Bullying/ gross misconduct

Morgadams

This sounds horribly frustrating. Obviously you realised some time ago that what you did was wrong. Unfortunately you did not 'fess-up' at the time - if you had done then you wouldn't be in this situation now. It sounds a bit tit for tat to me. I don't agree that saying 'too light for you you Negro' is acceptable (unless it was done in jest between too friends - but it doesn't sound as if it was). No more than I would like it if someone who I didn't get on with said to me 'it'll probably be too dark for you you honky'. It's not acceptable - but she probably didn't think much of it and felt you were out of order for reporting her. But it seems you reported her so she reported you. I hope you get it sorted. Deal with your misconduct thing first and then if you really feel it's worth it tackle the other woman. But you might feel that it's not worth it by then. Good luck.

Caroline_a

The problem with these sort of things is that people tend to combine them as one set of issues, when in fact we have 2 issues here. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the name-calling, your disciplinary has nothing to do with the other person, and I would think that if you brought it up during the disciplinary then it would be dismissed as irrelevant (which for that issue it appears to be).

As some others have said, sort your own disciplinary first, and then address the other later if you wish, otherwise you appear to be trying to create a smokescreen to cover up the other wrongdoing.

Sorry if it isnt what you want to hear, I hate racism in any form, but in this case it seems to be a totally separate issue.

sho_me_da_money

If you get dismissed take your story to the local paper/community.

Skint_Lynne

Bullying of any form/type is horrible, especially if there are racist undertones........... just be careful here though. Unfortunately, if you do raise this at your hearing, it will look as if you are playing the race card as they are 2 seperate issues.

If it is indeed the case that this woman has reported you as a tit for tat, she is a dodgy individual who will get found out if the end, but this will not help you out with your immediate issue.

If I were you, I would be honest and admit what you have done. If it was a genuine mistake, you should be okay due to your honesty in admitting your error and if you have never done anything else out of line, you may be okay.

As for the bully, can you not stand up to her? I usually find if you 'bite back', she will realise that you are not a soft touch and leave you alone. I have a friend that gets bullied in every place she works in, simply because she cannot stand up for herself. Someone tried to bully me in a workplace, she did not succeed as I stood up to her. Job done.;)


Good luck with everything OP.

Ihatecameron

if you do raise this at your hearing, it will look as if you are playing the race card as they are 2 seperate issues.

Exactly, and the race issue will have to be dropped if the OP uses it as a defence at a disciplinary that has nothing to do with her complaint, because it will be seen as bitterness and can only be vengeful.

nadine_05

I know that they are two different issues but I didn't see that I was doing anything wrong until it got reported and obviously now I see I have and I have admitted it and been honest with my company. Fingers crossed I don't lose my job but I will be taking things further against the bully. When I did stand up to her she shouted in my face if i've got a problem with her why don't I make a complaint, which I did and now she has reported me.
It just seems like if you just ignore it she continues to be nasty then if you do stand up for yourself she makes things even worse. Trying to get out but there really aren't many suitable jobs about at the moment. I'm Hoping something positive will come out of this somewhere!

Leela

Language that singles out someone because of their race is wrong and is racial harassment, and you should stand up to it. But, as others have said, try not to muddle up both issues.

The cynical part of me wonders if they are trying to get rid of you rather than face a (potentially expensive) racial discrimination case.

nadine_05

Leela wrote: »

Language that singles out someone because of their race is wrong and is racial harassment, and you should stand up to it. But, as others have said, try not to muddle up both issues.

The cynical part of me wonders if they are trying to get rid of you rather than face a (potentially expensive) racial discrimination case.

My brother in law did say that about trying to get rid of me because of that reason but then i'm not sure as they are different companies unless her company has told her she will be in a lot of trouble so needs to find something that I have done wrong and get rid of me first which is exactly why I wont back down against the bullying.

CFC

a) You admit you have done something wrong, which is being dealt with by disciplinary.
b) She may have done something wrong, which is being investigated and may be dealt with by disciplinary once investigated.

Two totally separate issues.

Stop thinking that you are being taken to disciplinary to get rid of you because 'you is black' and it's cheaper to do that. That's just dim. You are going to disciplinary because you have broken company policy.

Don't be confused by the fact that the other woman is still being investigated. Grievances tend to take much longer than straightforward disciplinaries as they are much more complex and require more investigations beforehand, eg lots of interviews. Even if you were dismissed the grievance will still be heard.