Urgent - I have been suspended from work allegations of intimidation ect..

[Scrumpy11]

Dear all, I urgently need help,

I have an ongoing grievance against my former supervisor., (a senior managers son). I have hard evidence of health and safety documents being fraudulently signed, and false witness statements made to my company's insurer over a personal injury claim I have ongoing.

I was called into part two of my grievance meeting today, we ran out of time on the first meeting. After my meeting I went back to section, I mistakenly apologised to my current supervisor stating, he may be called as a witness due to the marshalling (in short my name disappeared from a list on overtime, its just a backdrop to bullying I had endured by my former supervisor.) Its pretty much irrelevant to my grievance but background information. .

4.5 hours later, I am summoned to a meeting with senior management, I have been informed that an investigation has commenced considering the allegations of intimidation and engaging in conversation regarding an ongoing investigation. Whilst the investigation is ongoing I have been placed on preventive suspension until further notice.

Have I breached any legal procedures which could jeopardise my employment or my grievance?

We have been placed in the same Bodyshop together. However, we have been split up as he spends all shift in the command centre with the managers... Reason given, he is covering for someone. He comes down by my place of work half an hour before break, to receive and eat his dinner of which he has ordered in form outside work. How have I intimidated him If anything its the other way around

I appreciate any assistance

[Retromau5]

Hello first of all, I'd ask for a copy of the companies grievance policy. It should (if it's any good at being a grievance policy) have some information about confidentiality in it. Generally, workplace grievances are supposed to be kept confidential, so speaking to anyone other than the person investigating isn't something you should do. It's a bit of an own goal so to speak on your behalf as your complaint sounds quite serious, but the intimidation claim seems a bit of a stretch. Make sure you emphasis that your intentions may have been misunderstood, and that it was not to make anyone feel intimidated when they speak to you about it,

With your original claim, is it being treated as a grievance or 'whistleblowing'? If there are concerns about health & safety practices that affect others than yourself then potentially it could be, so you may want to speak to Protect. They're an organisation that supports people that make certain types of disclosures that are seen as whistleblowing and the advice and help they give is incredibly useful.

[Scrumpy11]

Hello first of all, I'd ask for a copy of the companies grievance policy. It should (if it's any good at being a grievance policy) have some information about confidentiality in it. Generally, workplace grievances are supposed to be kept confidential, so speaking to anyone other than the person investigating isn't something you should do. It's a bit of an own goal so to speak on your behalf as your complaint sounds quite serious, but the intimidation claim seems a bit of a stretch. Make sure you emphasis that your intentions may have been misunderstood, and that it was not to make anyone feel intimidated when they speak to you about it,

With your original claim, is it being treated as a grievance or 'whistleblowing'? If there are concerns about health & safety practices that affect others than yourself then potentially it could be, so you may want to speak to Protect. They're an organisation that supports people that make certain types of disclosures that are seen as whistleblowing and the advice and help they give is incredibly useful.

Thank you for your advice. I will seek to obtain a copy of their policy. Also I will look up protect.

This is all strange, I was suspended on Wednesday and back to work today with a temporary move in place, (so they say).

My complaint is being treated as a grievance.

The complaint against me, is vague, I don't know what I have supposed to of said, or to who., the only thing I can think of is what I mentioned is not part of the grievance it was just something that was mentioned within my grievance meeting. However is not formally part of my grievance.




Thank you again for your advice

[Scrumpy11]

[QUOTE=Retromau5;n1687315]Hello first of all, I'd ask for a copy of the companies grievance policy. It should (if it's any good at being a grievance policy) have some information about confidentiality in it.

Further update:

I have been called back to work after I was suspended for one day. I have been placed in another body shop as a temporarily measure to protect the investigation. The zone I have been placed on is relentless and I am in pain of which I have doubled up on prescribed medication and I am using knee and back supports.

The union rep was on Holiday last week and is on training next week. Further to this, we are on nights next week, so the investigations will be placed on hold.

I have already stated on this forum of what I had invertedly said to my current group leader, which I will openly admit within the meeting.

I remember the day I was suspended, I was walking in a walkway within my body shop. A colleague was walking towards me, we said hello whilst smiling at each other. As we past each other, I noticed my former group leader, was standing 25 to 30 feet in front of me. As I approached, he stepped out into the gangway, which all the fork lift trucks drive down, shouting, "did anyone see that?" Within a fraction of a second I heard a female voice respond, "I did, I seen it!" I paid no attention, kept looking forward and continued on my journey.

My concerns are now I will be bullied out of the company. I cannot speak to the Union. I have been instructed to only speak to my Union rep who is of next week.

Can I speak to the HR representative who is dealing with my Grievance and state what is transpiring and how I feel? or is it a case of the investigations must be kept separate and I cannot mention one in another.

I believe the voice I heard was that of a manager who has helped my former GL with his paperwork and with the repones of which was sent to my companies insurance company.. I cannot prove this, However, she is also the health and safety person that signed of on risk assessments ext...

I feel targeted, Harassed, and bullied. I feel that my move wont be temporary and will be permanent. They will over me a job that I cannot do due to my ailments and I will be offered the 'Workers restrictions programme', that means I will be offered three jobs, each worse than the last and that I will be forced out of the company. This process has been used time after time.

I just dont know what to do, or who to turn to. The union are too close to the managers, im lost and this is affecting my mental health!

[Scrumpy11]

Further to my above message. I have recieved a copy of my companies grevience procedure, there is nothing about confedentiality. However, at the start of the meeting, it is stated that meetings should not record meetings or discuess what has being said within the meeting. Me appologising to my groupleader as he maybe called as a witness is being classed as a breach. In hinesight, i should not have mentioned anything and I have to accept any punishment they deem appropriate.

For two years I have raised concens regarding my group leasmders conduct towards me. For over 18 months regarding the fraudulent signaters. Nothing was done. Now one complaint against me... im going to be punished.

[Retromau5]

Hello Scrumpy11 I hope you are well. I'd recommend that you try and stop trying to second guess what the allegation against you is, no good will come of it, believe me when I say I'm very familiar with this process and l'm also painful aware how much it can effect a person's mental health.

If feel your situation has left you in a position where you are being harassed, bullied and intimidated, then you should speak up about it. NOBODY should have to feel this way. And if you made a disclosure about falsified health & safety reports/checks/paperwork then you seriously need to look at that as being considered as 'whistleblowing'. Grievances are complaint made that effect the person making the complaint, but whistleblowing is a disclosure that effects others (such as colleagues or members of the public). It would need to have been made in a certain way, but I feel it may be worth looking into as it would offer you a certain level of protection. If you feel you can, highlight the issues you've experienced in an email to HR, and tell them you believe that it's a direct result of the complaint you made (stop using the word grievance, complaint covers everything). This might be enough to make them back down a bit in the least. And why shouldnt you name all the people who are involved? It's their duty to tell the truth, if they've done nothing wrong, why apologise? But if they've stood by and let it happen, then they should answer for it.

Remember, nobody will ever thank you for raising a complaint, you've created a massive amount of extra work for all involved, but it's the right thing to do. It's human nature for people to twist and turn, shift blame, and try and make it look like you're in the wrong, you've just got to hold your nerve and see it through.

[Scrumpy11]

Retromau5 Thank you for your message. Is it that obvious that its affecting my mental health. If I was younger or qualified I would have left the company. I am 49 with no qualifications or transferable skills. I have had approximately 12 years of bullying, with managers informing me that well get me out of the company. I have thwart off all attacks to-date. IF i obtain evidence it is normally when a manager has left and the company will accept no responsibility for their former employees. I have always raised concerns with HR, most have which would have been destroyed due to the passage of time.

This is the first time I have hard evidence with someone within the company and it appears the company are trying to dumb it down. I have been informed that my only point of contact can be my Union Rep, who is away from work on tiring for another week. To be honest, the Union cover the managers, we are fed lies.

I will raise a complaint after the complaint against me has been resolved. I am trying to not concentrate on this too much as it is affecting my partner and she has had enough.

Thank you again.