Exonerated after investigation at work

inglorius

Am looking for some advice please, this week at work I was told that I would be subject to an internal investigation regards my conduct at work which may lead to disciplinary action. When I asked what the circumstances were I was told that one item was making amendments to data on a productivity tracker and the other was speaking aggressively to a member of my staff.

I questioned at the time whether either of the allegations were worthy of an investigation given that there was no gain or benefit for myself to alter effectively productivity data in a database which was not categorised as a conduct issue in the company handbook and that on questioning the allegations about myself behaving aggressively were not lodged by the individual but by a 3rd party. On this basis I said that I would be happy to explain both circumstances but this request was refused and I was told the matters would be dealt with on a formal basis.

After an formal investigation meeting today with my manager I was told that no further action would be taken against myself. Personally I am extremely angry that these matters were seen worthy of being progressed at a formal level at all when they should have been dealt with informally in the first instance and feel aggrieved by the unnecessary stress of the situation. I am not sure what recourse I am able to take over this incident and was looking for any advice please

marcarm

So they have investigated, found nothing untoward and are not pursuing it any further. You feel they should have been dealt with informally but the company did not.

What recourse and outcome would you like?

How long have you worked there?

jjgold

get the compensation you deserve

inglorius

marcarm wrote: »

So they have investigated, found nothing untoward and are not pursuing it any further. You feel they should have been dealt with informally but the company did not.

What recourse and outcome would you like?

How long have you worked there?

I feel that the matter was dealt with in a totally disproportionate manner given that I was willing to offer a candid version of my events. I also have the feeling that this scenario occurred to act as some kind of punishment or warning or there was another agenda being acted out. I feel now I have been branded as some kind of criminal and that my honesty and integrity have been brought into question and as a consequence my relationship with my line manager has virtually been destroyed. How thsee matters can be remedied I honestly don't know hence the post. Have been here for less than a year to answer your final question.

marcarm

inglorius wrote: »

I feel that the matter was dealt with in a totally disproportionate manner given that I was willing to offer a candid version of my events. I also have the feeling that this scenario occurred to act as some kind of punishment or warning or there was another agenda being acted out. I feel now I have been branded as some kind of criminal and that my honesty and integrity have been brought into question and as a consequence my relationship with my line manager has virtually been destroyed. How thsee matters can be remedied I honestly don't know hence the post. Have been here for less than a year to answer your final question.

In that case, I would take the findings of the formal investigation on the chin and not let it consume any more of my life, as if you push it any further you might find yourself with your card marked and out of the door for any or no reason.

You say that you have been branded as a criminal, but all they have done is an investigation where they have accepted your version of events and have decided to not take it any further as there is no case to answer.

It appears that the company have followed their own procedures which should be seen as a good thing, and have not treated you differently to any other employee subject to an investigation. If the company do formal investigations as a matter of course then they would not be able to treat you more favourably than anyone by giving you an informal meeting.

They have found nothing wrong with your work, don't make them decide to look harder to find something by not letting it drop.

TELLIT01

inglorius wrote: »

I feel that the matter was dealt with in a totally disproportionate manner given that I was willing to offer a candid version of my events.

Are you seriously suggesting that your employer should simply accept your version of events without any additional investigation? If the situation was reversed, and you had made the complaints, would you be happy if you were told that the other party had been spoken with and their version of events accepted as fact?
All companies should have procedures in place to handle disciplinary issues and it would seem that your company both has them and works to them. They have done nothing wrong.

kiddy_guy

If you want to pick a battle then raise a grievance.

Just make sure you're prepared to lose the war though.

elsien

inglorius wrote: »

I also have the feeling that this scenario occurred to act as some kind of punishment or warning or there was another agenda being acted out. I feel now I have been branded as some kind of criminal and that my honesty and integrity have been brought into question and as a consequence my relationship with my line manager has virtually been destroyed.

This seems a somewhat disproportionate reaction if the investigation has found there is no case to answer. An investigation is just that - a fact finding mission. Which in this instance found that there was no action to be taken against you. Yes it's worrying when someone says something incorrect about you. But I'd rather have a system that follows its own guidelines correctly than the alternative.

Takeaway_Addict

inglorius wrote: »

Am looking for some advice please, this week at work I was told that I would be subject to an internal investigation regards my conduct at work which may lead to disciplinary action. When I asked what the circumstances were I was told that one item was making amendments to data on a productivity tracker and the other was speaking aggressively to a member of my staff.

I questioned at the time whether either of the allegations were worthy of an investigation given that there was no gain or benefit for myself to alter effectively productivity data in a database which was not categorised as a conduct issue in the company handbook and that on questioning the allegations about myself behaving aggressively were not lodged by the individual but by a 3rd party. On this basis I said that I would be happy to explain both circumstances but this request was refused and I was told the matters would be dealt with on a formal basis.

After an formal investigation meeting today with my manager I was told that no further action would be taken against myself. Personally I am extremely angry that these matters were seen worthy of being progressed at a formal level at all when they should have been dealt with informally in the first instance and feel aggrieved by the unnecessary stress of the situation. I am not sure what recourse I am able to take over this incident and was looking for any advice please

Any allegation of aggressive behaviour between one member of staff to another should almost always be dealt with via an investigation, especially if someone has complained.

Your complaint is nothing...move on!

xapprenticex

Sounds like you work for a decent company, if your line manager doesnt like you then there really wasn't anything there in the first place, just move on.

Undervalued

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Any allegation of aggressive behaviour between one member of staff to another should almost always be dealt with via an investigation, especially if someone has complained.

Your complaint is nothing...move on!

Exactly.

In a way the OP's situation is a trivial version of somebody who is arrested by the police for something they did not do. To arrest somebody a police officer only needs a "reasonable suspicion" which is a lot less than "proof". Even if they are released without charge the arrested person has no comeback or right to compensation unless they can show that the officer could not have had a "reasonable suspicion".

Likewise with an employer. If a serious complaint is made they are duty bound to investigate. Suspension is a neutral act and the person is invariably paid so that they do not lose out.

A grievance would only be appropriate if there was reason to believe the person investigating was behaving maliciously. Even then it may not be wise!