new request for advice-feel am being witch hunted

[ellieh34]

Hi all, cannot believe how busy this site is - seems many of us are in the same boat, which comforts me somewhat.

 

i have been off sick since February with depression, medication etc - work related stress - since 2010 i have been going to management and it is documented in 1:1 meetings. nothing was ever done.

 

i did not realise how ill i actually was, not only due to stress but also physically, thus the reason i have been off since February this year.

 

I was referred to Occupational Health, during that telephone conversation - i was advised to write to my manager and HR and request a copy was kept in my personal file, reasons why i felt why i did.

 

i did this - i was honest, but blunt - i did talk about management, unprofessionalism and gave examples of situations that had made me feel inadequate, highlighting the inequality within the team - a week later i was accused of breaching confidentiality so now have to face an investigatory meeting, plus managers are asking me to attend a sickness review meeting.

 

i feel i am the product of a witch hunt for want of a better word, and have always felt that they do not want me there, why would they - as off sick - i am not productive.

 

i would like to resign as i have no desire to return or in fact do this job any more - that is the only thing i am 100% clear on - but feel if i do, well then i look guilty.

 

i am in the healthcare profession in the uK. Can anyone offer any advise at all?

 

thank you in advance x

[honeybee13]

Hello there and welcome to CAG.

 

I hope the guys will be along later when they can with advice for you. I think one the first thoughts for you is likely to be not to resign, but that would be in the case that you wish to claim compensation.

 

But I'm not clear why you might want to resign? If you aren't going through any sort of disciplinary procedure, I don't see why you would look guilty for resigning and going to work at a place where you might be happier.

 

Hopefully the guys will advise further on this, but any thoughts you can add would be helpful.

 

My best, HB

[SweetLorraine]

Hello there, it must a difficult time for you of course, and in such circumstances it might seem difficult to do what you think is best. Are there any union reps or trusted workmates you could talk things through with? I knew I had to leave my job - but it still took me another two years of putting up with sporadic management hassle before I took the step to go. I wish I had left sooner. If you feel that you are clear in your own mind that you would be happier to resign than stay in the job then follow your head and your heart and go.

 

I too had said some confidential things to HR about work colleagues in my team which were later repeated to those same colleagues by HR. I felt angry about how HR had behaved - I didn't feel guilty about what I had said about those workers though - it was all true! Maybe your HR service should have been more careful with their records about what you had said. In short - most of the guilt may lie elsewhere and not with you.

[lbruk]

I have suffered almost the same fate as you. I have been severely depressed, employer wouldn't recognized it etc etc.

 

they have a legal obligation under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, that includes sick pay, absenteeism and performance adjustments to someone who is disabled. As you have stated it has been since 2010 you satisfy that your condition lasts over 12 mths. And i know the severe affects it can have on normal day to day activities.

 

If they have been aware of your condition and have refused to help you in any way they are in breach of the Equality Act. I would raise a grievance, then send a disability discrimination questionnaire. Then potentially there is an employment tribunal case here as well.

 

You need to ask yourself what you want, and therefore you can work out how far you need to go to get that.

[ellieh34]

I can so sympathise with you - HR have been supportive, but its all irrelevant really, like they are doing what they have to do and ticking a box. HR person, who attends my sickness review meetings, was also management support in recent DH against me - she was harsh and cruel and untrue! whereas, i once thought i could talk to her, now I absolutely do not!

i am glad you followed your heart - i wish i had that courage - trouble is, i dont know what to do or where to go or what on earth i want to do - that always helps at least:)

hope you are ok now.

[Emmzzi]

I think you have 2 issues here a) sickness and b) disciplinary.

 

With sickness, they can let you go if you are unable to fulfil the terms of your contract with reasonable adjustments in place. I usually say "sit tight and keep taking the money" if you are on decent sick pay.

 

For the confidentiality I would need a little more information to offer advice.

[lbruk]

I still have counselling sessions and consultant appointments, but overall i am in a much better place, and that's what i can say to you is that you will get to a better place and overcome what has happened to you.

 

Poor manager have a tendency to turn on those that no longer suit the business. Or if you become unfavorable to managers above them then and then pressure is put on them to "deal" with you and most poor managers "deal" with the situation by given out warnings. Which is exactly the opposite of what you need! Being spoken down to and being treated poorly is the worst that can happen to someone, especially if they are suffering depression, your self-esteem just takes a further nose dive!

 

You have a couple of choices. Leave it, which might leave a nagging sensation in the back of your head. But will not give you the stress and anxiety of grievances and possible further action.

Raise a formal grievance over what has been done and said. Which may leave you in a poor light in the managers eyes, and will mean stress and anxiety to you, unless you enjoy making them run around and can deal with the inevitable grief that you will receive.