Wrongly Accused By Former Employer - Any Advice Please?

zzzLazyDaisy

This is strange - if they owe you money, you'd think they'd say that they are with-holding payment until the issue of the missing items is resolved - not that they want to pay you, oh and by the way do you know anything about our missing stuff.

Are they trying to find out your address or bank details? (Though if they are a former employer, they presumably have this info).

I don't know if the police will be interested at this stage, but I'd at least report it and get them to log the incident.

How well do you get on with your current employer? Did they take up references from your former employer? If you get on well with them, it might be worth mentioning this to them, so at least if this guy does turn up, they are fore-warned.

absolutelynomoney

Thanks for your advice guys - I thought I was being paranoid and over the top when I thought it was odd!

zzzlazydaisy wrote:

Are they trying to find out your address or bank details? (Though if they are a former employer, they presumably have this info).

They wouldn't have my bank details because they used to pay me by cash and cheque.

nexus wrote:

Did this guy by any chance 'try it on' with you in terms of affection ? He sounds a bit odd and acting like a stalker i feel using the excuse of paying you money as an excuse to meet you.Why does he mention school if you are in your mid-twenties ?

He never tried it on with me - to be honest, I only met him a couple of times, it was his wife I saw everyday, as I looked after the children and she didn't work. All my contact was with her and it was always her who paid me. I only saw him when he came back from work or nights out a couple of times, but I stopped working for them over 5 months ago.

I also don't know why he's mentioning school ... I don't go to school or uni anymore!

rosie-lee wrote:

Could it be something simple like a couple of missing CD's or books. I'm foreveer misplacing things and to be honest, if someone else had spent a considerable amount of time in my home, I would likely think they had picked them up.

On the other hand though, you'd just say that wouldn't you? not write a letter like that.

I think it is likely that it is CDs or something. I did watch a couple of DVDs a few times when I was babysitting late in the evening, but always with their permission - I was thinking maybe I put them back in the wrong place and they can't find them? But that's hardly reason to say they'll call my parents or work is it?!

-BA- wrote:

I would say just bring it up with your parents but because he is threatening to appear at your workplace, he has already gone to the next level.

Thank you for writing this comment because it suddenly made me realise how far he is saying he will go - I don't actually have a regular workplace, because I teach piano and although I do teach at a studio, I also travel to student's houses and teach at home sometimes. In order to find out where the studio is, he would have to search it on the internet and call up the woman who sub-contracts me there. Also, my parents live on the other side of the country ... what are they suposed to do about it? They won't even know who he is!

I think I am going to mention this to the police, or should I tell him what I am going to do before I do it to allow him to back down?

bitsandpieces

I wonder if mentioning the owed wages is a clumsy attempt to bargain with you: giving you a financial incentive to return the items? Anyway, tell him you know nothing about any missing items (assuming this is the case). You might also point out that if he tells anyone - or even implies - that you have stolen the items, this is libel or slander (depending whether written or spoken). If he tells your employer or family - or anyone else - that you stole from him, this could be viewed as highly defamatory and you would be quite within your rights to sue. Such cases can be complex and uncertain - but if he has no good evidence that you took the items, he should be extremely careful about throwing around accusations.

If he already knows where you work, why not suggest he posts the cheque there for outstanding wages there? You could ask that - after posting you the cheque - he makes no future contact with you. And, if you feel this is harassment, I'd second the suggestions to call the police.

bristol_pilot

The email is a threat.

Don't reply to it.

Print it out and take it down to your local police station, they will know how to sort this out.

toadyfrog

If he is mentioning school do you think he may have you mixed up with someone else who may have babysat or something.

mrcow

I wouldn't tell him that you are going to the police.

Just do it.

Don't contact him again. He sounds duplicitous.

LittleVoice

toadyfrog wrote: »

If he is mentioning school do you think he may have you mixed up with someone else who may have babysat or something.

I was thinking this too: he hardly knows you; you sound as though you are not aware of money actually being owed to you; you ceased to work there 5 months ago.

zzzLazyDaisy

I would not reply to this e-mail.

Look at the facts.....

• It is five months since you worked there and you are not aware of any money outstanding
• Normally you dealt with the wife, so if they needed to contact you, it would normally be her
• He is threatening to go to your place of work... but doesn't know where you work
• He is threatening to go to your school, but isn't aware you don;t go to school
• He is demanding the return of some items but hasn't said what they are

Do you even know that it is the husband? Do you know the husband's e-mail address? Could it be someone with access to their e-mail address who is playing a 'joke'. Could it be someone who is trying to find out where you are?

The more you tell us, the more this thing sounds highly dodgy.

I definitely would not answer the e-mail. It sounds like some sort of scam. If you answer it he will know your e-address is still active (for all he knows you might have changed your e-mail address in the last 5 months and may never have received his e-mail).

I would copy the e-mail and take it to the police. Explain everything to them - including the inconsistencies - and tell them you feel threatened and harassed.

wigglebeena

Is he still with the missus? If so, I wonder if she knows he's trying to harass, stalk and maybe blackmail you into sexual activity? ('Cause that sounds like a possibility!). I'd forward her on a copy... she might deal with it for you hem hem.

wigglebeena

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

• He is demanding the return of some items but hasn't said what they are

.

And the minute you say, 'Well I played a couple of DVDs, maybe I put them back in the wrong cases.' he will say, 'YES you THIEF it was the DVDs give them back now or perhaps we can come to some arrangement instead and I won't go to the cops...' What a creepy ****.