Can we stop employees from having direct contact?

getmore4less

Your problem is her grievance is against YOU and the company for failing to follow any process.

Its not about any of the facts around the grievance brought by the male employee.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

nicechap wrote: »

Once again you miss the point. (Probably deliberately so I'm out after this post - there's no point helping someone that doesn't want to be helped),

Why would she complain about not having a FAIR hearing when she NEVER HAD a hearing.

"Without a fair hearing" means "without any sort of hearing" in the vast majority of cases it gets used in, actually.

undercoverirish

Right. I’ll speak to the HR company today again, I have plenty of time to check again with them. I’m pretty sure my bro can free himself up to do it.

I wish this was a joke. It might seem funny to you lot that I don’t know this stuff but I’ve never had to deal with it before. I’m doing my best here, getting advice and also speak to hr people.

If I did do the grievance today instead of my brother, why would that make things worse? I know someone is going to give me a kicking for saying that but I am being genuine and I would like to understand it properly.

elsien

undercoverirish wrote: »

If I did do the grievance today instead of my brother, why would that make things worse? I know someone is going to give me a kicking for saying that but I am being genuine and I would like to understand it properly.

Put yourself in the position of your employee. The person investigating the grievance is the person who bolloxed it up in the first place. You then have to sit face to face with them (your boss, the one who pays your wages, holds the power and can sack you at any point) explaining to them that they've been an @rse.
Still seem fair and transparent to you?

undercoverirish

I guess I maybe wouldn’t but she maybe doesn’t feel like that as she hasn’t asked to meet with anyone else?

The HR company are going to come and do it today with my brother. They’ve said they will conduct any subsequent enquiries if we need to conduct a disciplinary investigation

GlasweJen

Have you told HR the whole story?

I would be prepared for any eventuality up to and including your male employee being stupid enough to text your female employee something along the lines of "I've been working there longer, my wife wants you gone and I can get the boss to arrange it so walk or I'll make sure you'll be pushed".

I really don't envy you in your position. You really should have investigated before you sent her any sort of warning and it was stupid to say she couldn't communicate with anyone unless spoken to, how was that going to work in the real world? If she had a query was she supposed to set fire to her desk and hope someone gave her permission to speak?

undercoverirish

Yes I’ve told them the whole story, I think I had to otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to help me

elsien

undercoverirish wrote: »

I guess I maybe wouldn’t but she maybe doesn’t feel like that as she hasn’t asked to meet with anyone else?

Power imbalance again. Does she know she can? Would she feel able to speak up and say that? Would she feel that doing so would jeopardise things even further for her? It takes a very confident and assertive person to be able to do that, not a comparative newcomer already potentially disadvantaged by being the only woman in an very male-oriented environment.

undercoverirish

I don’t know if she knew that, I assume people will just speak up. I’m not some kind of an ogre.

If this does end up with her looking to go legal, will all of that sort of stuff be looked at by the court?

I’ll let the HR company deal with it. I’ve already informed the woman so she’s aware and I’ve explained why. I’ve said that I want to make sure this is impartial. She hasn’t responded yet but hopefully she’ll be fine

elsien

undercoverirish wrote: »

I don!!!8217;t know if she knew that, I assume people will just speak up. I!!!8217;m not some kind of an ogre.

You don't have to be an ogre. You could be a very nice person indeed. But you are the boss and I'm guessing have been your own boss for some time. You've forgotten what it's like to be a newish employee and to be answerable to other people. Don't assume that in that situation people will speak up - they often don't, for any number of reasons - they don't know their rights, they're not sure they'll be taken seriously, they lack confidence, no-one else has a problem so they think it must be them, they don't want to be seen as difficult, they don't want to lose their job. The list is endless.
Bottom line - don't assume. That's why you have written policies. So everyone knows where they stand and what to do in any given situation.