Mistreated by Employer after six years of service

[monkeygirlindebt]

Hi all,

 

I'm really upset with how I have been treated by current employer, I have been with them six years and up until March this year I had a really good relationship with them and do still currently in the Uk location I am based in. We have exprienced serious cashflow issues in our US division and this has relayed over to our UK office where I am in charge of the Accounts Office. Our CFO's have always been based in the US but tend not to last long due to the relationship with our CEO, but I have always been told by all that I am a credit to the Company. In March we had had a consultant in to restructure the Company but it didn't work out, and he was fired, the CEO who on average called me 3-4 times a week called me and said as long as I have you and my counterpart in the US we will be ok, that is all the Company needs to survive.

 

Sadly, unbeknown to them at the time I was pregnant and the following week experienced problems, I was rused into hospital for a operation, things didn't work out and I had to tell them as my operation had a six week recovery time.

 

I returned to work after four weeks to a completely different atmosphere, my US counterpart had taken over the department and had implemented loads of changes which my team were struggling to maintain, we were micromanging every deal we did in the UK location at start point, and ensuring that all payments were approved from the US before sending, the workload had seriously increased and it was hard to keep up. But I understood the reasons why so took a step back to make sure I fully knew what I was doing before I started getting back into the swing of things. Within the first week back from sickness I started receiving criticism emails from my US department, for projects that my team were struggling to complete due to volume of work, I then received a awful email from my CEO claiming that I was making payments without authorisation and putting the Company in jeopardy which was a complete lie, I hadn't paid anything and explained that in a return email. He then called my General manager to try and have me understand he just needed to re-inforce the system.

Over the past few months this has continued to be a struggle. In december last year I had booked a holiday to go to at the end of may beginning of june, two weeks, when I returned I was pulled up for going on vacation and my attendance, ( there is nothing wrong with my attendance I was sick for those four weeks and had to two weeks vacation which had been approved as poer procedure. I then had to have a follow up operation which had a four week recovery time, but I took it as vacation and went back to work in three days, luckily I was able to manage.

The emails were getting more and more nastier, and my team was completetly demotivated as they read them, the work was increasing and increasing. My General Manager who I report into was aware this was going all but felt and still does that we/I am doing a fantastic job in such a difficult environment.

I started to feel bullied and felt I just couldn't do anything right. I spoke to the two Us managers who were doing this, one had said she is sorry but the CEO had asked her to be this way, and the other, the Controller she agreed and said she felt I was being disrespected (although she was doing some of this!) and that she was going to speak to HR. I had spoke to US HR and she had said that she too had felt the same way and that she felt the CEO had a problem with me and that I should speak to him see if I can clear the air.

He is based in the US and I just didn't feel that calling him would have any effect it would be best when he is the Uk office in three weeks time. The Controller called my General Manager and said to him she thinks I am really good at my job and told HR I am a real asset to the Company, but this went extremely wrong for her and I don't know the exact details but it resulted in her going home sick with stress for two days.

 

This was three weeks ago, I subsequently lost a member of staff as he felt the volume was too much and it left us trying to cope with one headcount down, we got no help but a contuniation of criticism and requests for things to do whilst trying to cope as is. I requested a week and half ago a new headcount, I got no response. Then on Wednesday I received a call from US HR which said a document is being emailed to you and we want you in the boardroom for video conference now. I saw the document come in and it was a written warning for me. I called my General Manager and asked him if he knew about it he was shocked, they called me back and I said I wanted to read through and have the meeting with my Mnaager present the next day, they refused and said this has to happen now.

I was physically stressed and could now beleive it, i refused to attend this meeting that day and went through things with My manager, The written warning was for negligence, and examples that were given were factually and able to be proven as untrue, it was awful. I went home sick and have been distressed ever since. I went back to work the next day and spoke with my General Manager and told him that procedure hadn't been followed and that the written warning was fabricated he agreed with me, and was not in support of this warning. I said if they want to proceed with this, I will appeal. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, but I spoke to the General manager yesterday and he told me the warning was retracted as it had broken procedure, but what happens now surely it will just be replaced by something else. I am so upset with this, I was given so many urgent things to do yesterday which just would never have been acheived with a full team, I had to fail completion on them, surely they will just start the process with them as a example, I just don't know what to do:|

[monkeygirlindebt]

Does anyone have any advice, I've just read that for the employment position I had vacant, I had done a selection of two candidiates who were at the last stage of interviweing by the Controller last tuesday, she hasn't done the screening and has just said last night she is rejecting them on grounds they are not technically unemployed and we have just changed our recruiting policy to the unemployed only, a policy that had not been referred to me!

This puts me back more even more as i have to start all over a again, I really feel that this is now deliberatly setting me up to fail, is there anything I can do?

[honeybee13]

Hello there. I really feel for you and what you're going through. I have also been through bullying and stress at work, so I know how it feels. I don't have an answer about what you should do at the moment, but will post again if I think of something. Weekends are often quiet here and you should find that other caggers turn up later on or tomorrow.

 

Are they following procedures as per your contract or employee booklet? And have you spoken to ACAS on their confidential helpline? You might find it useful to read up on the ACAS and directgov websites on employment law.

 

My best, HB

[monkeygirlindebt]

As suspected this took a uturn, last week I heard nothing on this, Monday it started again, my GM was called into a video conference with The Controller and Global HR to discuss how this warning could go in place, My Manager told them he did not agree to this warning and that he does not have any issues with me in terms of negligence or performance, but if there is a problem then it is the amount of work, he also told HR that they should be neutral in these issues and be sure they are valid before proceeding. This did not go down well and he told me he had never seen such unprofessional behaviour. I came in yesterday morning to a Invitation to a discplinary hearing for the exact same issues as the first written warning from a week and a half ago. As my manager is now on vacation it has been scheduled for a week and a halfs time.

I have legal cover through my home insurance and they told be this sounds as if it is constructive dismissal and discrimanation and have told me to raise a grievance, how would I start writing this and how much detail should I go into?

 

I feel constantly ill, and haven't slept, I feel every email I write or be sent is going to blow up, I'm losing confidence, I hear tomorrow whether i have a nother job, but this is really stressing me, does anyone have any advice?

[monkeygirlindebt]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a template? and also can i request access to any interoffice documentation concerning me and performance and attendance for the period of March onwards, it is not in the Uk files but there should be something in the US files, but they are more than likely going to doctor it...

[papasmurf1cx]

Hi Monkey............. This sounds truely awful and I am wondering if your CEO is some sort of sociopath??? Are you still pregnant? When is the baby due? Tbh I am concened about the stress on you and the baby.

[monkeygirlindebt]

Thanks Papa Smurf, no unfortunatly it was ectopic and not only did I lose the babay it caused serious problems hence the follow up operation, my CEO doesn't know my only option is IVF now, but I think he is doing this as he is worried I will be trying to get pregnant again and go on maternity leave, and yes he does have some serious issues, I actually found a email today where they are discussing me before I joing the Company and the GM who will have been told by the CEO asking if they could ask me in interview what my family plans are, unbeleivable!

[papasmurf1cx]

Sounds a very toxic environment. Sorry to hear of your loss, it is very hard to lose a life no matter what age.

 

I think deep down you are believing there is a case of sex discrimination hear and that the pressure is being put on to get rid of you, correct? How do you KNOW that IVF is the only way you can now get pregnant? What if you started getting morning sickness? What if you were getting pregnant and losing the baby because of medical problems?

 

The point is that the company is obviously doing the CEO's bidding and that appears from the evidence you have to be discriminatory. By the way I do hope you are keeping all the evidence of what is happening eg the emails, other paperwork, memo's a diary of events. If not I suggest you start to do so now including all past events.

 

You could also ensure you have legal protection insurance for employment disputes as it may come handy in the future.

 

It would be interesting to see if there is an uplift of 'events' if you do have any more scares, IVF treatment appointments, 'confidential conversations with a named individual' etc etc. You have to see what intentions the company have against you and your plans.

[papasmurf1cx]

canx the home insurance bit, just reread your above post!!

[Mr. Kipling]

Are you in a union? I know some are not very good but seriously go for either Unite or the GMB. If they are external they'll help you with legal assistance and any disciplinary action. The GMB came into our workplace and sent in a solicitor to several attendance disciplinaries and practically kicked management round the office.

[Allwood]

Are you in a union? I know some are not very good but seriously go for either Unite or the GMB. If they are external they'll help you with legal assistance and any disciplinary action. The GMB came into our workplace and sent in a solicitor to several attendance disciplinaries and practically kicked management round the office.

 

Have unions changed their policies within the last couple of weeks then. My partner went to GMB after been with useless union and has found them to be just a useless as the first union. If you place is unionized then you may have a chance with an a union otherwise forget them and look to taking out insurances for cover. My partner was advised by GMB rep that before their solicitors would even look at a case they would have to be 60 to 80% sure of winning a case. They will not even give a legal opinion on a case....

[monkeygirlindebt]

i just joined Unite, fingers crossed! and boy was today hard, i took a managers complaint from o a US office as they felt the US HR was vindictive and wanted to see where they go from there, it was a change to employee deductions which hadn't been managed correctly and a admin employee had found out through instruction and had told all employees, the managers had walked into grievance about what was happening, and idin't have a clue themselves so bad practice on our behalf. I stated i don't know much about any of this but how did this happen, HR person said oh I made a blunder, the CEO said after is all based on rumours no bluners was made and misrepresentation on my part, huh, really I just don't seem to get this it appears our US locations are coming to me for fear of reprisial, thats waht was said to me, should I have said not my area go and see the CEO... or is this just another reason to get at me... Was so ill today my confidence is just going...

[monkeygirlindebt]

cannot wait until my spell check is working again, and my fingers aren't soooooo fast!

[Mr. Kipling]

Sounds like you had a bad experience. How do solicitors know they'll win or not if they don't look at a case?

 

Luckily our main rep was a qualified solicitor so he knew his stuff. The main reason why external unions are better is because they aren't in management's pocket (yet). A union is only as good as the people in it so if the reps are bad then the whole union is bad.

[Allwood]

I agree with your last statment about unions.

 

I put in a grievance to my employer two years ago as they were in breach of DDA amount other breaches. The union rep obviously wanted a couple of day out so he came with me to the hearing and it was appalling the way he spoke about employees. That put me off to say the lease, however, when we went into the meeting he knew the HR manager old friends for many years apparently.

 

The employer keep on with breach of DDA and all I go from the union was to keep putting in grievances. Now it takes many months for grievance to be heard but that was all the advice that dreadful union could advise.

 

My partner is in another union and they are just a useless. They seem not to want to upset employers if they can at all help it.

 

All they seem to want is your money and keep selling their services to employees. No legal help wantsoever from them.

[jackieandwayne]

If you feel you are being bullied, then you select an appropriate person (from managerment or HR) and you put in a written greivance to them about what has happened. State clearly that you are being bullied.

 

Actually, do you know what Allwood, what I've just read about your situation, it sickens me. So here is what I would do. Discreetly gather together all e-mails, notes so on and so forth, that can be used as evidence. I mean everything you can get your hands on. Sit tight and wait for the next thing that happens that distresses you or makes you feel unwell. When it happens you get off your chair, gather together your belongings, and you announce loudly that this has now made you have some sort of breakdown. And that you are now leaving this situation until it has been sorted out and you feel that the workplace is a safe place for you to work. And then you walk out. You do not and will not resign. But you will not be allowing them to smack you around the head with a baseball bat anymore. Because that is what they are doing.

 

Immediately, you should make your greivance, you can send it to whoever by e-mail or get someone to hand deliver it and get a signature. You state what it is that has made you ill, stressing all the time that it HAS made you ill. They are duty bound to deal with this swiftly, and because you are reporting bullying there should never be a time when you have to confront your bully if you are uncomfortable about that.

 

When you arrive home you get yourself an immediate GP appt and you go in there and you tell them everything that has happened - book a double appt if you need to.. If you are in a state at the GP - so what, they are there to help you. Make sure that from today, every professional that you speak to is aware that you have been bullied at work, and now you are ill. Same story all the way through it. Take anything the GP gives you (I mean counselling, therapy etc, no-one has to take happy pillsif they prefer not to).

 

 

You can get through this, but its a long old ride and a financial nightmare. When it happened to me my life stopped overnight and I developed PTSD. I lost almost everything I had - but that's ok - I fully expect my employer to make this right and then some....

 

I know this is a vile thing to go through and I wouldnt wish it on anyone else, however, in your case it has happened, and there really is another way than to lay down and die like I did to begin with. Its called getting even. If you can stay strong and determined there could be a lot to come out of this - more than you could ever imagine right now! Don;t you worry about those stupid americans, they are used to be sued and I shouldn't think they have employment law over there so UK employment law is going to upset them a tad!

 

Hang on in there.

[jackieandwayne]

Sorry, replying to monkey girl, not allwood!

[papasmurf1cx]

I agree with jackieandwayne. You should lay the foundations for the storm you unleash on them. Don't resign.... make them do the overt action.

[monkeygirlindebt]

Thank you all so much for the support, it really has been appreciated, I haven't seen it until now as I never had a chance to get onto the computer as it's been a heavy week, I returned Tuesday to compliants of wok not done given to me friday after six and not completed Monday... Bank holiday and all of that! I asked for a follow up on the replacement staff I was waiting to be authorised, and overnight my department was rearranged, and a decision made to place a ad to get a senior Accountant to "help me out" but funnily enough it's more or less my job they advertised.... This sent me over the edge, with my head stuck to the toilet! I got a emergency appointment and the Doctors who had to rescue me from the Doctors toilets (how embarrassing!) and has advised me that I need to get out of this job, and signed me off with stress! I am off today! My GM is back On Monday and the CEO is over in the Uk next week...

[papasmurf1cx]

You'll get there monkeygirl.......... this site is all about taking control and sorting problems out. Time and time again you see threads where someone is terrified of the future and what 'the enemy' will do to them. In actual fact it is two way streey your employer by advertising YOUR job has shown their true colours.

 

Take charge and give em hell!!

[monkeygirlindebt]

Oh well I cracked today, I hope I didn't let myself down The prospect of my Discplinary Hearing today and the CEO arriving tomorrow sent me over the edge! I prepared my response the allegations and factually proved each one of them to be incorrect, copied all the supporting evidence, responded along with a greivance letter telling them that they had not used the correct procedure supplied a copy of the correct procedure, and made a grievance about the fact it was not factual, and as they had brought up that they want discuss my allegations of harrassment, I told them I had informally discussed them and provided dates but at this point wanted to deal with the allegations of negligency and reserve my right to follow procedure in the future if I need to. I then (which is true) said i was too ill to remain at work due to this current situation and was going home sick, Did i let myself down?

[honeybee13]

Hello there. This sounds like taking control to me, well done you. I guess you have to await the outcome now and I hope they see sense.

 

My best, HB x

[Satch9]

I'd say you did yourself proud!

 

At least they know you will not be a push over and they need to realise you know what you are on about.

 

Well done!

[papasmurf1cx]

Monkey girl you did brilliantly. They wanted to muck you around well now they have reaped the whirlwind. You have all of us behind you. Hope you feel better soon (but not too soon)!!!!

[honeybee13]

I think it was your pep talk what done it, papasmurf. Well done to both of you.

 

HB x