Hi, dont know if anyone can help, this is a long story. I worked for a company since June 2008 and was employed as a export administrator, things were going well then after a year I fell pregnant went on maternity leave for 6 months. I returned to work in January this year, when i returned I returned part time. When i returned I didnt have as many jobs as I had before maternity leave but I thought this was to ease me back to work. However as time progressed I realised I was infact in a totally different job role so I challenged my manager to see why I had all my work took away and was doing only the jobs no-one else wanted to do. He couldnt give me an answer. I told him so many times I was unhappy. I was then missed out of training, the only person in the department not to receive training. I was being missed off emails within the team, and also made to feel as though I wasnt part of the team so again I told my manager who again did nothing. It then emerged that the company had advertised a vacancy that was supposidly my job for a salary of £5000 more than me and also 2 more holiday days before pro - rata. They then hired this new person who told me that she had been told that I only do 'spreadsheets' i dont do orders or any other stuff. So this was the final straw I sought advice from ACAS who told me to put in a written Grievance, I did so on 2nd September. I was told there would be an informal meeting to discuss it however there wasnt, instead they suspended me!!! Claiming Gross Misconduct on my part. On the day they suspended me I asked if this was because of the grievance and the director said course not, I burst into tears and went to my desk to collect my belongings, the director followed me and grabbed my arm really hard and wouldnt let go. I had brusining in the shape of a hand print on my arm so I went to the police to report this as he had assaulted me he got away with it anyway due to insufficent evidence as no-one in the company would come forward and give a statement. The company claimed that I had accessed my managers emails via an external web link and would face disciplinary action, all this was being said since the grievance. I was so low, I could barely look after my 2 children the doctor prescibed me anti-depressants and signed me off work unfit to attend any meetings of any sort. The company still insited I attended until the doctor asked them to contact him to confirm I was in no state of mind to be put under interegation. The company sent me a bundle of ''evidence'' naming an IP address that was not mine, and stating times of alleged access from external sources and also allegedly from my pc. After looking into this, On the said dates I was on annual leave and have hotel receipts etc to verify I was infact no where near my PC. Not only that but the director claims they began to monitor my PC at work due to his wife telling him on the 31st AUgust I was using the company internet excessively (conveniently 2 days before my grievance) however on the 31st of August I was on annual leave and so were them two I have print outs of the holiday calendar to prove this. It seems to me the company have made up alleged evidence which i have proven can not be true yet they dismissed me anyway, despite me proving it was impossible for me to have accessed the emails externally as 1. I had no internet at home, 2. my IP address was different 3. I proved my whereabouts at the said time. there as been so much other stuff too like, they dismissed my partner whilst I was suspended with no reason but he only had 11 month service, they also forged his contract of employment. They claim I was still in the same job but 2 members of staff have given me written statements confirming in their view I wasnt. I have submitted a claim to the employment tribunal for Discrimination, Victimisation, Part Time Workers Discrimination and Unfair Dismissal this has been accepted, the company are going to go to tribunal and now I dont know what steps to take to make sure they dont get away with this, I have the backing of a local MP who says if the outcome isnt what I expect he will take on my case.
