Bullying/ gross misconduct

nadine_05

Hi

I work for a skin care brand and have been being racially and generally bullied by a member of staff from another brand. I have made a formal complaint about this person but over a month down the line i'm told that it is being dealt with but not yet concluded.
Back in September I sold a product I was given from my company to a 3rd party. I did not think that it would get me into trouble but it is against company rules. I was naive at the time and I know i'm in the wrong. Since making a complaint about the woman bullying me she has reported me for selling this product and I have now been suspended and have a disciplinary next week, yet since my complaint I have been left to work with a racist.
Has anyone got any advice for me for my disciplinary and how to go further with my complaint?

Gordon_Hose

nadine_05 wrote: »

I did not think that it would get me into trouble but it is against company rules.

This is going to go against you for a start! :eek:

Best think to do is to be remorseful about what you did and hope your employer is feeling generous.

nadine_05

it was a naive thing to do I know that but at the time didn't think of it as breaking the rules. I do not sell products on ebay or advertise anything for sale it was done as a favour.

Any advice on taking my complaint against the bully further?

Gordon_Hose

Your complaint against the bully is a seperate issue to the one you're facing.

Ihatecameron

I suggest you drop the race angle because it is so cliched ridden and sounds like spite on your part. Concentrate on a defence to your disciplinary that does not involve race.

nadine_05

she called me a nigro and shouted at me at work yet hasn't been punished for it. I will be taking it further. She has reported me for this out of spite. It happened back in September yet she's only just reported me for it now, funny how it ties in with my complaint about her.

Gordon_Hose

The problem you face is that unless you have an independant witness who saw and heard her say that, then it's going to be difficult to prove.

Your word against theirs, and all that. And now she's brought a complaint against you it starting to look a bit "tit-for-tat".

Ihatecameron

The correct spelling of the word is negro which means black or dark skinned. Hardly a racist insult IMO, nor is shouting. Now if she said the real N word, you know the one I mean, now that would be racist.

nadine_05

ok so when a person says ' i've got some new foundations if you want try one oh actually they'll probably all be too light for you you negro' thats not being racist? and when i say 'would you mind helping me cash up in a minute?' and she shouts in my face thats not bullying along with everything else that has happened.
I now see why bullying happens so much because when you stand up for yourself it gets worse and there is a severe lack of support. I have witnesses for her shouting at me and for several other things that have happened. The department store I work in has a very high reputation for looking after staff but as I am technically not employed by them they don't seem to be too bothered about it

Widelats

If they dismiss you for breaking company rules, the only way you will be able to continue your race complaint is with courts and solicitor/CAB but you will need witnesses or its likely the case will just fail.

Maybe look for another job? Doesn't sound like a nice place to me anyway.

Gordon_Hose

If you have witnesses then you need to let your complaint against the bully take it's course.

The bully's complaint about you selling goods to a 3rd party is a seperate matter. But then if you hadn't done what you did you wouldn't be in the situation you are now. So you need to go into your disciplinary cap in hand and show genuine remorse. That's all you can do, as you know full well you did wrong.

If the racial abuse really is that bad, then why not just go to the Police?