"A colleague discount is part of the remuneration and benefits package. Any misuse of a card or breach of the rules by the colleague or their nominated user will be regarded as gross misconduct by the colleague, the penalty for which is dismissal."
"Your colleague shopping card, here is your new discount card."
"Please read the instructions opposite carefully and then ensure that your card is signed immediately by yourself and your nominated user."
"Your colleague discount card may be used only by yourself and one other person nominated by you. The additional nominated user must live in the same household as yourself and must be either an immediate relative or your partner. Any card holder whose nominated user does not satisfy these criteria, will be in breach of company policy and, such an incident will be regarded as gross misconduct."
"A wilful breach of colleague discount card rules or condition."
"I admitted that I had allowed my son to use the card so that he could obtain a discount on his weekly shopping. His employment situation was not very secure and, that particular week, he was not expecting to be paid much. I explained my son's predicament to those present and offered to repay the discount which amounted to approximately£3 . I apologised for what I had done."
"It is of some relevance to the case that the Applicant is profoundly deaf. During the hearing she had the assistance of two experienced lip-speakers to help her follow proceedings. However, it is clear that her deafness did not prevent the Applicant from working effectively for the Respondent and being a well-valued and well-liked member of the team. There are no general complaints on either side and there is no suggestion of discrimination or unfair disadvantage."
"Like credit cards, the discount card expires and has to be renewed periodically. Each time it is renewed and re-issued new current rules of use are issued with it. Employees will sign for receipt of the card and the rules. At the same time they elect a "nominated user" of their choice who must live in the same household and be a partner or immediate relative. In the rules for which the Applicant signed it is provided that misuse of the card "will be regarded as gross misconduct"
"After considering the facts Mr Reece decided to dismiss her. Having considered other options he told us he considered they were not suitable. His main reason for thinking so, as he told us in evidence, was, as he put it, "a question of consistency"
"Mr Mayer heard what Mrs Malyn had to say and he summarised her appeal well when he said that the two points she was making were (i) the dismissal sanction was too harsh given her 23 years of service and (ii) she was not aware of the implications of misuse of the discount card. Not that she was unaware that it was wrong, just that she was unaware of the grave consequences. After investigating the allegation that she was unaware, he came to the conclusion "that she had an opportunity to find out that it was wrong"
"We consider that a reasonable employer in this case should have made a more thorough investigation of the Applicant's allegation that she had made in the investigatory hearing and subsequently in the appeal hearing that she was unaware. We think that allegation should have been looked into more carefully. Had it been looked into the Respondents would have found that the Applicant was issued the card, which came together with the rules at the same time in circumstances where she signed for the card and was only verbally asked to read the rules. It seems to us hit and miss whether it actually registered properly with the Applicant that misuse of the card would result in her dismissal. The rules might have been little more than instructions for use."
"The Applicant says that she was given the card and rules in a hurry and was told to get back to work. Because there was no regularised or documented procedure, the Respondents were not in position to refute that evidence. In general terms we accepted Mr Jones's submission …….."