Do you sign your write ups?

[Polite]

When your boss asks you to incriminate yourself, do you?
At some point I decided I was just going to stop signing my name when I get written up at work.
Like just fire me, I'm not going to sign something saying I did something especially if I didn't.

I work at a largely known liquor store. A customer complained about me to my boss the other day and I was written up for something they didn't hear, or see me do or say.
They have me on camera with no audio while a fat poodle hair woman visibly howls at me.
We get what's known as "Bourbon Hunters" who will chase trucks, chase our boss, follow us home, kill us, break into cars in front of our store, and treat us very shitty if we just don't happen to get a truck of their special sauce. They rack up credit cards buying a thousand dollars of allocated booze and literally just flip it. It isn't illegal.
A customer bought a bottle of an allocated item. She then left. She sat in her car for a few minutes. Came back in and tried to buy another one. I told her that due to our policy, I can only allow one per customer and I already sold her one here today. She flips out and tells me it isn't illegal. I told her she's right "it isn't, but it should be and regardless I have to follow my stores procedures and if she would like I can get my manager to explain". She starts to scream at me. I call my Ass manager over. The Ass manager came out she asked what's wrong.

I probably should've tried to defend myself but I didn't feel the need as I thought I was in the clear and it would be self evident of what's happening. I had no way of defending myself. I could instigate something further right then and there with a he said she said, but I don't do that. I listened to the woman lie and tell my assistant manager I simply wouldn't sell her the bourbon and that she had not been in the store already. I had to speak up and say "Ma'am I DID previously sell you a bottle-" and my Ass Manager told me to go to the back and wait. So I just did. I came back up a few minutes later and nothing was wrong. Nobody asked me to tell my side of the story then and there. It just kinda went unmentioned. I didn't even think anything of it. This is a daily and multiple occurrence.

A week had gone by and I get called into the office by my Punjabi boss. Tell me if this sounds familiar "We understand there was an...incident."

They explain they have me on camera, but no audio, over a week ago a customer complained and I am to sign and agree that I "Called her names, accused her of stealing, and I" couldn't even finish reading it. I asked if there is no audio and I'm only speaking briefly, and mostly not even speaking, then how are they going to prove I said anything at all? My Punjabi Boss said he didn't need proof. I told him "I will not sign it. Do whatever you're gonna do, I will not sign that as it is false". His yellow Jaundice eyes twitched before I then left his office and returned to work.

A few days had gone by and I was called in again and asked to sign the write up. I said No. and Smiled. He asked if I would sign a refusal to sign, I laughed and said No, I won't let you bully me, I'm an adult. Another week goes by and The BIG Boss is in. I could lie and say I wasn't worried, but I was terrified of losing my job, but I fear signing my name on something like that even more.

I was called in later with all my Bosses in a very tiny room. I've watched enough police interrogations to know, I held the power. I was right next to the door, I was the only sober and articulate one in there, I'm an exemplary employee, and they got nothing on me. I was actually, quite comfortable. My Boss's Boss's Boss told me I did the right thing, I followed the rules, and I could forget about the write up as they have no evidence I did or said anything. I told him I agreed, knowing I was pushing it. He grabbed my boss by the shoulder and gave him a good ol fuckin shake and said "Your boss here told me he was going to handle this, but now I'm here. And You're doing a fantastic job. Keep it up." He proceeded to compliment me for about 8 minutes.

It could've all been staged, but it did feel good. The write up still exists I'm sure. I don't know what they do with that shit, but I always hated it.
I just decided I was going to stop signing write ups.
Idunno if there's a lesson, maybe don't let your company or strange wackos bully you at work. Also don't sign write ups. Fuck that.

 

[Devious Dave]

I'm gonna kick your ass faggot

 

[rel=alternate]

Where I am from, I never saw write ups. This seems like a very infantile way of running a business. I would not like that.

What we do have are warnings. And, although unilateral, they can be disputed on factual grounds.

The moment you start to receive formal warnings, you should be very worried, because that's a first necessary legal step in firing someone for fault. If you can contest it, you probably should.

I think that you should never ever sign/accept something that is factually untrue. It's like making a false confession. You might have the ability to get out of it if you're innocent, but you would be making your life so much more difficult.

In your specific situation, I think that defending your point of view is important. Rather than ask if they have proof, I would have asked about what exactly is expected from me.

• Should I follow company policy and just accept to be defamed and punished when I refuse some lunatic asking me to breach it?
• Or am I expected to just bend the knee and to turn a blind eye for my own sake?

If you clarify exactly where everyone stands, you can make a more informed decision, or put them in front of their own contradictions.

Oh and what you describe regarding your boss and your boss's boss is quite common.

Your boss probably get chewed on in these types of situations with upper management never even caring about the specifics. He most likely does not have much of a choice, because if he takes a risk on you and that backfires, he puts his neck on the line.

The higher boss on the other hand has the liberty to look at one situation in a blue moon and let it go, because realistically nobody gives a single fuck. They saw you were performing, and that's good enough for them.

I would not push my luck and expect it to happen again. Said higher boss probably does not want to have to deal with anything like this ever again, and probably won't. Your direct probably hates you for it as well.

 

[Brother Wind]

As someone who has spent a little time as management, this is fucking retarded. Like we just used write ups as a paper trail to secure our asses when we finally had to let some fuck up go. That said, all of us had at least one, because we also wanted to be fair and strict about it to show that our paper trail meant anything. But that said I would be hard pressed to think of any lying we ever did. That just feels like someone had it out for you. Because those are just fucking annoying to do as it is. At least I always hated doing them. I had enough shit to get done without having to berate someone 10 years my senior, about being 20 minutes late

 

[Abrodolph-Lincoler]

That sucks OP - but you should have just made the sale. Your boss is going to be angry either way but at least you made a lot of money for the store.