Hi Mariefab The change in department issue hasn't been pointed out to me as an explanation for the delay in any investigation or reason behind my current predicament, it's my assumption and, if I was being paranoid, I would believe that they deliberately delayed my grievance process in order to come back at me with the threat of discipline action. I have not made any further grievances and nor have I reminded them of the outstanding one from June but that is not to say that my Union Rep has not-he has now resigned! I have tried to think about why I'm being singled out again and can't come up with anything. I've been a civil servant for 5 years, unblemished history until last summer, good appraisals and no sick leave. It really concerns me as I would probably describe myself as pretty non-descript and can't imagine being a threat to the organisation or anything. I have no personal history with anyone and have always got on well with my managers and staff until the period of 5 months when I worked in the team with the manager who I made the allegation of bullying against. I really can't understand the rationale behind this as, if I am being investigated again, certain aspects of last summer will become apparent which will show that the investigation was seriously flawed from the start and a clear case of victimisation. I have also considered whether this could be part of the bigger picture in getting rid of civil servants as a cost saving measure but again, I am only middle management and if that was the case it would have been easier to sack me last summer when I was investigated for Gross Misconduct? Am I confused about the grievance process? I would have thought that any single grievance could be viewed as retaliationary as, presumably, the person submitting it would be feeling 'aggrieved' about something?

Thanks mariefab-that is really helpful. It is fairly complicated as when my grievance was submitted in June I was employed by a government dept which has no recourse or policy in force to deal with malicious grievances. In November last year my organisation was transferred to a different government dept which does have clear policy and guidance on 'malicious grievances' so I think that could explain the delay in the investigation and perhaps why I was not told that the possible outcome could be disciplinary action when my grievance was originally submitted? Hope that makes sense. G66

Hi Mariefab Yes-same grievance and put in last June! It was investigated in December and the meeting yesterday was with the Determining Officer following the Investigation Report. Thanks G66

Hi Elpulpo I had a meeting yesterday-it lasted 4 hours without a Union Rep and what they have basically said is that 'had I not been disciplined I would not have submitted the grievance and therefore the motivation behind it is viewed as retaliationary'. The Investigating Officer's report is not based on fact- he has exaggerated the contents of the interviews conducted and in some cases completely made it up! ie One manager states that I missed a deadline and his report states that I 'consistently' missed deadlines and was about to be put on an 'improvement plan had I not been promoted' This is a bit contradictory as I've never heard of anyone being recommended for promotion when there are performance issues!? and it is his opinion, he hasn't investigated it properly and because the manager has denied events he has believed her account even though I did produce some supporting evidence. Thanks

Hi Mariefab Yes, my grievance is documented in my disciplinary. The IO states in his report that there was an allegation of bullying which has not been investigated and it is in the 'mitigation' paragraph. The notes from my original fact finding meeting state that 'had I not been promoted and moved I would have taken out a grievance' and the IO states 'are you prepared to submit this grievance as part of this investigation?' and I respond 'yes'. They are saying that my grievance that it's completely unsubstantiated and that they have serious concerns that it is a malicious attack on an experienced and highly valued manager. They believe that the events in the grievance have been manufactured as a result of disciplinary action taken against me. J got a warning and his back at work too, her grievance was Not Upheld but no threat of discipline for her. Thanks

Hi HB! I know-you'd think the last thing they'd do is victimise me AGAIN! My current predicament makes last year's investigation seem remarkably fair? It's as if the longer it goes on the more justification and evidence is produced which supports my original victimisation claim-bizarre? Do you think I should start a new thread seeking advice purely on 'malicious' grievances? It would save everyone reading through this one? Nice to 'see' you again HB!

Hi I'm back apologise for not updating sooner! I had a disciplinary hearing and was given a written warning so immediately went back to work which involved a heavy travel diary and no lap top hence long absence. I am now facing a new difficulty and not sure whether to start a new post or not? I am now being investigated for submitting a malicious grievance which is the one I was asked to submit by the original Investigating Officer in relation to my manager and to show mitigation re the comments made in one of the offending emails! I cannot believe that they are taking further action against me in light of what happened last summer. Can any one advise re 'malicious grievances', my union have never dealt with anything like it before as generally speaking, a grievance is either upheld or not without discipline for the victim?? Thanks G66

Hi HB, I have seen the Investigating Officer's report which was quite brief and fair-the report he wrote about one of my suspended colleagues wasn't particularly fair so at least I'm happy with that. He did mention my mitigating circs etc but the decision to discipline has been made by an HR Professional so I'm quite surprised. To make matters worse, a 2 week amnesty has been declared at work so everyone has been told to rid their PC of anything which is against IT policy-if only I'd been given that opportunity? It shows that they were well aware of what was common practice but unfortunately it doesn't help me! Thanks G66

Hi I've just arrived back from my holiday in Spain and have received details that I must attend a Disciplinary Hearing on 30/07. The investigating officer has submitted his report to HR at Head Office and, on the basis of that, I have been charged with Gross Misconduct. I knew that this may happen but I had hoped that someone 'sensible' would have made the decision and recognised my misdemeanors for what they are. My union rep thinks that the outcome is predetermined and that I will be dismissed. I am totally devastated-I never really believed it could come to this. Can anyone offer advice on how to deal with the Hearing? I have been told that my bullying allegations cannot be taken into account as they are not relevant to IT policy?! Thanks in advance, Goldie

Thanks Andy! I'm being disciplined for 'storing' it as opposed to receiving it but think your explanation probably ruins any defence ideas I had!! I know it wasn't in my 'inbox' as I delete everything so I guess I must've saved it somewhere! Drat!! Thanks again G66

Thanks Helford! I don't think that's the case though, if they were looking at all my emails received over that period of time they would have found some pretty offensive stuff!! IT policy WAS really lax. The offending email is really tame-ads for Wallis clothing but there is a topless one of a woman in a bikini whereas in the past I've received full frontal male nudity ones (don't ask). They insist that it was saved in my inbox but I can't imagine saving it for any reason so I put it down to having intended to save the email above or below it and aimed badly but now that my colleague has also been challenged for having it in her inbox it seems too strange?? There are about 500 people where I work and one IT dept so I thought it would be difficult to locate stuff from as far back as sept? What do you think? Thanks

Hi I am being disciplined at work and it's partly due to an email I received from my sister in September last year. The email was a joke type with several attachments. IT policy was very lax at this point but, following subsequent events in November, it was tightened up. I cleared my computer of everything I felt was against IT policy, especially my inbox, so I'm surprised that this has been found. The very same email was also received by a colleague at the same time and it was still in her inbox too! Could this email have 'saved itself' and why did it not show up in our inboxes? Any help please? Thanks

Thanks again HB and madari. It's just as I thought! I think it's more cock up than conspiracy this time . . . . My rep should be able to sort that bit out for me. Thanks yet again! G66

Thanks, my union rep thought that was the case too but the Investigating Officer believes otherwise so not sure how this'll go now . . . . My mitigating circumstances rely heavily on my grievance so I don't see how they could be looked at as separate issues. Thanks again HB and Madari G66

Hi I have just spoken at length to my Union Rep. He has had a meeting today with the Investigating Officer and has been told that the grievances raised by myself and colleagues will be suspended until the after the outcome of my investigation has been decided. This is apparently Company Policy? Has anyone ever heard of this before? My understanding was that all grievances should be addressed during the investigation-I think Sidewinder's earlier post confirmed this too? Surely this can't be right? Does this mean that my grievance will not be looked at and there is a possibility that I'll be dismissed so then there would be no reason to investigate anything I'd previously complained about? Help, very confused now . . . . Thanks G66