Does this sound bullying/discrimination.

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

I was involved in an accident in July 2008

 

It has not been the same returning to work - looking for new job of course.

 

I was not provided with manual handling prior to accident, I suffer from Sciatica and a slipped disc.

 

My former manager called me into a room said have you been shot when he saw me limping

 

They do not ask if I am okay.

 

They got no occupational health to access me then say "oh your doctor says you are better", putting words in Doctors mouths

 

Parents getting worried.

 

I am close to walking out of my job but looking for new ones.

 

I am bullied in my team, no one wants to help me not even HR.

 

I get told off for talking to people, people start conversations with me.

 

People complain I'm negative and grouchy.

 

They moan I take so long to do my job, no one helps me out.

 

I ask for help, they say we are all busy.

 

They are not progressing me further

 

Rest of the company say I'm friendly and positive.

 

They say we all have bad backs, the ones who do get taken off shredding and I don't.

 

My Doctor wrote with adjustments, they accused me of writing letter

 

They wrote to Doctor without my consent

 

Other people make mistakes, they don't get taken off work.

 

People put things in bin, they don't get blame, I get verbal warning.

 

They blamed my condition from birth.

[honeybee13]

Hello Joe, this doesn't sound great at all, and I really feel for you. There are some very clever people on this forum and I'm sure you'll get help. You will probably have to answer some questions to help us understand what's been happening and so on.

 

I have one or two questions please. Did this accident happen to you at work or outside?

 

How long were you off sick?

 

Can you tell us what your condition is, or are sciatica and a slipped disc the main problems?

 

When you returned to work, did you need any special equipment to do your job? If you did, it sounds as if they didn't supply it?

 

At the very least, it sounds as if they could be sailing very close to the DDA [Disability Discrimination Act], but other caggers will know more than I do.

 

My best

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Hello

 

Many thanks. Happened at work. No manual handling, received compensation I returned to work after three months. No union. Upon my return my manager said "oh what so hard about doing shredding"

 

The main condition is Sciatica, and slipped disc. If I stand for an hour or more the pain kicks in. I am fine sitting down, the company will not train me on anything else.

 

I was told no lifting or bending, and no shredding, was told I had put in request for these when my Doctor wrote to them.

Edited February 19, 2010 by JoeSmith2009

[honeybee13]

Hi again. It would help us to know if it was a work accident or not, please. You don't have to say what it was.

 

It sounds really mean not to listen to your doctor, as they don't have an occupation health person, although they could send you to see an independent one if they wanted . If they wrote to him/her without your permission, they shouldn't have, but your doctor wouldn't normally write back without the proper authority, I don't think.

 

Was this a specialist or a GP please, Joe? Either way, they're not medical experts at the firm, are they?

 

Does the company have an HR department, I don't think you said did you?

 

Speak to you soon.

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Hello

 

Sorry about that, I have been shaking today and dropped papers etc, doctor said to self certify myself off then a note. Got compensation.

 

Yes accident happened at work, no manual handling prior to accident, I asked declined.

 

They do have an occupational health called Serco who never access people just get medical data based on events, then only liase with employer.

 

They're pretending to be medical experts.

 

Yes we have HR department but they are not doing anything to help, there is no union either.

[honeybee13]

Hi Joe. This accident at work, was it your fault or theirs? Was it reported at the time, even is it wasn't their fault [i think that's right, is it guys]?

 

I'm sorry you're shaking today, you probably feel overwhelmed by this, anyone would. Well get some answers for you, don't worry.

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Hi

 

Yes. It was their fault, no manual handling prior, asked for it when job changed refused, reported immediately on day, got told "Oh next time use trolley", manager refused to get up and put it in the accident book. Compensation received however. Paid less than everyone else, £3000 a year less, not allowed to do overtime, they are.

 

 

Thanks just no one else to talk to.

[honeybee13]

So they paid you compensation and are picking on you now, for an injury they caused, if I understand right? That sounds fair!

 

Did you involve a no win no fee lawyer at the time, out of interest?

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Yes, that's right went through Accidents Direct,they put me through a no win no fee solicitor.

[elpulpo]

Do you have a written contract of employment?

Disciplinary and Greivance Procedures?

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Have contract, what information do you need?

[elpulpo]

You need to submit a formal grievance about all this.

Write to the manager and outline all the issues that are of concern. They should convene a hearing.

[honeybee13]

If I could add to what Elpulpo said, sorry Pulpo, I think he wanted to know what the grievance procedures, or at least if they're spelled out in your contract.

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Aah okay thanks. A greivence been raised, forced to retract it. I can't remember full details why.

[elpulpo]

How did they force you to retract it?

What size is the business you work for?

[honeybee13]

I hope other people turn up to comment, but as far as I can see these people don't seem to care about the rules. Unbelievable!

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Something about they made excuses they had fully trained me and all of this a mis understanding, I only had four days training, everyone else gets 8 weeks. I passed probation, a year later they took me off work, did not tell me all in that time I was making mistakes, in my appraisal my first appraisal just after they changed job my manager admitted she knew I made mistakes. I took full responsibility to find out problem why, I had to spend £1300 on new set of hearing aids as others malfunctioned, sqeak in my ear which distracted me and lost my gran same time, they gave me no compassionate leave. I passed probation doing that work, after doing a three month contract then six month permanent contract, 12 months after that then they changed my job but did not provide the paper work on new contract. They said I could not phyiscally see what was on a prescription.

 

Since upon returning from the accident, my former manager never spoke to me then left it a week to talk to me, pestered for occupational health report, claimed I was better. It then

took them eleven months to get me a new job title, gave me more responsibility and not a single salary discussion.

 

No one else does shredding, they expect me to do it, bags heavy and told to check every single piece of paper, they said I shredded 30 prescriptions which I had no intention of doing, then gave me verbal warning. They did not tell me who's work it was and did not come to me sooner to tell me.

 

Our department is 75 people, overall company over 700 employees in Denmark and UK.

Edited February 19, 2010 by JoeSmith2009

[elpulpo]

Yes, you need to submit a grievance to the HR dept.

Write a letter, broadly outlining all the grounds of the grievances.

State that you expect them to convene a hearing; with a suitable, impartial person, within one week of receipt of your letter.

Then we'll help ya write a statement to present at the hearing.

[honeybee13]

Hello again Joe.

 

Another place you could talk to is ACAS. They're independent and it's confidential. They don't even ask your name. They can advise you about what rules are being broken and they have a lot of information on discrimination and bullying at work that you might like to read, on the website.

 

They've helped a few people on this forum and sometimes come to meetings. This is their number :

 

Helpline numbers:

Monday - Friday 08:00 - 20:00 - 08457 47 47 47

Monday - Friday 08:00 - 20:00 - (Minicom users) - 08456 06 16 00

 

Saturday 09:00 - 13:00 - 08457 47 47 47

 

As a result of extremely high demand on our services, some callers may find that they are unable to get though to our helpline. In some cases this may mean calling at a different time of day. We have expanded our helpline services until 8:00pm in the evening and from 9:00- 1:00pm on Saturdays.

 

 

I think there's a section on grievances and how to handle them, but if I go back and look, my PC will lose everything I just typed.

[Bigredbus]

Hi 'JoeSmith2009',

 

Are you registered 'disabled'?

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Hello

 

No, I do have a railcard for my hearing loss, but not registered disabled. Can I claim for Living Allowance? Thanks

[Bigredbus]

You hold a 'Disabled person's railcard' and as such are registered as deaf or using a hearing aid...

 

Is your employer aware that you are using hearing aids?

[Guest JoeSmith2009]

Hello yes, they know about the hearing aids, took responsibility to fix them when they malfunctioned, squeak in ear was giving me headaches and lost concentration, cost £1300 to get new pair, fortunately two for one offer.

 

Not registered deaf no but Railcard site says you can have railcard either way