Disciplinary Issues

[gablar]

Hi,
I am being put through a serious disciplinary at work. My boss has stated that I am "using the employers name for my own personal and financial benefit".
He states this because I signed up to peopleperhour.com and it lists me as looking for freelance public relations work. In my experience it says I work for my employer in the role that I do.
I only signed up to the website to see what it was all about and I have never bid for work nor accepted work off of it. I produced a print screen of my account page which showed I had bid for no jobs, not worked on any jobs and accepted no contracts.
Does he have any case?

[buildersmate]

Disciplinary issues are in two categories for this sort of thing, misconduct and gross misconduct. I would expect this is misconduct for which the sanction, if demonstrated is likely to be a written warning, or perhaps a final written warning.
Is your conduct from what you have said likely to be answerable to misconduct? - as a former HR manager then consultant for many years, I think it is something I would wish to investigate.
Out of interest, does your contract or related T&Cs say anything about not working for another employer?

[woofgang]

To my mind its like walking round people's houses at night with a jemmy and lockpicks and saying you haven't burgled anywhere YET.
Apologise and leave the website..getting a printout saying you haven't bid for or accepted work YET means not a lot IMO.

Your only defence is that you have never been told that you could not do this and that it is nowhere listed in your T and C of employment.

[Old_Geezer]

How does you personally signing up at a website have something to do with using your employer's name ?

[woofgang]

OG, the OP posted the name of the company that he works for on his details on the website. This could be interpreted as making use of the employers name without their permission.

[Old_Geezer]

And they'd object also if their employees mentioned them in a CV ? Sounds bogus to me so far.

[buildersmate]

OG
It's a website where freelancers can log their details to try and get work.
I think you'll find many employers have a problem if an employee is offering himself/herself to undertake self-employed work in competition with the business proposition of the organisation. And it doesn't help that gablar lists his current employer as a credential.
This is not putting oneself about to change career. This is about seeking extra work in parallel with being employed under employment contract.

[harrylggy]

I have seen this link also. But it's a new site for me too. I am familiar with odesk, fiverr , freelancer, elance etc.But it's new to me too.