years of working been accused of misconduct at the work place. I am terribly upset and need to know what I can do to correct this false report.

 

[Patricia_Young]

Nothing, really, unless the employer will allow you to place a rebuttal in your personnel file (a very few states require that the employer allow this, but I don't know if NJ is one of them).

Obviously, if you didn't do this, somebody has it out for you. It is unfortunate that the employer believed someone else over you, but that is their perogative. The "rules of evidence" apply to criminal proceedings; they do not apply in the workplace.

 

[Gail5678]

I am allowed to provide a written statement to supplement the form I had to sign. And I'm going to do this. Should I contact HR and tell them about this???? I'm just so hurt that my boss who always said I was her best worker, has turned on me like this.

 

[Patricia_Young]

I don't see what HR can, or even should, do for you. It's the manager's job to manage his employees, not HR's.

 

[Gail5678]

Thanks for your help and advice....