Incident at work resulting in diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder.

[bluebottle]

Re: Incident at work resulting in diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder.

There is, on the face of it, not a shred of evidence of bullying. It is a single alleged incident at least half of which was entirely unwitnessed, and with two entirely different versions of events, but which management dealt with in an appropriate manner. That neither infers bullying, nor poor management. Or are you suggesting that based on a similar story the police would have swept in and arrested the driver for assault and harassment and had the CPS bang him into court. The impact of whatever happened has had serious enough consequences without trying to turn it into something it isn't.

The unfortunate fact, Eloise, is that bullying in the workplace is a major problem and costs the UK economy billions in lost hours, legal costs, etc., every year. What you may perceive not to be bullying, can, sometimes, be something more insidious and damaging. For example, abusive behaviour towards another may not, in your view, amount to anything, but you appear to overlook the fact that the Public Order Act 1986 and Protection from Harassment Act 1997 can, sometimes, come into the equation when an employer either ignores such behaviour and grievance procedures fail to address the bullying issues.

Although you may not agree with what I say, I have, at least, had first-hand experience of dealing with the damage workplace bullies do to others and the danger they place others in. Please remember that others have a point of view that may not necessarily agree with your own and that some of us have experience and knowledge you may not possess, but could help you to have a better understanding of the realities of how human beings behave towards other human beings.

[labman]

Re: Incident at work resulting in diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder.

Although you may not agree with what I say, I have, at least, had first-hand experience of dealing with the damage workplace bullies do to others and the danger they place others in.

Does this mean you have been the victim of bullying in the workplace, or that you have, in a supervisory, more senior role, dealt directly with bullying in the workplace?

[Eloise01]

Re: Incident at work resulting in diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder.

The unfortunate fact, Eloise, is that bullying in the workplace is a major problem and costs the UK economy billions in lost hours, legal costs, etc., every year. What you may perceive not to be bullying, can, sometimes, be something more insidious and damaging. For example, abusive behaviour towards another may not, in your view, amount to anything, but you appear to overlook the fact that the Public Order Act 1986 and Protection from Harassment Act 1997 can, sometimes, come into the equation when an employer either ignores such behaviour and grievance procedures fail to address the bullying issues.

Although you may not agree with what I say, I have, at least, had first-hand experience of dealing with the damage workplace bullies do to others and the danger they place others in. Please remember that others have a point of view that may not necessarily agree with your own and that some of us have experience and knowledge you may not possess, but could help you to have a better understanding of the realities of how human beings behave towards other human beings.

I would have thought that as a former policeman you would be familiar with the word "alleged". The employer has ignored nothing - they acted. It was one alleged, and disputed incident which has been dealt with appropriate to the circumstances. I find it quite insulting that you accuse me of having no understanding of how human beings act towards others - you have no idea what I have experience of, and if you did you might be quite horrified by some of the things that I have personally seen and experienced. What you are doing is mounting an unjustified campaign against an unknown employer on the basis of personal prejudice. There was no ignoring what happened. There was no grievance submitted. There is no prospect whatsoever of using either Acts you have quoted because the circumstances as described by the OP do not even begin to approach the threshold which even you say only sometimes apply. Bullying does occur in the workplace yes. There is no evidence that bullying applies in this situation, and it is not helpful to suggest that every time something goes wrong in a workplace it is a result of bullying - or that laws which almost never apply can be used to address it.

[MissFM]

Re: Incident at work resulting in diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder.

The big problem with bullying - and also with the law on this - is that the people who stand back and say "I'm not taking sides" are actually giving force to the bully:behindsofa:

[cg1206]

Re: Incident at work resulting in diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder.

Hi. Thanks all for your swift and in depth responses. I noticed on reading your replies that people frequently reference my employer as "acting on the situation". The only reason said driver isn't working with me again is because my Union rep pressed the issue, it wasn't suggested by my employer. I also realise that this is just my side of the story and that this isn't sufficient enough to create the whole picture. I just wanted to find out my options and seek advice on the questions that are pressing my mind the most.


@ Hurricane Puffrose - Thanks for the bump
@ Eloise01 - Thanks for the advice although I have no intentions of making a claim, just seeking clarification of my rights, also concerned that the driver could do this again to someone else. With regard to there being no grievance bring submitted, this is on the advice of my Union rep as I would then have to attend a work based interview to discuss the matter, something which I am currently not comfortable enough doing. My priority as pointed out by other posters is to get myself well. Im just analyzing my options.
@ Labman - Your right in assuming I work as a Passenger Assistant / Care Escort for my local authority. Unfortunately all of the service users do not have the mental capacity to act as witness. Also no MH problems in the past.

[Eloise01]

Re: Incident at work resulting in diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder.

Hi. Thanks all for your swift and in depth responses. I noticed on reading your replies that people frequently reference my employer as "acting on the situation". The only reason said driver isn't working with me again is because my Union rep pressed the issue, it wasn't suggested by my employer. I also realise that this is just my side of the story and that this isn't sufficient enough to create the whole picture. I just wanted to find out my options and seek advice on the questions that are pressing my mind the most.


@ Hurricane Puffrose - Thanks for the bump
@ Eloise01 - Thanks for the advice although I have no intentions of making a claim, just seeking clarification of my rights, also concerned that the driver could do this again to someone else. With regard to there being no grievance bring submitted, this is on the advice of my Union rep as I would then have to attend a work based interview to discuss the matter, something which I am currently not comfortable enough doing. My priority as pointed out by other posters is to get myself well. Im just analyzing my options.
@ Labman - Your right in assuming I work as a Passenger Assistant / Care Escort for my local authority. Unfortunately all of the service users do not have the mental capacity to act as witness. Also no MH problems in the past.

I suspect your union are talking themselves up. They cannot arrange for the seperation of you and the driver. They can ask, but it is the employer who actions this.
Therefore, in law, they have acted. Without witnesses or evidence, then as a previous poster suggested, anything more becomes "he said, she said ". And the issue of the grievance is, as I said, this has consequences for you. As you rightly say, it will be stressful and upsetting. I appreciate your point about not doing this again to someone, but with no prior incidents, no witnesses and only your word for it, you simply cannot achieve that. You are talking dismissal, and that will not happen - it would not stand up well in law, and I think you will understand why it shouldn't. If he accuses you back, you wouldn't want the law to let you be dismissed on just his word, would you?

On practical terms you don't have to work with him again. Concentrate your energy on getting better. It's time better spent for you.