Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Verbal warning?

90 replies

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 15:55

I work for a childcare agency and cover at a wide range of different nurseries across the county. I had an awful bullying experience at this particular nursery recently (all the others have been lovely!), and decided to post about it ANONYMOUSLY on an Early Years Practitioners Facebook support group. I didn’t identify myself, the nursery, or anything else. I simply just said what happened.

It turns out that the manager of this nursery is a member of the group. She decided to call the agency and report my post. The agency have given me a verbal warning, as well as said I will no longer be placed at nurseries belonging to this chain - this is despite me having a really good experience at a different nursery belonging to this chain after this incident!!

Considering the post was anonymous and it might not have been me who made it (I told others about my bad day), do you think it’s a bit much from the agency?

They don’t seem to care about the bullying and have just said they can’t afford to lose work with this chain.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
TwattyMcFuckFace · 13/11/2024 18:41

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:30

Thank you. I did follow policy and report the awful shift by speaking to my manager on the phone about it

You're claiming you were bullied in the workplace.

You reported to your manager and then blabbed it over social media, instead of waiting/following it up/fining out what they're doing about it etc.

So no, you did not follow policy.

HollyKnight · 13/11/2024 18:34

coffeesaveslives · 13/11/2024 18:25

Exactly. I remember being taught never to put anything on the internet that you wouldn't be happy having published on the front page of a newspaper.

Same. I'm pretty sure it is part of mandatory data protection training that most organisations give now.

Anything you put on the internet stays on the internet. There are always people in the public eye getting "cancelled" for old Tweets they made 20 years ago that weren't controversial at the time. People getting fired for posting inappropriate photos on FB. People not getting jobs because the company they've applied to has done a background search and seen racist/homophobic/sexist posts shared on SM. Yet people still continue to treat SM like a private diary.

coffeesaveslives · 13/11/2024 18:25

HollyKnight · 13/11/2024 18:15

This is a problem on MN too. People thinking the internet is a safe space to say what they want because they're being anonymous. It's not. Nothing you put on the internet is anonymous. If you're lucky it will just stay where you put it, or it could end up in the Daily Mail, or it could be seen by someone who recognises the story and gets you into trouble.

You are literally doing it again. Posting about work-related issues on an internet forum. All it will take is someone to recognise your story and report you to the agency.

Exactly. I remember being taught never to put anything on the internet that you wouldn't be happy having published on the front page of a newspaper.

TwattyMcFuckFace · 13/11/2024 18:15

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 16:23

I don’t want to return to the nursery I complained about, just to others belonging to the same chain. Like I said, I had a very good experience at a different nursery belonging to the same chain

You took a silly risk then that's backfired.

Even with your fake FB account, it was still obvious it was you and you knew when you typed it you might get found out.

I'm not sure why you'd do that really, unless you think sharing your experience was more important than getting yourself work?

HollyKnight · 13/11/2024 18:15

This is a problem on MN too. People thinking the internet is a safe space to say what they want because they're being anonymous. It's not. Nothing you put on the internet is anonymous. If you're lucky it will just stay where you put it, or it could end up in the Daily Mail, or it could be seen by someone who recognises the story and gets you into trouble.

You are literally doing it again. Posting about work-related issues on an internet forum. All it will take is someone to recognise your story and report you to the agency.

StickyWikkit · 13/11/2024 18:15

lasagnelle · 13/11/2024 17:51

Oh and that bored panda website

and Reddit

BeMintBee · 13/11/2024 17:58

Be careful also as it can get around agencies and employers about who is prone to venting on social media. Not just as an employee either.

I know of quite a few service users and customers who are “black listed” by professionals as it’s common knowledge that they are very vocal and critical on social media. Suddenly they are all wondering why no one has any availability!

lasagnelle · 13/11/2024 17:51

Nanny0gg · 13/11/2024 17:20

I really think you need to stop venting

Word gets round very easily and you're not helping yourself

Make an official complaint if necessary and leave it at that.

So far, you've told friends, family, your agency, Mumsnet and another forum.

There's just Twitter and BBC news to go...

Oh and that bored panda website

BeMintBee · 13/11/2024 17:49

Social media is not the place to vent about your employers. The agency wants to retain their client. The client has more value than you. Fair? Probably not but it’s the reality of the situation.

Follow formal procedures for complaints. Need to vent? Phone a friend!

Hopelessinhomecounties · 13/11/2024 17:49

If you were employed that would be different to agency. But as agency is based on mutual choice/availability and sounds then it unlikely they need to change their minds.

i assume hr are saying the company has deemed you’ve breached social media policy?

gummania · 13/11/2024 17:45

StickyWikkit · 13/11/2024 17:36

So you still advertised a bad experience at work, and damaged the reputation.

and then started an outing thread on mumsnet

KnickerlessParsons · 13/11/2024 17:39

Anonymously or not, it was a silly thing to do. Learn from it and don't do that again.

tachetastic · 13/11/2024 17:37

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 16:00

I have tried

Cosycover · Today 15:59
Can you not say it wasn't you?

OP
I have tried

But it was you. It is one thing to post a story anonymously, which is something people can respect you for if you feel strongly that you need to post about what happened. However, lying about it when you are caught is a bit different.

You posted about a client (anonymously, but apparently not sufficiently so that it wasn't spotted) and got caught. We can be sympathetic about the events leading up to this, but if I posted something about a client, even anonymously, and got caught I would count myself lucky for only getting a verbal warning. You could have been out on your ear.

StickyWikkit · 13/11/2024 17:36

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:02

Although I told friends and family of mine what had happened. They could have posted for all they know!!

So you still advertised a bad experience at work, and damaged the reputation.

category12 · 13/11/2024 17:34

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:30

Thank you. I did follow policy and report the awful shift by speaking to my manager on the phone about it

Yeah, so by trying to deny it's you on social media, you're going to completely lose the trust of your manager. And that's really shooting yourself in the foot.

Just be honest and learn from it. You fucked up by posting on social media about it.

Use the proper channels and join a union if you're being bullied.

MissMoneyFairy · 13/11/2024 17:31

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:02

Although I told friends and family of mine what had happened. They could have posted for all they know!!

If they are on my they will know it was you

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:30

GameOfJones · 13/11/2024 17:28

Yes, the bullying should be investigated. OP should have aired it through the proper channels rather than taking to social media. Clearly her post gave enough detail that they were able to work out exactly who she was so it's totally fair enough that the agency would want to protect the relationship with their client.

If I was the HR Manager of the agency I'd give her a verbal warning too about not posting on social media and instead following policy. It protects everyone, including OP from allegations of bringing the company into disrepute.

At the moment, OP has claimed bullying and I'm sure that happened. But OP also now has form fo lying to her employer as she denied that she wrote the post when it clearly was her, so I can see they have been put in an awkward position.

OP, I would apologise, take the verbal warning and learn from this to air grievances through the proper channels. It'll all be forgotten about soon.

Thank you. I did follow policy and report the awful shift by speaking to my manager on the phone about it

OP posts:
NonPlayerCharacter · 13/11/2024 17:30

It obviously was identifiable, since the manager recognised it. It might not have meant anything to most people but if it's recognisable to the ones that matter then it's identifiable and they'll react accordingly.

I believe you that you've had a shit time of it but this was an unwise course of action to take as a result. I think pretty much all contracts these days have something in them about not bringing the organisation into disrepute, including social media posts.

You weren't happy anyway so I'd just chalk this one up to experience and join a union for next time, if that helps as agency staff.

Sawlt · 13/11/2024 17:29

The business is children!

GameOfJones · 13/11/2024 17:28

potatocakesinprogress · 13/11/2024 17:08

And this is why HR is bullshit, because what should happen is an open investigation for bullying and the OP asked for her perspective.

Yes, the bullying should be investigated. OP should have aired it through the proper channels rather than taking to social media. Clearly her post gave enough detail that they were able to work out exactly who she was so it's totally fair enough that the agency would want to protect the relationship with their client.

If I was the HR Manager of the agency I'd give her a verbal warning too about not posting on social media and instead following policy. It protects everyone, including OP from allegations of bringing the company into disrepute.

At the moment, OP has claimed bullying and I'm sure that happened. But OP also now has form fo lying to her employer as she denied that she wrote the post when it clearly was her, so I can see they have been put in an awkward position.

OP, I would apologise, take the verbal warning and learn from this to air grievances through the proper channels. It'll all be forgotten about soon.

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:26

Just to clarify my last few comments were just me responding to people’s comments. Not about the current situation

OP posts:
gummania · 13/11/2024 17:25

I don’t think the agency will be contactring you anytime soon Op

mumedu · 13/11/2024 17:25

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 15:55

I work for a childcare agency and cover at a wide range of different nurseries across the county. I had an awful bullying experience at this particular nursery recently (all the others have been lovely!), and decided to post about it ANONYMOUSLY on an Early Years Practitioners Facebook support group. I didn’t identify myself, the nursery, or anything else. I simply just said what happened.

It turns out that the manager of this nursery is a member of the group. She decided to call the agency and report my post. The agency have given me a verbal warning, as well as said I will no longer be placed at nurseries belonging to this chain - this is despite me having a really good experience at a different nursery belonging to this chain after this incident!!

Considering the post was anonymous and it might not have been me who made it (I told others about my bad day), do you think it’s a bit much from the agency?

They don’t seem to care about the bullying and have just said they can’t afford to lose work with this chain.

You must have admitted it was you, when asked about it. Or it must have been quite identifying, so the chain recognised your story.

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:23

gummania · 13/11/2024 17:21

so now, the day you get a verbal warning, you are accusing your previous employer of illegal activity

No, I was simply responding to someone else’s comment. But yes they did illegally underpay me and it was proven. I was being paid Apprentice Wage despite not being an apprentice basically, and was owed thousands. Carried on for 15 months

OP posts:
gummania · 13/11/2024 17:23

Doglover321 · 13/11/2024 17:22

The manager of the nursery before I joined the agency was only 23

and?