Thread: Action by former employer

Some 6 months ago I left the employment of a company on the grounds of 'redundancy' because he claimed there was no work to do. Six months into the role I receive a large pay rise because he is pleased with my work, 3 months later I have made a stand against his policy and i'm public enemy number one. I was made redundant ten months into my contract and I really had no means of challenge. It was clear to me this was being used to remove me from a post in the only way open to him simply because I had told him he was wrong in what he was doing (breaches to fire and H & S regualtions etc)

The entire place was a comedy of errors and in truth I was almost pleased to be away. Six months after leaving, in a nice new job, I start receiving letters and email asking for money for items he can not find that he claims were my responsibility and he has now replaced (without even asking me prior to replacement where they may have been).
In any event, these items were not under my direct control and there is nothing to say otherwise. To obtain payment from me he has threatened to inform my new employers of the situation (nothing to do with them in any way) that he states would cause me some embarrashment. He repeats if payment is not sent he will have to publicise the situation. I have reminded him several times that trying to obtain money by threats is illegal.

He also claims if payment is not sent he will charge me for putting right work on an alarm system, that I had started and was half way through when I left (so much for nothing to do), that he says was full of faults and an outside contractor he brought in had to complete it and charged him a lot of money for doing so.

I know I'm asking this on the basis that you only have one side of the story, but I assure that this is a truthful account in fact my former employer seems to make a habit of blaming others in this way for his own mis-management of events and projects.
I have plenty of emails that show the man makes mistakes and forgets what he says!

My question is what can I do to stop this or bring it to a head, The stress of this is upsetting and completly un-founded.

Keep a record of all phone calls, emails, letters etc. and report to the police as harrasment! other than that just ignore and dont respond at all. he will soon get fed up chasing rainbows. Once you have left you have no further responsibility as to what you working on etc. He can ask about things whch some employers do when you leave amicably, but you do not have to respond in any way.

Thank you. I have two emails in which he drops hint that he will need to inform my current employers if I don't send him a cheque.

This is an exact exert from one email:

The security panel was not in any 'secure area' at ******** and the PAT was under your responsibility too. Mrs ********* acquired the PAT for you some time before you left and it then became your personal responsibility as part of your duties. You failed to ensure that these items were secured and protected. Both should have been retained in any of the locked areas or safe at *************.

Please avoid any further potential embarrassment to you, your new employer who would need to be informed of the impending action or any other person or body who may need to be approached over this matter and remit the required sum by return. Thank you. Otherwise we shall have no hesitation in pursing the debt and costs, however unfortunate or avoidable such action would be.

My Reply:
With regards the security panel, I maintain it was indeed in an area considered secure and locked, you say it was not in a secure area that being the case I would expect you to provide evidence to that effect at the court and detail where you say it was kept.

You say you would need to contact my current employers, I see this as a form of threat and amounts to harassement and is without question completely unrequired, unrelated nor any of their concern, indeed I struggle to see how this is required in a civil case?

He made me redundant half way through a job. Brings in outside contractor to complete it who then say they can't find the parts I had ordered so charge him for new. He never asks me where the parts were prior (I would add when he made the role redundant he takes my keys and asks me to leave site with no opportunity to tie up any loose ends) Once he receives there invoice he decides to ask me for payment. He then states they found faults which again I have no proof of and were not there when I left because I had tested the wiring and it was fine.

I just want to know how my word would stand against his and the contractor. I have emails showing how he would say one thing then a few weeks late deny he had.

I thought I was away from him and 6 months later all this harassment that I want to just bring to a head and stop. What are your rights at work Follow this link to read the review of the Guide to your Rights at work, published by Lawpack

VP, I trust you were an employee not on contract or sub- contract to them, they paid your tax etc. if so just ignore anything they send you. They can only come after you if you had done anything malicous or illegal. If they dismissed you half way through a job then thats their problem.
suggest you speak to CAB solicitor for further info. regarding your position and harrasement.

Yes I was a direct employee with wage slip and them paying all tax / national insurance.

I did nothing illegal or malicious.

Then as I said before I doubt you have anything to worry about other than the threats, harrasement and intimidation! Report and/or spaek to CAB.

You could also write to him if you really want to and state you are seeking legal advice regarding thsi and he will be receiving a letter from a solicitor in due course if does no stop. Which of course you can do anyway.
Good luck.

I have looked over the correspondence and on four occasions he makes the threat to embarrass me or publicise the situation if I do not pay him. I will take these letters / email to the police.
I have asked him to stop these threats and he continues, he's a very arrogant man who likes to be right. The best bit he's hoping to run for Member of Parliament for the area.

Any written notice of his allegations to any third party would be libellous. Might be an idea to mention it to your new employer (if you're on good terms) because if he even mentions it in passing you can warn of slander.

Slander is a difficult one to make stick but with a good witness, who knows? Libel would cost him a bloody fortune just making sure he understood the case!

Thank you for your advice, I replied to him with the advice so far received and made it clear that any future threats would be handed to the responsible authorities.
It normally takes a few weeks for him to reply so if I hear back i'll update you.