I've been in a new job for 8 months I a customer orientated role. Was very happy at work and got a promotion after 3 months.
One of the people I work with is very touchy feely with everyone. This is something I wasn't comfortable with and I asked him to not do this numerous times, which he did stop for a while, but every so often would slap my bum or try to cuddle me and I'd have to remind him not to. A few weeks After I got my promotion he touched me again but on my breasts. I told him sternly that I didn't like it and if he did it again I would go to the manager. He responded by saying 'some people like it' and since that day he has been really shitty to me and making snide comments and making it difficult for me.
While all this had been going on, he had been having an unrelated dispute with another colleague. She went to the managers and complained about him, and told them what he was doing to me. I was called up to hr and asked to make an informal or formal complaint of sexual harassment against him. I said I would go down the informal route, but when I spoke afterwards to this other colleague, she persuaded me to make a formal complaint and helped me draft a statement, which I handed in the next day.
This was a month ago. The incident where he grabbed my breast was directly in front of the CCTV camera so I was confident it would be dealt with quickly. I knew that they would be speaking to other staff members as they were aware of what had been going on. I have been working with this man every day and I don't know if he knows that I've put in a grievance.
For the last week, HR have been calling staff upstairs for a meeting. They have come down from their meeting and not spoken a word to me since. There's lots of whispering going on and one woman just outright blanked me when I spoke to her.
I texted one colleague who said they were told not to repeat anything said in the meetings, but, reading between the lines, to him it seems like they are making me out to be a troublemaker and a bitch. They asked if i had ever said anything negative about anyone, whether I was a main instigator of gossip and that in their opinion is the touching in a 'sexual' way or 'harmless fun'
I don't know what to do. I don't want to get this colleague into trouble but I don't like the way they did these interviews. It seems like '(Me) is a nasty bitch and (he) is a playful scamp'
Ive taken a few days emergency annual leave as I needed to sort out what I was thinking.
I am angry that it's taking so long. There is concrete evidence he has done this, as it's on CCTV, yet they expect me to still work with him. I can't help but feel that they are dragging this out til after xmas as it's out busiest time in business, our sales increase by 1000% in the 2 weeks prior. I'm also angry with the girl who reported this, who has incidently stopped talking to me (and removed me from all social media). She would gain tremendously by him losing his job as she would get his job with a huge pay rise. I feel like she has feigned concern for me and used what was happening to me to benefit her cause.
I went to my GP yesterday and she signed me off with a fit note, for work related stress for the rest of this year, reasoning that they are unlikely to get this sorted before xmas. She also suggested I report what happened to the police, as in her opinion it was sexual assault. I haven't spoken to work about it yet as I can't really afford to have the time off, will only get SSP, but for my health and peace of mind I am considering using it. It's a very hostile atmosphere at work and I feel like I'm walking into a party that I haven't Been invited to every time I go in.
Sorry for the long rant. I have no one to talk to in real life. I'm having palpatations and my hair is falling out as I'm so worried I'm going to lose my job.
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
AIBU?
To ask for advice on what I should do re work/harassment/stress.
18 replies
Clueing4looks · 05/12/2015 18:22
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.