Grievance/Sexual Harassment

Ellestories

I put in a greivance against my manager for sexual harassment. These are things that he has done, that has made me feel really uncomfortable to then put a greivance against him. He kept on asking me out on dates to touching me to then stare at my breasts. The greivance was upheld but I’m still waiting for an outcome, unfortunately I have had to deal with him being unbearable, making me feel uncomfortable. Last night I was at my staff party where he ignored me which was ok as I was doing the same. I wanted to enjoy my night without him making me feel uncomfortable but then he would constantly stare at me across the table, he then started to take photos, he took a photo of me while I wasn’t looking and forced me to smile. Later on he was hugging someone and looked at me while he was hugging the person. He has made me so uncomfortable, the staff party which was just the other day wasn’t the only time he has made me feel so uncomfortable. He’s made me do overtime, made me do impossible tasks at work. Some people have noticed his behaviour towards me. Unfortunately I’ve had to lie, saying that he’s obviously stressed as I can’t talk about the sexual harassment due to confidentiality. I don’t think I can make myself work with him anymore, when he’s the one that needs to change. I don’t know what to do anymore.

z1a

How did he force you to smile?

And how did you know he was taking a picture of you if you weren't looking?

gomer

Oh dear. I can see where this is headed. I'm off for supper.

jonnygee2

What an absolute jackass.

I'm surprised he was not suspended, especially when the grievance was upheld, and they have made apparently no attempt to stop this repeating. This means that although your company have upheld your complaint but not really treated it (or their legal responsibilities) very seriously.

At this stage you should probably make your case a bit stronger. You clearly cannot be expected to keep going with this as the situation is not sustainable for you.

Be aware, though, that the end result here may be you losing your job, either by resignation or even dismissal. Although sexual harassment is illegal and the employer has a legal responsibility to prevent it, actually getting enforcement of this is difficult (as you'll probably be aware from the focused media attention on improving this).

I'd say keep log of everything that happens, with evidence where possible, and make the ongoing problems clear to HR in writing. Make it crystal clear that you are continuing to be harassed.

But probably, as they didn't treat it too seriously the first time thats what they will keep doing. You'll then be in a position where you basically have to resign.

If at that stage you have time, willpower and the money to fund a lawyer, then I would strongly encourage you to do so and seek legal advice. Someone has to tackle these people. But the majority of people don't have these things which is why this keeps happening.

Comms69

If it was upheld surely they’ve seperated you at work?

Outside of work I don’t think your employer can do much. Police perhaps?

jonnygee2

Outside of work I don’t think your employer can do much. Police perhaps?

That's incorrect. Both office parties and even unorganised post work drinks can be considered to be 'in the course of employment' and therefore be the responsibility of the employer.

https://www.xperthr.co.uk/law-reports/sex-discrimination-employer-vicariously-liable-for-sexual-harassment-at-work-related-social-events/7374/?cmpid=ILC|PROF|HRPIO-2013-110-XHR_free_content_links|ptod_article&sfid=701w0000000uNMa

Comms69

jonnygee2 wrote: »

That's incorrect. Both office parties and even unorganised post work drinks can be considered to be 'in the course of employment' and therefore be the responsibility of the employer.

https://www.xperthr.co.uk/law-reports/sex-discrimination-employer-vicariously-liable-for-sexual-harassment-at-work-related-social-events/7374/?cmpid=ILC|PROF|HRPIO-2013-110-XHR_free_content_links|ptod_article&sfid=701w0000000uNMa

That's fair enough; but the behaviour at the social wasn't what I would consider harassment - at least not without the context of what happened at work.


The op should concentrate on that, which is quite serious I must admit.

theoretica

Ellestories wrote: »

ISome people have noticed his behaviour towards me. Unfortunately I’ve had to lie, saying that he’s obviously stressed as I can’t talk about the sexual harassment due to confidentiality.

What have the company and HR promised in exchange for confidentiality? I would react very badly to being expected to lie. 'I'm sorry, I have been asked by HR not to answer that question at present' nicely gets across that something is going on. But if you think this might impact negatively on your treatment and grievance you could ask HR how you are supposed to answer such questions.

Samsung_Note2

Ellestories wrote: »

I put in a greivance against my manager for sexual harassment. These are things that he has done, that has made me feel really uncomfortable to then put a greivance against him. He kept on asking me out on dates to touching me to then stare at my breasts. The greivance was upheld but I’m still waiting for an outcome, unfortunately I have had to deal with him being unbearable, making me feel uncomfortable. Last night I was at my staff party where he ignored me which was ok as I was doing the same. I wanted to enjoy my night without him making me feel uncomfortable but then he would constantly stare at me across the table, he then started to take photos, he took a photo of me while I wasn’t looking and forced me to smile. Later on he was hugging someone and looked at me while he was hugging the person. He has made me so uncomfortable, the staff party which was just the other day wasn’t the only time he has made me feel so uncomfortable. He’s made me do overtime, made me do impossible tasks at work. Some people have noticed his behaviour towards me. Unfortunately I’ve had to lie, saying that he’s obviously stressed as I can’t talk about the sexual harassment due to confidentiality. I don’t think I can make myself work with him anymore, when he’s the one that needs to change. I don’t know what to do anymore.

Hmmm you were both ignoring each other yet you was looking at him looking at you whilst sat across from each other at the table and he later took photos of you whilst you wasn't looking at him but somehow he made you smile...christ im confused.

You mention he made you do over time..impossible tasks...and you cant talk about sexual harassment due to confidentiality.

Blimey that sounds like a very strange workplace with equally strange sounding employees.

Do you work for the BBC by any chance....:eek:

Ellestories

I would like to say regarding him staring, I wasn’t staring at him. I just noticed a few times him staring at me and my friend who I was with noticed him staring at me. I just told them ignore him and we should enjoy our evening and not let him ruin it for us. My friend who was sitting next to me was also in the photo as well with me, he came over with his camera and told us to smile. When the photo was taken he wondered away taking more photos of everyone, my friend asked me if I was ok of which I replied no.
Regarding the confidentially agreement, I was told in my letter that everything is to be confidential. The company I work with doesn’t want everyone to know I put in a sexual harassment claim against him. It is quite stressful at work at the moment regardless and all the managers including staff are, that’s why it’s easy to say his stressed.

Samsung_Note2

Ellestories wrote: »

I would like to say regarding him staring, I wasn’t staring at him. I just noticed a few times him staring at me and my friend who I was with noticed him staring at me. I just told them ignore him and we should enjoy our evening and not let him ruin it for us. My friend who was sitting next to me was also in the photo as well with me, he came over with his camera and told us to smile. When the photo was taken he wondered away taking more photos of everyone, my friend asked me if I was ok of which I replied no.
Regarding the confidentially agreement, I was told in my letter that everything is to be confidential. The company I work with doesn’t want everyone to know I put in a sexual harassment claim against him. It is quite stressful at work at the moment regardless and all the managers including staff are, that’s why it’s easy to say his stressed.

Sorry but on the face of it id say your over reacting...as you say he was taking photos of everyone,maybe the photos are for work,maybe he was asked to take them.

You could quiet easily have said "Thank you but please do not take my photo" and ended that straight away.

Regards staring..maybe your friend/person next to you was/is more attractive and he stole a few glances of a pretty/handsome person.

As one of my brothers friends said when i was moaning about work..."when you've had your legs and testicle blown off in a war zone then you really have something to !!!!! about"....blunt but kinda makes you realize how small our drama"s are in the grand scheme of things.