AIBU to go off sick over complaint about me at work

It sounds like it’s being treated very seriously but something seems a bit off here to me - in that you’re being pulled into a ‘formal’ meeting.

Has management not already been involved in order to clarify the situation and that you were just following the instructions you were given? Or do you work in a shit show of a place that can’t be trusted to manage anything properly.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. Get your timeline and evidence together as a PP suggested. Can you meet the union rep in the meantime to discuss things?

Are you a union member? Seek union advice.

@MyDeftDuck I don’t think she was even allowed to tell the candidates that there was no longer a vacancy? If that had been allowed it might have diffused the situation with the complaining candidate? Honestly stuff like this makes me glad to be retired. Good luck @SadlyNotATroll I am sure you won’t need it though as I can’t see what you have done wrong. Your line manager should have stepped in and contacted the candidate that was constantly emailing you.

Are you too ill to work? If not, why would it be appropriate for you to go off sick?

If you are suffering badly from the stress of it all, I would certainly see my GP and tell him about it.
You don’t need to go off sick even if he offers to issue a ‘sick/fit’ note for you but it may be useful if you show you needed to consult your GP for help dealing with the situation.
Especially as your senior management seem as if they could be total wankers and throw you under the bus. (again)

Meet with your superiors who issued those instructions and ask them to stand with you.

@SadlyNotATroll You were just executing orders however bonkers they might be so the responsability is with your managers. Really try to shrug it off. I understand how you feel though. SS investigated us due to my disabled son not attending school. Camhs and private psychiatrist was involved and he was awaiting a SEN school place. Even school was onboard with him not coming in because he spent his time crying in a corner shaking. I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong and that dh and I are good and supportive parents (I used to be a SW so I knew this would be routine investigation and that they wouldn't find any reason to go on with it because all professionnals knew what was going on and were involved). Yet I was so anxious and could hardly sleep. It's the fact that you're being accused of something- no matter that you know you're innocent- it's really troublesome. But you know what the outcome will be so just hold your head high and wait for this mess to be dealt with.

my money is on a local authority

If you have followed the instructions you were given in terms of telling the candidates there is no longer a vacancy then surely you have no need to stress over any action that you have taken.
Print all the emails, sent and received, and take those plus any personal notes you made to the interview. Having a union rep with you is a positive move but it would be best to not go sick.

Hopefully management sees quickly that investigating you is ridiculous.
if you can try stay calm and not go off. That said if you are really struggling take a day or two

But you didn't give that feedback. So why are they creating extra drama?

I'm confused as to why they are wasting time on this? When this person sent in a complaint saying person X won't tell me why I haven't got the job and is refusing feedback, why didn't they reply with the same type of wording you did 'Sorry I can't say why.' And just end it right there? Why are they faffing about with this? I'd be inclined to go off sick to spite them by this point! This person doesn't even work with you! I have never come across an organisation who would entertain this?

I wouldn't be worried. You've just done what you were told to do. Can you go to HR and make some kind of official complaint/grievance yourself about this? I wouldn't let this go if they're going to be like this. They started the confrontation not you. Id be making sure I was the one who caused them some hassle back.

And why not go off sick for a few days in the meantime. You can be off for a few days without a drs note. Tummy bug, stress, migraine etc.

If you are ill go off sick
if ware not ill do not go off sick

Oh! Yikes.

Absolutely raise how your professional integrity was affected by what they told you to do. I'd be flipping tables*.

*and that's why I'm self-employed.

This is bonkers. Why were you prevented from giving them feedback on their interview? It would have been much easier for all involved for you to just note some positives and negatives as promised. Why wouldn't they allow that? I'm not surprised people complained, you must have come across as really spiteful (not your fault of course).

You’ve done nothing wrong, be confident in that and go to work with your head held high.
Complaints happen all the time, often unfounded and petty, you can’t let these things get on top of you so much as you’ll make yourself ill. Keep busy with work, being at home will only add to the procrastination and reflect badly on you and your level of resilience.

I trust you’re a member of a union? You should contact the union and ask for advice and support.

Sorry this has happened, and if you are feeling too unwell mentally to do your job effectively, then of course you should take time off, just as you would with any other illness.

I do understand that it can be a difficult decision when it comes to mental health, as in some circumstances staying off work can actually lead to greater feelings of stress.....

And nobody on here can really advise you on this, as we don't know how you are feeling .....

What I suggest is you make an emergency appointment with your GP tomorrow. If they are decent they will talk you through your options and advise what they think would be best for your health. If they feel you would be better off taking some time off, once you have described your symptoms to them, then you should follow their advice.

Trust the experts - people on here will have their views, but without talking to you in detail we really can't know what's best for you.

Good luck! X

I carry out HR investigations and totally understand how stressful this is for you. Have you had a formal letter explaining exactly why you, personally are subject to the investigation or is it that this is an investigation of the complaint itself and in order to investigate the complaint, someone independent of the recruitment process needs to speak to you?

I would suggest that ether way, you put together any documents such as emails where you were told that you could no longer recruit to the post, also proof of what you were told to say by management - and the name of the person who gave you this instruction. For example, did anyone from HR tell you what to write to the candidates? Also draw up a chronology of events, including the names of the people involved. If you do this, it will not only help prepare you for the meeting, but it may calm you slightly, as you’ll be able to prove to yourself that you’ve done nothing wrong.

From their POV, they were promised guaranteed feedback, and your name was on the email denying them this, so of course it is YOU who they made the complaint about. They do not know what was going on behind the scenes with management—from their POV you’re the issue.

Have you provided your union rep with copies of the instructions from management?