Need help - unfairly treated at work.

[anonymous88]

Hi,

I need some advice. I have been at my company for over 3 years.

My manager took a dislike to me because I found out about situations in the work place that could get him into serious trouble. From that moment I felt he was trying to get rid of me.

 

My problems include some of the following :

• Making it difficult for me to book annual leave
  
• Telling the directors I have been late into work and not doing as im asked which is completely untrue
  
• Reading through my emails when I am not in the office to find out if I have been speaking bad about him
  
• Making personal digs about the way I look/dress, telling me theres nothing sexy about me in front of an office full of men! Constant remarks on things like this, I was even told on more than one occassion that I need a boob job.
  

Thats just a few of the things, I felt there was some sort of witch hunt against me and I confronted him on several occasions for him to tell me that im being paranoid. I had several meetings with the HR girl.

I left the office for a cigarette once, he thought I had left but I was still in the reception area where I heard him tell my colleague that im a miserable c*nt and completely slate me to the ground.

 

I started to feel so paranoid every time I left that they were talking about me that I took time off work and called in sick.

 

I have since moved offices, but I feel the company are trying to get rid of me, as I have had to go back over there 3 times to cover or train the new girl which I think is extremely inconsiderate as they know how I was treated. I took time off work due to my anxiety attacks but I have been told that I need to be professional about it all.

 

I use to work Saturdays (which isnt in my contract) but since I have moved offices I have had them taken away from me as my old manager doesnt want me to work them anymore - even though I had no contact with him on a Saturday.

 

The last Saturday I worked in that office one of my employees called me and asked me to get a number off of an email of hers, when I went to her computer an email was open from her to her sister saying that my manager had been going through my emails trying to find stuff so he can get rid of me.

 

I really dont know what to do. I feel I was bullied out of my office, and now been left to deal with it. I have taken a massive pay cut as I have lost saturdays and now pay an extra £70 a month for travel as im firther from my house.

 

Im so unhappy at work, I have been applying for new jobs but hate the fact im giving up.. i use to love my job here!

 

Any advice woulde be greatly appreciated!

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG. I'm sorry to hear you're having problems.

 

The forum guys should be alonng over the course of the day with advice for you.

 

My best, HB

[renegadeimp]

Get a formal grievance in to the hr manager and provide as much evidence as possible. Escalate it out of your managers hands.

[popeyethesailortam]

I'd make an appointment with a local solicitor. Sounds very like constructive dismissal to me.

[honeybee13]

I'd make an appointment with a local solicitor. Sounds very like constructive dismissal to me.

 

Hello there. The view on this forum is that constructive dismissal is very hard to win, about 3% of cases succeed.

 

To add to what renegadeimp has said, filing a grievance will not make you the most popular employee and could lead to a swift exit not necessarily on your terms.

 

It might be worth hanging on for a few more views here.

 

HB

[popeyethesailortam]

Thats why I recomended legal advise before doing anything. If she goes down the escalation route she is left at a place of work where she will be made to feel bad. That isn't going t improve her health any.

[renegadeimp]

I agree HB, but the manager would not be able to dismiss the employee if a grievance is in naming that manager specifically as the problem. It would have to go through HR, who would be obliged to fully investigate first. Which is why i said the OP needs as much concrete evidence as possible, so there is no comeback on them, therefore minimising the risk of dismissal.

[Emmzzi]

I agree HB, but the manager would not be able to dismiss the employee if a grievance is in naming that manager specifically as the problem. It would have to go through HR, who would be obliged to fully investigate first. Which is why i said the OP needs as much concrete evidence as possible, so there is no comeback on them, therefore minimising the risk of dismissal.

 

Let's not give the impression HR are there to look after the employee. They protect management, end of.

 

Anonymous, what is your ideal outcome please? It seems your employers have made some changes to make you more comfortable by separating you and the manager - what else do you want to happen?

[renegadeimp]

I know theyre there to protect management etc, but they still have a duty to investigate on the facts.

[anonymous88]

Thanks for all your comments.

 

When I applied for my job it was because it was close to home and I could drive in, i took the job in the other office because if im honest it was my only option at the time. I was off work getting statutory sick pay where I felt so stressed to go back to that office.

 

I dont see how somebody can be allowed to continue to work in a place where he makes derogatory comments about a female colleague. I became very insecure in that office and extremely paranoid. It just so happened that they were employing in another office at the time so I took the job.

 

I have no contact with him on Saturdays so feel its extremely unfair to have that taken away from me.

 

Only last week I was made to go over to cover the office the day of the Christmas party.. I had to stay there until 4.30pm on my own when they all came back from being out and get ready on my own (all the other girls were in our head office getting ready and drinking from 2pm onwards - HR girl included)

 

I phoned the HR girl in the morning and just explained that I dont feel comfortable getting ready for the party in that office being the only girl and also the fact that im expected to do my hair and make up infront of men who constantly put me down over how i look. I was told to be professional about it but that they would come to some agreement - the agreement being that I left as soon as the guys arrived back at 4pm to go home and get ready and meet everyone at the party.. By 4.30pm they hadnt come back still, I locked up and went home. The anxiety I felt sitting there waiting for them to come back was horrible.

 

There are plenty of girls that could have covered the office, I just felt it was extremely unfair to ask me considering what I had been through with them. Also making me feel isolated by getting ready on my own.

 

I dont want to have to start at a new work place i was very content where I was. I feel im the one that has been literally bullied out.. but bullied on such a sly level that I dont feel I have much proof. So im paying for their actions towards me which is unfair. I have lost working Saturdays, I pay travel now as im in the city and cant drive in, I get home 45minutes later than before. And I honestly feel its completely unfair.

 

I did print the email I found on my colleagues computer where she says my manager was trying to get rid of me.. but again scared to show anyone incase i get sacked for reading the email.

 

If I told the directors what I know about my manager im worried I could get sacked for knowing and not speaking up, but he always warned me if people found out i would lose my job. Iv had to carry this stress for so long. If i leave the company I feel he gets away with everything!

 

Im literally at a dead end..

 

How much is it if I go see a solicitor?

[anonymous88]

I should also add, the problem started with my manager.. but the office on a whole turned against me. They would all laugh at his 'jokes' and get involved. Not one person would say come on now thats enough, even after me sitting there saying I really dont find this funny, and can they stop please. It carried on to the point where I walked out

 

Its a small office of 8 people.. I made 9!