Suspended During Grievance

bubblegum1985

RE the above post.

To me, you running around the factory is you job as you are admin, the CD isnt paid a wage to do that, you are.

As someone who isnt in management whatever they say/do/move to, you do without giving an opinion. There may be reasons you arent aware with so you smile and do it.

The fact you dont have broadband is something you should report to your line manager and the effect then do everything you can to do the best you can, but making it clear to your line manager your limitations. Re-setting the phones are annoying but thats what you have to do to get your work done. Its far from ideal but thats your situation. I can see how the things you have mentioned are a hinderance BUT you are paid to do a job so you turn up and get on with it, if things take far longer then so be it but you need to make it CLEAR in a POLITE way that because of X, Y couldnt happen. Sending a email to the CD at lunch to say, you are working on A but its taking longer so B will be done as soon as possible and hopefully by C. If she has a problem and needs it done sooner you ask her whats more important A or B? All done nicely and with an explanation as to why they cant both be on time. You are only one person with a set amount of time but you need to conduct yourself professionally.

I wouldnt mention all that because it could sound petty and as if you are bringing up every single thing thats annoying, also people dont like it when you point out their mistakes and highlight them constantly (and i mean the fact the CD didnt know you wouldnt have broadband).

In the mean time good luck for today, and stay calm!

zzzLazyDaisy

Okay, these are things that you should raise in your grievance meeting as they are directly relevant to what happened. You don't need to go into the scenario in depth because the FM will have been aware to some extent about the move and its effects, but perhaps not how it affected you and your ability to do your job.

So you might say something like -

"I would like to say something about the events in the past few weeks as I do feel they are very relevant to what happened.

As you know, we are now on two floors. This meant that in addition to my normal work, and the added pressure of bringing the orders forward to allow for xmas deadlines, I was having to constantly run up and down stairs to deal with deliveries/despatch/messages etc. This meant that my available time was reduced when the workload was increased a lot by the seasonal demands and the move.

I did raise these problems with CD before and after the move as I was really struggling to cope, but I didn't get any support at all.

Also when we first arrived we had no broadband. That made it much more difficult to do my job, and even when we got internet via the telephone line, it constantly knocked off the phones. Added to this, because of the poor internet connection, you and CD were giving me extra work to do on top of my normal tasks. I really found it difficult to cope and I was not given any support during this time.

It was an exceptional and unusual set of circumstances, which put me under a lot of pressure. The result was that I was very stressed and I snapped. I am not proud of that, and if I could go back and do it differently, I would. But I do genuinely feel that the managers who I answer to could have acknowledged the difficult conditions that we were all working under and made some allowances for the fact that, no matter how hard I work, there is only so much work I can get through in a normal working day."


Does that help?

Dx

bubblegum1985

Kelly, keep your fingers crossed you get this other job and KEEP LOOKING.

You cant continue like this and I know its easier to say but let everything wash over you, do everything you need to keep the job at the moment. While in the job keep your head down and get on with your work.

zzzLazyDaisy

Kelly, one other thing. You have put a lot of information on this thread which makes your employer easily identifiable. To an extent that is unavoidable when you are asking for advice. But to a large extent you have had the information and advice you were looking for, so I do suggest that you go back through your posts and edit them to remove identifying facts. Once you have done this, and I know you have had chance to copy anything you wish to keep, I will do the same, as I am sure other posters will do, if that is appropriate to their posts.

Dx

kelly_borntoshop

ok. should i just delete the thread and start afresh when i get back?

zzzLazyDaisy

I don't think it is possible to delete a thread. So it is probable best to edit your posts. Also some of the advice is useful for other people with similar problems.

BUT you need to focus on preparing for the meeting, so I suggest that you look at this when you get back.

kelly_borntoshop

ok. i let him run with it, took some notes, i kept my mouth shut and stuck to the script. he did bring up the disciplinary bits but i said i wasnt comfortable talking about them at this time.

he had a little off the record bit at the end, he has spoken to MD and he saids things will be fine but things would be difficult for CD. and offered me a months wages and £1000 tax free on top, plus £250 toward legal costs as a compromise agreement. he said they would win on grounds of gross misconduct.

i said i would want a reference to be part of the agreement he said yes that was fine. i said i wasnt apposed to the idea but would like some time to consider it.

what do you guys think??

Uncertain

kelly_borntoshop wrote: »

ok. i let him run with it, took some notes, i kept my mouth shut and stuck to the script. he did bring up the disciplinary bits but i said i wasnt comfortable talking about them at this time.

he had a little off the record bit at the end, he has spoken to MD and he saids things will be fine but things would be difficult for CD. and offered me a months wages and £1000 tax free on top, plus £250 toward legal costs as a compromise agreement. he said they would win on grounds of gross misconduct.

i said i would want a reference to be part of the agreement he said yes that was fine. i said i wasnt apposed to the idea but would like some time to consider it.

what do you guys think??

The right reference is worth far more than a few £K compensation.

Based on everything in this thread and assuming you can agree a suitable reference I'd take it.

You have to be legally advised but be aware the £250 will only pay for the bare minimum the law requires. If you want the solicitor to negotiate for you it will cost extra. £500 + vat is a more realistic minimum these days.

He may well be right that they would win if you were dismissed then claimed unfair dismissal. However he clearly realises that it would cost them a significant amount to defend the case which they wouldn't get back. Far more that £1250 plus a month's wages.....

Slinky

Sticking my nose in, just make sure that 'a reference' is an agreed form of words that you agree to, and that you have it in writing from them that these are the only words that will be issued for a reference.

I recall a previous poster who had agreed that his employer would give him a reference, but wasn't explicit about what that reference would be and it caused him no end of aggro.

Good luck whichever route you go down.

Uncertain

Slinky wrote: »

Sticking my nose in, just make sure that 'a reference' is an agreed form of words that you agree to, and that you have it in writing from them that these are the only words that will be issued for a reference.

I agree.

However there isn't a perfect answer here as an agreed form of words coming back and then a refusal to say anything more says quite a lot in itself!

The ideal is a agreed form of words plus an agreement that they will provide nothing else without your prior approval. However, I wonder if you are in a strong enough negotiating position to get that sort of agreement.

Remember also that it is very difficult to police what may be said "off the record" particularly in some fields of work.