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

moggylover

Op - glad you are making your own grievance plain and whilst I would not normally say it, I suspect that you have had some good advice from anihilator on this occasion (see Ani - you can be nice when you try:D).

I too get into a real two and eight over anything like this: but I would (if possible and if you can have someone with you) go in and get it over with. It might help that they see that you care about your job enough to struggle to cope with this process, and also how badly the allegations and unpleasantness has affected you: especially if bully boy is looking good and smug and cocky as that sort always do:D

Try and keep your calm - but I think another two week wait will only make you more stressed despite pills! Good or bad, the worry is always worse than the event so if you possibly can then go and get it over with.

There will be plenty here to help with the next step if the worst happens, and you will owe everyone a drink if it goes well;)

Good luck! I suspect that I would enjoy your quirky humour - but then I would hate working with a bunch of Stepford Wives:D

LilacPixie

I would hate to work for your department OP. Think you sales manager bloke would of tried to sack me and my whole team 20 times over cosidering the amount of colds and sniffles going around in our office at the moment.

In all seriousness though the sales manager sounds like a [EMAIL="tw@t"]!!!!!![/EMAIL]. I have 6 staff not through choice TBH but as the company has grew so has my workload so I have 'assistants'. I have not really had any formal managment training but even i know the sales manager was out of order.

Not quite sure what a rock and roll image is, maybe I have one and just don't know. I don't think your sales manager would like me, i have purple streaks in my hair, tatoos and doss about in jeans at every opportunity.

I really think sales manager wants you gone, probably because he cannot intimidate you. I have seen bullys like this and you have to stand up to them. Insist your HR department investigate your grievence as a seperate issue. I know they are linked because all this mess is basically because you would not do what a bully wanted you too. There is no evidence of your drug taking, one person said you offered to get her drugs then was told it was a joke which she patently accepted to be the case but now with big mouth sales manager labelling you a smack head she 'isn't so sure'. Eyes looking not quite right well lots of reasons for this, cold, airconditioning in office irritating eyes/drying them out. Anti -d's read the possible side effects bit in your pack. Usually possible side effects are drowsiness disorientation etc etc. Plus one person saying your eyes did not look normal is subjective and if not raised with you by managment at the time of little relevance IMO.

A poster sorry can't remember who said the company must reasonably believe you were taking drugs they do not need to actully have proof. I honestly fail to see what evidence they have to make them reasonably believe that you were taking drugs.

bristol_pilot

Having thought about it a bit more overnight, I am even more convinced that it essential that you insist that your grievance is investigated as a separate matter in accordance with company procedure (quote the exact words from your company handbook back at them). Point out that any selective application of company procedures will be noted.

I think you might actually have scored a bit of a bullseye with that grievance - if the company had been intending to argue that the alleged drug taking took place effectively AT WORK (as it was a company event), then it also follows that the sales manager's inappropriate behaviour wrt intoxication, bullying and inappropriate approach to suspected drug use also took place AT WORK. I'd also add that he appears to have sent a defamatory and malicious email using company IT systems and during company time. Show that email to a solicitor to get a legal opinion on which points in it are defamatory. A defamatory statement is defamatory even if the person making it genuinely believes it to be true.

I'd also like to mention that in most companies 'sales manager' is not all that senior in the scheme of things. If you can show that the a-hole has acted in a way that has brought the company into disrepute they may well get rid of him.

bristol_pilot

Ask your company to send you copies of the company procedures on 1. suspected drug use and 2. bullying and harrassment. They will note that you have asked for these.

valos_mummy

u264047 wrote: »

I agree, I also do not find it an acceptable response, however, seeing as it took her 6 hours to reply to it... I think she will have fully researched it and ran it by her boss.

I'm falling down at every damn hurdle at the moment, i feel so powerless to defend myself its infuriating.

I don't think you're falling down. Far from it. Every request you make from them, every email and letter you send is showing them you are not going to lie down and let them walk all over you, and if they think they can make !!!! up and get you sacked, they can think again. Keep at it :T

robredz

valos_mummy wrote: »

I don't think you're falling down. Far from it. Every request you make from them, every email and letter you send is showing them you are not going to lie down and let them walk all over you, and if they think they can make !!!! up and get you sacked, they can think again. Keep at it :T

The other way to look at it, is that the email has worried them, and it took 6 hours to reply, because they were not expecting any response from OP other than to accept whatever verdict they were going to give, certainly not a grievance and rebuttal of the managers drunken opinion. Keep on keeping on.

u264047

bristol_pilot wrote: »

Ask your company to send you copies of the company procedures on 1. suspected drug use and 2. bullying and harrassment. They will note that you have asked for these.

I have just sent an email requesting the company handbook, and the above as I never received one (no not even with my contract)

I then intend to reply with what you put in your post prior to this, as I totally agree that this should be investigated as a seperate issue.

Another thing, whilst we were talking the Sales Manager said "you wn't be seeing that Chinese bride of yours that much when you're in prison will you"

Is this racism? and also noone heard him say this but me, so I would have a hard time proving it...

Imperfect_One

u264047 wrote: »

I have just sent an email requesting the company handbook, and the above as I never received one (no not even with my contract)

I then intend to reply with what you put in your post prior to this, as I totally agree that this should be investigated as a seperate issue.

Another thing, whilst we were talking the Sales Manager said "you wn't be seeing that Chinese bride of yours that much when you're in prison will you"
:eek:
Is this racism? and also noone heard him say this but me, so I would have a hard time proving it...

Was this the same timeframe as the 'druggie' conversation, if so in my opinion he is bullying/threatening or simply trying to put the fear of god in you that you will go to prison etc and you should not ignore this comment amongst the other things he said.

I really hope it goes well for you and hope that he doesn't get away with this horrendous treatment of you. I am glad that you have put in your grievance and hope that HR do treat it separately and hopefully not only will you get fair treatment and keep your job but he will not be able to do the same or similar again to you/others.

bristol_pilot

The threat of prison is part of bullying and mentioning the nationality of your wife is racism, IMO. Did anyone hear the prison-threat bit?

rupee99

u264047 wrote: »

I have just sent an email requesting the company handbook, and the above as I never received one (no not even with my contract)

I then intend to reply with what you put in your post prior to this, as I totally agree that this should be investigated as a seperate issue.

Another thing, whilst we were talking the Sales Manager said "you wn't be seeing that Chinese bride of yours that much when you're in prison will you"

Is this racism? and also noone heard him say this but me, so I would have a hard time proving it...

Under the broadest, and most unlikely, interpretation of legislation it may be construed as a race hate crime. The correct course of action would be to inform the police in the area who may, or may not, interview the sales manager.

I would imagine the first question the officer you report it to will be why has it taken you x (at least 3) weeks to make the accusation? When you tell him because he has reported you to your employer for suspected taking drugs, something that you cannot avoid because of the context of the comment, he is likely to believe that you are simply using it to put pressure on your employer, rather than a genuine belief in race hate.

Additionally the police will then have, on file, an accusation that you are a drug user in public places.

On the other hand the employer is claiming that the events occurred at a company function so they may have a vicarious liability for his actions and be jointly and severally responsible for them.

In reality though I don't think there is much mileage in it for you.