Can someone help me with what to to about a stolen wallet on a temporary work job please.
September 28, 2011 1:56 AM Subscribe
Can someone help me with what to to about a stolen wallet on a temporary work job please.
(Important note: I was working in a factory in the UK)
So... I was doing some temporary work for two days at a dog food factory a few weeks ago. When I got there on the first day I asked the guy who was briefing me about what work I'd be doing about where to put my valuables and he said it would be safe to put them in the mess room (the mess room being a small cabin where people went to eat lunch and left their bags for the day).
On the second day of working there my wallet was stolen from my bag. The factory isn't massive, but had 15-20 workers there on each eight hour shift. The mess room was on their own grounds. I only realised after getting home that it had been stolen and cancelled my bank cards that afternoon. I also reported it as a stolen wallet to the police. My wallet was then found a few days later and I got it back with everything in it apart from the £60 that was in there and my house keys, which meant I also had to change the lock on my door.
I earnt about £90 over the two days there and feel they should compensate as they told me it was safe to leave my valuables in the cabin and could of given me a temporary locker like the other permanent workers had.
Because I was only working there as a temp worker there was no written contract. I sought out some legal advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, which is a charity that helps people with financial related issues/disputes. They said I could try and pursue them through their insurance policy. I've since emailed them asking for this and they haven't replied in two weeks. Can anyone suggest what I can do now please...
Ps The advice I was given also stated that it wouldn't be worth going through the small claims as that costs £60 in itself.
(Important note: I was working in a factory in the UK)
So... I was doing some temporary work for two days at a dog food factory a few weeks ago. When I got there on the first day I asked the guy who was briefing me about what work I'd be doing about where to put my valuables and he said it would be safe to put them in the mess room (the mess room being a small cabin where people went to eat lunch and left their bags for the day).
On the second day of working there my wallet was stolen from my bag. The factory isn't massive, but had 15-20 workers there on each eight hour shift. The mess room was on their own grounds. I only realised after getting home that it had been stolen and cancelled my bank cards that afternoon. I also reported it as a stolen wallet to the police. My wallet was then found a few days later and I got it back with everything in it apart from the £60 that was in there and my house keys, which meant I also had to change the lock on my door.
I earnt about £90 over the two days there and feel they should compensate as they told me it was safe to leave my valuables in the cabin and could of given me a temporary locker like the other permanent workers had.
Because I was only working there as a temp worker there was no written contract. I sought out some legal advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, which is a charity that helps people with financial related issues/disputes. They said I could try and pursue them through their insurance policy. I've since emailed them asking for this and they haven't replied in two weeks. Can anyone suggest what I can do now please...
Ps The advice I was given also stated that it wouldn't be worth going through the small claims as that costs £60 in itself.
Response by poster: They said that it wouldn't be covered under the job agency's insurance.
posted by sockpim at 4:22 AM on September 28, 2011
posted by sockpim at 4:22 AM on September 28, 2011
Is the owner / manager of the Dog Food Factory aware of what happened?
At bare minimum, you should inform them. They might be able to help you - but also, you might help stop the theif from getting his next victim.
Also, have you filed a police report?
posted by Flood at 4:47 AM on September 28, 2011
At bare minimum, you should inform them. They might be able to help you - but also, you might help stop the theif from getting his next victim.
Also, have you filed a police report?
posted by Flood at 4:47 AM on September 28, 2011
Insurance is no use because the amount in question is surely smaller than the deductible. Court is no use for similar reasons. It also seems unlikely that you can prove how much cash you lost. You have basically no hope of forcing anyone to compensate you.
Your best shot is to explain the situation to someone at the factory and directly ask them to compensate you. They will probably refuse, at which point you'll have to accept it and move on. The main thing you're going to get out of this is the understanding that leaving valuables in an unsecured area is never a good idea.
posted by jon1270 at 5:16 AM on September 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Your best shot is to explain the situation to someone at the factory and directly ask them to compensate you. They will probably refuse, at which point you'll have to accept it and move on. The main thing you're going to get out of this is the understanding that leaving valuables in an unsecured area is never a good idea.
posted by jon1270 at 5:16 AM on September 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Yes, the manager of the factory was the person I sent the letter to. I have also filed a report to the police about it.
posted by sockpim at 6:25 AM on September 28, 2011
posted by sockpim at 6:25 AM on September 28, 2011
Best answer: Why this raises fond memories of having my wallet emptied at a temporary factory job, albeit in the U.S.
Likely there is nothing you could do which would not cost you more in money and/or effort than the compensation would be worth. The question of whether the factory was actually liable for your loss is one that could only be effectively decided in a court and it seems that you already know that trying to go to court over this is not going to be cost effective. You don't have anything to leverage your position with the factory, nobody has any particular incentive to do right by you. And you run a real risk of creating a reputation as a troublemaker with your agency. I hate to say that because as I say I can literally relate to your exact situation. You've already done what you can.
Don't ever take anything valuable with you to a temp job that you can't keep on your person.
posted by nanojath at 10:29 AM on September 28, 2011
Likely there is nothing you could do which would not cost you more in money and/or effort than the compensation would be worth. The question of whether the factory was actually liable for your loss is one that could only be effectively decided in a court and it seems that you already know that trying to go to court over this is not going to be cost effective. You don't have anything to leverage your position with the factory, nobody has any particular incentive to do right by you. And you run a real risk of creating a reputation as a troublemaker with your agency. I hate to say that because as I say I can literally relate to your exact situation. You've already done what you can.
Don't ever take anything valuable with you to a temp job that you can't keep on your person.
posted by nanojath at 10:29 AM on September 28, 2011
They were remiss in telling you that the break room was safe. Your temp agency should go to bat for you and ask for some compensation, but it's a long shot. What a crappy thing for someone to do to you.
posted by theora55 at 11:59 AM on September 28, 2011
posted by theora55 at 11:59 AM on September 28, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rubbish bin night at 4:09 AM on September 28, 2011