Been Suspended From Work- Urgent Advise Needed

[rv02]

I have been suspended from my work pending investigations for gross misconduct with regards to financial irreguralarities and benefiting from placing orders on behalf of the university. It is now one week in my investigation and I have not heard anything. This has caused me and my family especially my young daughter under tremendous pressure to the point of my wife being close to going of work sick. I have been working there for 22 years and never been accused of anything like this. They have not told me anything bar that I am suspended for 3 weeks until they carry out their investigations.

 

I can not handle this amount if stress as is effecting mine and my family health. My question is can I just offer my resignation now and have this whole ordeal finish and refuse to to to hearing and possible desciplinary procedures as I do not think I am strong enough to go through this. And even if I clear my name my reputation at work will be tarnished and I think I can't do the job anymoe

Thanks

[honeybee13]

Hello there, I'm sorry to hear about your problems.

 

I expect the forum guys will be along later with advice for you, but I know they always say that suspension is a neutral act. Do you think they have any grounds for finding gross misconduct?

 

I would think hard before you just resign. Your employer could still have the hearing in your absence and any result could show up on a future reference.

 

The guys will help you through this and I think you will cope. I'm always amazed at people here who arrive on the point of giving up, but find reserves of strength once they have support here and can see a way forward.

 

Please bear with us until the guys are able to get here. Chin up.

 

My best, HB

[Emmzzi]

I think the shock is making you over dramatic. Plenty people return to work after an investigation.

 

If you know you have done nothing wrong, sit tight, do the garden, paint the spare room.

[rv02]

Hello there, I'm sorry to hear about your problems.

 

I expect the forum guys will be along later with advice for you, but I know they always say that suspension is a neutral act. Do you think they have any grounds for finding gross misconduct?

 

I would think hard before you just resign. Your employer could still have the hearing in your absence and any result could show up on a future reference.

 

The guys will help you through this and I think you will cope. I'm always amazed at people here who arrive on the point of giving up, but find reserves of strength once they have support here and can

 

see a way forward.

 

Please bear with us until the guys are able to get here. Chin up.

 

 

 

My best, HB

 

 

Thank you so much for your kind words. I just don't think I be able to be allowed to work there again, and rather than putting my family through this is it better to quit now even nought they can carry on in my absence. My wife wants all this to be over or the sake of our seven year old. I have broken procedures but it all was with approval signature of my boss but it doesn't hide the fact that I have broken financial regulation which is a gross misconduct offence, I feel as if they will make a scapegoat of me and to make a point especially as if they cutting back and looking into ways of getting rid of people. My health and my family's health is suffering, my 73 year old mom who is disabled is on the verge of collapsing. I just feel lost after 22 years of working there it is all I know. I hope one of the forum guys can advise me soon

 

Thanks again

[postggj]

If you have signed authorization from an immediate manager/boss, he then takes over all responsibility. After all, that is why he is on a higher pay grade

 

Your manger/boss will have then breached any financial irregularities, not you

[fletch70]

Hi

I was in a somewhat similar position and I can understand how you feel. From what you say they are accusing you of corruption..i.e placing orders for material gain or favour

First thing is, if you have a signed authority from your line manager to do something that is wrong you should use it in your defence.

.I think the questions to ask yourself are

1) Was anything you did unlawful/illegal

2) Does anyone else do the same thing

3) Did you gain in any way out of what you did

4) Was you're manager aware of what was going on

5) Are you in a Union

 

Even if you do resign they could still investigate and you would not be able to fight your corner.

It can sometimes take a lot of soul searching to admit what you did was wrong...I am not saying that is the case ...just think about it.

Are

[rv02]

Thanks for your help. All the orders I place needs to be signed off by my manager, I am only the first signatory. Without my managers signature orders do not go to the supplier. There is also matter of record keeping of petty cash, only am and my manager have access to this and I was told to not keep any records because my employer do not lie large amount of petty cash. There are records of how much has come in but when it goes out there are no records, this has been happening from the day I started there in 1991 when I wasn't even responsible or it, so I don't know whether they are finding discrepancies there as the money is usually spent when we buy things or work from it or pay staff expenses rather than taking it through e system, but I have nt taken any money off.

 

My situation feels bleak and waiting here for the to call me its unbearable.

Also I found out yesterday that someone from my work knows the deputy headmistress of my daughters school and they told her that I have been suspended and then the headmistress announced it in her staff meeting. I was livid because at my meeting when I was suspended they told me know one will know and I can not say anything and now the whole of my daughters school will know which has effected my daughter and also completely damaged my reputation.

[postggj]

quote

 

Also I found out yesterday that someone from my work knows the deputy headmistress of my daughters school and they told her that I have been suspended and then the headmistress announced it in her staff meeting.

 

If that has occurred then the headmistress will face full disciplinary measures and probably a prosecution for a breach of the DPA 1998

 

Can you substantiate that or is it just subjective comments based on no hard evidence

 

How do you know the headmistress released that data at the staff meeting??

[rv02]

I was told by someone who was there at he meeting, I don't want to raise it with the school because I don't want to put them in trouble and betray in their trust

[Emmzzi]

Not the headmistress in trouble. The person from your place of work. Although they have said nothing untrue.

Honestly sit tight. Its likely they are after your boss, not you.

[fletch70]

Indeed. Repeating gossip is not against the law and they often announce issues that could affect a child in the staff meetings.

The person from work should not have repeated it. How did they find out.

It does seem to me that it is not you in the firing line. I find it almost unbelievable that in this day and age money can go out of petty cash without being accounted for.

[ericsbrother]

In the case of petty cash, there is accounting and accounting for it, which can be quite different depending upon the purpose of having petty cash to start off with. Having petty cash at all indicate to me that you are in a smallish academic department as in larger depts/institutions and overall admin the payments are made by filling out payment requests that are either on paper (for those outside the institution) or by reference to the CID of the person making the claim and then it goes straight into their bank account.

Now, with regard to getting a counter-signature on payment requests, as stated it looks as though your boss is in more trouble than you are for signing these off unless you have been making payments to companies that you have a financial interest in or other conflict of interest that would preclude you from processing the payments in the first place.

I think it is less of a serious matter than you deem it to be unless the institution has just lost a leagre sum because someone else was up to no good and they are now busily shutting the stable door.

[rv02]

Thank you all for you advises. I just don't know what to do, it just a mental torture for me and my family. They phoned today and said they are still investigating even though originally they said it will not take more than couple of days. I don't know what to think, someone said the fact that its taking so long is because they have got a concrete evidence but I keep thinking they just going deeper and deeper. Apparently I am not allowed to have a representation during my hearing, I am only allowed one at my disciplinary. I think it's so unfair that they will have all this time to put their case and expecting me to walki in to the Lions den completely unprepared and be expected to re,ember things from past year ( unless they looking further back) , especially in the state I am in both mentally and physically.

[Emmzzi]

go for walks. do physical work. you just have to wait.

[fletch70]

You have no automatic right to be accompanied at an investigation however if you ask the HR department and say you are suffering from anxiety and feel you may be disadvantaged they may let you.

[KimmiiChoo]

Rv02 - I'm also suspended from work, but I refuse to resign as I have done nothing wrong and I firmly believe that if you quit, then you've got something to hide.

 

Stick it out. I have been suspended for 4 months in total, and yes, it's been torture but I seem to be getting some where now.

 

Kimberly x

[rv02]

Hi

I have been suspended from work pending a hearing and disciplinary. I have been under so much stress that my doctor has signed me off sick, as I am about to loose everything including my house, job etc.

 

I have handed my resignation in but as I have been there for over fifteen years I have to give three months notice. If I am signed of sick until after my notice period ends, what can they do as I will not be their employees. Also if doctor say I am ok to attend work do I have to attend the hearing, as I know with he stress and the frame if mind I am in I will not be able to face this and I just want them to do it without me and make whatever decision they want to make.

 

Thanks in advance

[fkofilee]

Stop.... Rewind... Now tell the whole truth on this...

 

What is the disciplinary about? and also you wont lost your house etc....

you need to go on and find something else

 

Handing your notice in... Good move you get the full allowance to find something else

[Emmzzi]

they can give you a reference that says "resigned while under investigation for.." is mainly what

 

Depending on the industry this can be very bad

 

If you want to say more, we can help more?

[Emmzzi]

ok, just found the last thread

 

depending on if here have been an actual developments since then, I think you have been hasty and should retract! honestly they are still just investigating...!

 

Sit tight, go back to the doctors and ask for something to help you manage anxiety. You have this out of all proportion!!

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

I've merged the threads to make it easier for the people trying to advise you.

 

I agree with what the guys have said. Can your doctor arrange some counselling for you? I think you might benefit from having someone to talk to.

 

My best, HB

[rv02]

My doctor has said to g and see him next week and he is going o refer me for councilng. The pressure is building up on me, I have been suspended on allegations of bribery and after my notice period I have to loose my house as we can't live on my wife's wages. I just can't go through hearing and desciplinary procedures, I'm not mentally coping at the moment

[honeybee13]

That's good about the counselling, everyone needs support from time to time. There's also the Samaritans if you want to talk to someone, they're used to stressed out people.

 

08457 90 90 90

 

http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us

 

HB

[Emmzzi]

Hello rv02,

 

I think one of the main things to remember is that when you are stressed, you tend to make poorer decisions. I think you are a very VERY long way off from having to worry about where you are going to live.

 

Honeybee's suggestion of finding someone to talk to outside of the situation is very wise.

 

As we said last time, your boss is fully aware of whatever has been going on. You, not so much?

 

If you are an honest person, and you have been following instructions given to you, there really isn't much to stress about. There is also a whole world of other jobs! People who have been to prison for non-white collar jobs manage to find work! And you are nowhere near that stage!!!

 

I know it seems bleak just now but there WILL be a way!