Awkward situation at work

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I'm a cleaner for a building site and I work for basically the last two hours of their work day and today, I was a little slow (they're really messy) and when I had locked up my area, I found that the office was locked which meant I couldnt return the keys and the gates were already locked, I put the keys on a table where the builders sit when they're at the gate and managed to get out through the gate, but couldn't lock the gate.

I can't actually get fired for this can I?

Depends. I don't know the employment law where you live but in Nevada we are a right to work state. Which means you can be fired here for any reason, or no reason. In the future, I'd make sure you give the keys to someone in charge instead of leaving them somewhere. That way you have someone you can refer to if anything were to go wrong.

Yes, you can be unfairly blamed for something that is not your fault.

At the same time, it was irresponsible for them to leave, for the last supervisory person or managerial person when you were still there working. You might want to say this briefly and matter-of-factly, something like 'It was messy. It took longer than average. I wish someone would have given me a heads up before leaving.'

You might want to call in the morning and tell them where the keys are, ask if everything is okay and say, 'It was messy. It took longer than average . . . ' Let them acknowledge and cut you off. Don't insist on giving the whole spiel.

I would explain what happened and offer up some solutions to prevent it from happening again. Like getting a cell number of someone you could call after hours, getting a combination lockbox to leave the keys in, or getting your own set of keys.

I went back to work the next day, and they just laughed... and basically said to get on with my work and that I won't ever live it down. They also said that because I'd rung head office and explained the situation when it happened, I'd been sensible...

So, I kept my job, but ended up (for about 24 hours) being the laughing stock of the company...

lol, I dont mind them laughing at me... I still get to keep my job!

I'm glad you got to keep your job. And offhand, this sounds like goodnatured joking and laughing, although I have a heck of a hard time telling goodnatured from mean spirited, and I think in fact, one often blurs to the other.

I think there are good general skills that can handle either one. For example, either a verbal or nonverbal "Okay" that you acknowledge it but it's not a big deal, the first time or two someone tells a joke. If they keep repeating it (which is actually an aspie style of communication! But obviously not unique to aspies) just ignore it.

(if it continues to be a problem, which in your case doesn't sound like it's going to, perhaps the method of talking to the person, 'I don't want to report this. But I will if it continues to be a problem.')

In your case, they sound like alright blokes. Is that the right way to say it? I'm from the States.

Glad everything worked out ok!