help. Xmas do... suspected of doing DRUGS!!!!!!

Kay_Peel

Does your workplace have a Drug and Alcohol policy document?

Does it have a procedure for dealing with drug-related incidents? Has the sales manager followed the procedure?

Usually, employers are advised to treat drug and alcohol use as a health issue in the first instance. Disciplinary procedures only come into play if the employee is under the influence in a safety-critical job, or where their behaviour is affected.

If I were hearing your case, I would expect the Sales Manager to give me some convincing reasons for his suspicions. Loud sniffing from a cubicle would not be enough. I would expect something like:

'A reliable person told me that X uses cocaine, so I watched him all evening. I noticed that he made frequent visits to the Gents. Every time he went there, I either followed him myself or else asked someone else to follow him. On the two occasions that I followed him, he went into a cubicle and never used the urinal. On the three occasions that other people followed him, he went into a cubicle. On each occasion there was no sound of him using the toilet or toilet roll, just loud sniffing and blowing noises. On the last occasion, I confronted him. I noticed that his eyes were staring, that his pupils were dilated and his nose was running. He seemed agitated and his movements were jerky. Unlike a drunk, he was steady on his feet and able to talk without slurring his speech........ etc. etc.'

It's a serious allegation, so the Sales Manager would have to back it up with facts and observations, in the absence of a drug test.

Kirri

I've been out all day and not had chance to read all that's been said since, did you get your statement checked?

Just remember that this is only you vs the Company at this point held by the Company... You can take this to a Tribunal for a more unbiased ruling after!

Good luck with it, I've come up against a very senior Manager before, but unfortunately as I found, HR can side with seniority in very underhand ways even in the largest, most well known companies - someone has to stand up to these type of people.

duchy

Good luck-will be thinking of you
Stay calm and I think your witness sounds like a very good move.

richardc1983

Good luck mate... just be honest and you have nothing to worry about and get that grievance in against him.

You are a victim of bullying... yes you was wrong for telling a manager to !!!! off they may discipline you for that but the drugs thing they have nothing on.

They should discipline the manager for not being proffesional and making these ludicrous alegations.

Take care.
Richard.

Boozer

Good luck with the meeting today, what you say about hardly mentioning drugs is interesting, i think this is the main point in your story, you need to stress you may have been out of order in the way you talked to the other manager but that was brought about by this stupid allegation.

All the best

robredz

Good luck, take it easy and don't get annoyed with them. Explain you were upset by the allegations, and don't worry

rach29

Good Luck Matt,

I'm sorry I haven't been around much. It's been a manic couple of days. It sounds like you have just the right person to join you in the meeting. Keep calm & state the facts and if you feel your anger starting to rise, count to ten or something before responding, or ask for a comfort break. I'll be checking in to see how you got on tonight. I truly hope you'll be able to go home, have a glass of wine with your wife & be happy that the whole sorry affair is over & done with.

Well done for deciding to go forward with your grievance for bullying, it's the right thing to do & if nothing else will make Mr Sales Manager think twice before acting such an idiot again.

Triker

Good luck, thinking of you, sending calm vibes over the internet...:D

bitemebankers

Good luck, Matt.

RubyRue

Good luck, I've read through this thread and can't believe how you've been treated. Keep us posted!