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

DVardysShadow

u264047 wrote: »

No it wasn't, earlier in the evening they hired out a restaurant and paid for meal and drinks only in that place.

Then many people went home while a few (20 maybe) decided to go into town to a few pubs for a few more drinks... who wouldn't right, with people like this!

Who knows! Next year, maybe?

u264047 wrote: »

The incident took place at around midnight (maybe a little earlier - can't remember) in a pub where we were paying for our own drinks and were with many other people.

Then basically, the big boss was as much out of line for telling you to go home as you were for telling him to F off. Really, this all transpired 'in the street'.

I'm looking at rupee99's points in #424. They are good questions, but as the events occurred outside the company function, I don't think too much can be made of them [by you or your employer]. But it is worth taking another look at the 'evidence' to see if the focus has been switched away from the confrontation with the sales manager. I think wiser heads in your HR must be troubled about having this one in their laps.

robredz

As this develops, I think HR will fall out with the manager, because he has stirred all the s**t and caused an investigation that can go nowhere really, no proof of drugs barring tittle tattle, your offer of drug test declined, look over everything as suggested by DVardysShadow, to see where they have put the focus now, and pursue your own grievance as a separate issue with vigour.

DVardysShadow

robredz wrote: »

As this develops, I think HR will fall out with the manager, because he has stirred all the s**t and caused an investigation that can go nowhere really, no proof of drugs barring tittle tattle, your offer of drug test declined,

I agree. Of course they will not give you the least hint of a crack in the facade publicly. All their efforts will be put to producing an outcome with the minimum of waves. But you can bet that behind the scenes this is one they just wouldn't want.

robredz

DVardysShadow wrote: »

I agree. Of course they will not give you the least hint of a crack in the facade publicly. All their efforts will be put to producing an outcome with the minimum of waves. But you can bet that behind the scenes this is one they just wouldn't want.

I reckon they are kicking themselves for running with this one, especially over the hours they have wasted on basically a few badly chosen words by two drunken revellers outside company hours.

bugbabe1970

Hi Matt, have been following your thread, just wanted to wish you luck with this and hope it doesnt drag on too long for you.

u264047

DVardysShadow wrote: »

But it is worth taking another look at the 'evidence' to see if the focus has been switched away from the confrontation with the sales manager. I think wiser heads in your HR must be troubled about having this one in their laps.

Well i've summarised the statements below:

Statement 1 - Sales Manager - Heard snorting something, verbally aggressive + felt physically threatened. had extremely large pupils showed increased emotions.

Statement 2 -Colleague #1 - Matt seemed alright but annoyed at being accused. Didn't see shouting or finger pointing but just kept out of it.

Statement 3 - Colleague #2 - heard telling other manager to f*** off. Said I was well behaved. Said I didn't look like I was on drugs.

Statement 4 - manager I told to f*** off - Asked me to leave several times. Invading sales managers space. Said it looked aggressive and felt something was going to happen. I was making funny mannerisms with my tongue (!!!!!!)

Statement 5 - Office apprentice - I offered her cocaine before the work do the week before this one. Said she was told I was joking but she is not so sure now. Talked about my infatuations with several girls in office.

Statement 6 - Colleague #3 - Said everyone was drunk. I was up in sales managers face. Really close. I was aggressive in my manner. Eyes did not look right then and at previous weeks xmas party, where she asked if i had taken anything. Been strange for a couple weeks making silly mistakes. said I would have made time to see doctor in past.

Statement 7 - Colleague #4 - had a dig at performance at rare intervals over last 12 months. But unable to give specifics, but the gist was my work was below par.

As you can see everything has been thrown at this but the kitchen sink.

Like I said... think i'm screwed.

ali-t

u264047 wrote: »

Well i've summarised the statements below:

Statement 1 - Sales Manager - Heard snorting something, verbally aggressive + felt physically threatened. had extremely large pupils showed increased emotions.
If it was dark (as it would be in a pub) your pupils would have been bigger. From memory he called you a smack head which would mean that if you had used heroin your pupils would have been pinned (i.e. tiny). This wouldn't correlate with snorting however but there are significant discrepencies with the managers story.

Statement 2 -Colleague #1 - Matt seemed alright but annoyed at being accused. Didn't see shouting or finger pointing but just kept out of it.

Statement 3 - Colleague #2 - heard telling other manager to f*** off. Said I was well behaved. Said I didn't look like I was on drugs.

Statement 4 - manager I told to f*** off - Asked me to leave several times. Invading sales managers space. Said it looked aggressive and felt something was going to happen. I was making funny mannerisms with my tongue (!!!!!!)
without specific descriptors this could be anything. Many people on uppers (E's, cocaine, amphetamines) often chew their gums/inside of mouth etc which may present as what he has said BUT this is not the same as what the original manager said. Sounds like people who have no idea about substance misuse.

Statement 5 - Office apprentice - I offered her cocaine before the work do the week before this one. Said she was told I was joking but she is not so sure now. Talked about my infatuations with several girls in office.
again why would he call you a smack head if others have indicated that they think you are using coke?

Statement 6 - Colleague #3 - Said everyone was drunk. I was up in sales managers face. Really close. I was aggressive in my manner. Eyes did not look right then and at previous weeks xmas party, where she asked if i had taken anything. Been strange for a couple weeks making silly mistakes. said I would have made time to see doctor in past.
It would be worth you looking at the side effects of the anti-depressants you were on at the time - were you on them at the time?

Statement 7 - Colleague #4 - had a dig at performance at rare intervals over last 12 months. But unable to give specifics, but the gist was my work was below par.

As you can see everything has been thrown at this but the kitchen sink.

Like I said... think i'm screwed
don't panic, it sounds very random the stuff they are throwing at you. A very holey prosecution, you have the time to make your defence watertight. Good luck.

.

see observations above in red

msflowerfairy

Have you thought of involving ACAS or someone else on your behalf, i always thought that if your reputation was ruined by an indiviual vebally you could pursue them through the courts for slander?
I may be wrong.
I also thought that they have to have proof, they simply cannot dismiss you because of rumours, it just isn't worth it, you could drag their !!!!!! through court, i would suggest that you have CCTV proof, signed witness statements etc. (make it really hard for them)
O.K so you were up in his face, but i would be if i were accused of something that i had not done, i really don't blame you.
Anyway chick, Good Luck!

bristol_pilot

There's enough in these statements to sue the sales manager and the office apprentice. The onus of proof would be on the defendant to prove justification, you don't need proof or CCTV etc no evidence at all in fact. The statements have been made in writing, yes? Show them to a solicitor next week. First thing. Doubt if it would go to trial, it's an open and shut libel. A letter before action or an injunction might get the key statements retracted prior to the disciplinary.

I am beginning to understand why they are concentrating on the drugs rather than the behavioural aspects. If they dismiss for behaviour, it will come out that the two relatively senior people were drunk and have not been disciplined. There are several statements saying you were or may have been on drugs so they have decided to pursue that line. Only when you have submitted your grievance alleging defamation have they (perhaps, I'm speculating) consulted their legal department and (again, speculating) perhaps not been particularly happy with what they were advised. Hence 6 hours. Anyway, emphasis appears to be on the drugs thing - and they are on a loser. Keep at it.

Zazen999

The thing I find weird is, if someone had accused me of taking drugs I'd have laughed at them as I don't. It's a bit like 'why did he protest so much unless he had'....anyhoodles...

I'd also do some solid research on the discrepancies between coke, heroin, and the commonly used words flying about about you [smackhead] and the effects of such to show that they don't tie up with the rumours that are being put around. And to that, have written counter claims so that you have them for the meeting on Monday. I know you have a sick note, but it really would be best to get this done and dusted. Try and have an explanation or counter point for every point made by everyone. And have all the questions written down for the meeting, that you have thought of and have put here; and include the additional things such as the Chinese Wife comment [it's not a stand alone complaint, but part of the evening's issues that need clearing up].

And, even if you had been taking drugs, at a works party where the works bit had finished - as long as you weren't under the influence when you returned to work then what would the problem be. If there was a problem with drugs, why not instigate a drug testing programme [my OH can be tested at any time, even though he has never taken a drug in his life].....if it is that important then everyone would have been issued with a Drug Misuse Policy surely?

And ask why the manager, if he really suspected you of drug misuse, didn't liaise with the more senior manager and discuss what to do; or wait until the monday and have a meeting with you to go through the policy and why didn't they follow they policy themselves?