Delayed Suspension

[charitynjw]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Hi nutrance.

They shouldn't suspend you for a relatively minor mistake such as this.
If anything, I would have thought that a little word with you would suffice.
If they consider it necessary, they should suggest further training.

& as my previous post, at the moment it is all 'he said, she said'.

However, if the worst does occur

Does the manager concerned have the authority to suspend?
Have you been given the company's policy on disciplinary? (usually included in your contract/ statement of employment particulars, or possibly via the company intranet).

A default version via ACAS is available here http://www.acas.org.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1043
------------------------------- merged -------------------------------

As far as im aware it needs to be dealt with there and then, with evidence to back it up, but as Charity says, have you heard from any other sources that your actually suspended?

I would also tread gently when you go back, just incase the manager has no idea about this suspension and there are colleuges in the tea room rolled up laughing! I suggest going back to work as normal, as you have had no offical notification of suspension, and if it is mentioned then get ACAS and such involved.. i worked in a warehouse for a very short time, and I know how the boys can be!!

Lol!

Sugar & spice, & all things nice?

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Wish it was so Charity, I was the only woman so they taped my handbag to the ceiling, then changed the gents and ladies signs!

thing is i have worked with guys all my life, i only have a brother, and im very open, so i walked in to the loo shouting "HERE I COME BOYS... READY OR NOT!!!

[bluebottle]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Wish it was so Charity, I was the only woman so they taped my handbag to the ceiling, then changed the gents and ladies signs!

thing is i have worked with guys all my life, i only have a brother, and im very open, so i walked in to the loo shouting "HERE I COME BOYS... READY OR NOT!!!

The rotten sods! However, I must say, Puffrose, you've certainly got sphericals, giving the guys as good as you get.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Delayed Suspension

ty Bluebottle,

I learnt early on, to be respected by the boys you have to accept that they are the boys.. and if you cant beat em.. join em!!
plus it was a bit of fun for them, and I didnt mind. My first job i was the only woman on the station at one point, they gave me a bit of leeway but it was more fun when they acted normally

[bluebottle]

Re: Delayed Suspension

ty Bluebottle,

I learnt early on, to be respected by the boys you have to accept that they are the boys.. and if you cant beat em.. join em!!
plus it was a bit of fun for them, and I didnt mind. My first job i was the only woman on the station at one point, they gave me a bit of leeway but it was more fun when they acted normally

Fire and Rescue Service?

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Delayed Suspension

no, boringly enough British Rail.. when I joined aged 17 women didnt work on platforms and lug wheelchair ramps!! or they didnt at Paddington, they worked in the offices and things. ive done paddington, southall, slough (all points west) marylebone, kings x, fenchurch street, Limehouse (alone), Wycome (alone).. i dont scare easy lets put it that way.. and ive driven up to a 3.5t van!! im a bit of a tomboy!!

[nutrance]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Ok I got an Update!

My holiday finished on Saturday just gone. And I am now off work sick as I have a bad back. Four people from work have text/rang me to ask why im suspended! I have even recorded the phone calls!!!!! I have played dumb and said I dont know what theyre on about!!!!

As genuinely I haven't been officially told or know!

So they have left it nearly 2 weeks after I supposedly committed a serious health & safety breach on the forklift (3 of them days the manager kept asking me to use the forklift that I am supposedly dangerous on!!!) AND the whole 85 odd members of staff seem to have been told by managers that I am have been suspended when I havent been told there is a problem!!!!!

Where do I stand?????

[charitynjw]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Hi nutrance,

I presume, re your current illness, you informed your employer.

How, & who?

[nutrance]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Yes I have informed them by telephone. I have those calls recorded also

[charitynjw]

Re: Delayed Suspension

http://www.workplacelaw.net/content/40813

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has set up an independent panel – the Myth Busters Challenge Panel - to scrutinise decisions where health and safety has been used as a convenient excuse to stop essentially sensible activities going ahead.
Health and safety and particularly the so-called 'elf n safety' culture have come under close scrutiny by the current Government, which has led to the publication of two reports, ‘Common Sense, Common Safety by Lord Young and, more recentl,y Professor Ragnar Lofstedt’s report.
The new panel is chaired by the HSE Chair Judith Hackitt, with HSE board member Robin Dahlberg as the Vice-Chair. They are supported by a pool of independent members who represent a wide range of interests including small businesses, public safety, trade union, the insurance industry and many outside interests where day-to-day common sense decisions on risk management are made.
The panel will look into complaints regarding the advice given by non-regulators such as insurance companies, health and safety consultants and employers and quickly assess if a sensible and proportionate decision has been made.
The HSE said:
"We want to make clear that 'health and safety' is about managing real risks properly, not being risk averse and stopping people getting on with their lives."
If you think a decision or advice that you have been given in the name of health and safety is wrong, or disproportionate to what you are doing, you can complain to the panel. It will investigate and publish its findings on the HSE website

[labman]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Mre likely one or two have found out (if it is true) and it has spread by word of mouth from then.

If there is any substance to this though, it still does not make it right.

I hope your back recovers swiftly, it must be very stressful. Excellent that you're getting the calls recorded though.

[nutrance]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Ok here's an update and another question! (Delayed suspension original post if you dont understand what this is about lol)

I have looked in the managers log book and there are many incidents where other people have more seriously blocked fire exits! Some of these are managers!!!

There was no further action whatsoever taken against the people who commited those offences, so could i say they are treating unfairly.

Also i asked why people had been ringing me and texting me to ask why i was suspended before i knew anything about the incident and the reply i got was

"well you know what this place is like, all the gossip" followed by a crude snigger!

they also falsified my witness statement, it was totally different to the recorded phone call i have. No i didnt sign it either!

thanks in advance ;0)

Read more at: delayed suspesion update - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

[bluebottle]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Ok here's an update and another question! (Delayed suspension original post if you dont understand what this is about lol)

I have looked in the managers log book and there are many incidents where other people have more seriously blocked fire exits! Some of these are managers!!!

There was no further action whatsoever taken against the people who commited those offences, so could i say they are treating unfairly.

Also i asked why people had been ringing me and texting me to ask why i was suspended before i knew anything about the incident and the reply i got was

"well you know what this place is like, all the gossip" followed by a crude snigger!

they also falsified my witness statement, it was totally different to the recorded phone call i have. No i didnt sign it either!

thanks in advance ;0)

Read more at: delayed suspesion update - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

Is this witness statement going to be used in any form of legal proceedings? If so, your employers are seriously playing with fire and are going to get burned - badly burned. Falsifying a witness statement and forging someone's signature is a serious offence at law. Contact your local Law Centre, asap, and get this nipped in the bud pronto.

[nutrance]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Hi Thanks,

I wrote down a transcript of the witness statement as it was doen over the phone. I gave it to them in the first disciplinary meeting yesterday and they said they would look at it! They also said they are keeping the one they did! They didnt forge my signature (sorry if i confused). I just refused to sign their version!!! If i get dismissed after all this then yes i can imagine it would be used., but then question would be raised about my transcript of the phonecall.

I also brought about how the Manager, instead of suspending me straight away decided that even though he was investigating me for a 'serious breach of health and safety', decided that it was more important for me to go and work on the same forklift, moving the same pallets, around the same fire exit for another 2 days, so that he would look rosy as we had a big visit!! Even though I am alledgly dangerous!!! I have pointed out to them that either;

A - Its not as serious as they are making out (for him to send me out on the forklift for a further two days!)

B - He is also liable for a more serious breach of health and safety for KNOWINGLY sending a member of staff (me) out to a place where I have alledgly committed a serious breach of health safety, using a piece of machinery I alledgly committed it with and interacting with stock that I also alledgly committed the dangerous act with!

They didn't like it and adjourned until Monday!

[bluebottle]

Re: Delayed Suspension

Hi Thanks,

I wrote down a transcript of the witness statement as it was doen over the phone. I gave it to them in the first disciplinary meeting yesterday and they said they would look at it! They also said they are keeping the one they did! They didnt forge my signature (sorry if i confused). I just refused to sign their version!!! If i get dismissed after all this then yes i can imagine it would be used., but then question would be raised about my transcript of the phonecall.

I also brought about how the Manager, instead of suspending me straight away decided that even though he was investigating me for a 'serious breach of health and safety', decided that it was more important for me to go and work on the same forklift, moving the same pallets, around the same fire exit for another 2 days, so that he would look rosy as we had a big visit!! Even though I am alledgly dangerous!!! I have pointed out to them that either;

A - Its not as serious as they are making out (for him to send me out on the forklift for a further two days!)

B - He is also liable for a more serious breach of health and safety for KNOWINGLY sending a member of staff (me) out to a place where I have alledgly committed a serious breach of health safety, using a piece of machinery I alledgly committed it with and interacting with stock that I also alledgly committed the dangerous act with!

They didn't like it and adjourned until Monday!

Are your employers brain-dead or something? Contact your local Law Centre on Monday morning, get some legal advice and start pushing these idiots back into the hole out of which they crawled.