to be fuming after being fired because I look like a junkie ( apparently)

[cottycandystick]

As to not drip feed, I will point out some salient points.

I volunteer ( so do not have employment rights about discrimination)
I have \mental health problems ( now much improved and I no longer see a psychiatrist and have been tapered of anti deps, I occasionally see a cpn with a view to be cut of from services completely in the near future
and most importantly - I do not do drugs, not even alcohol or legal highs etc.

5 years ago I started to volunteer for this organization that helps drug addicts, as I enjoyed it so much, I stayed for for more longer that what I was planned to, plus in 2012 I won volunteer of the year. I got on well with everyone including my line manager that really boosted my self esteem and trusted me with a lot.

He left and a new manager took over, she was always quite aloof with me and I assumed that was just her personality and did not take it to heart.

over the past few months she reckons that she has had complaints about me and that she herself as saw me look like I am on drugs.

she reckons that she saw me being half asleep/drowsy/out of it/slurring my words/ unsteady on feet etc. and that I was to leave the building and am not allowed back on site.

I was gobsmacked by this and said that there has to be some mistake and told her that I would take drugs/booze test and see any of the medics that we have on site( we have testing facilties and so forth on site) I told her that I simply do not take any drugs, and I was not happy with this implication that I do take drugs and that I wanted my name cleared. I even got one of the workers to test my urine which came back clear from everything, she is a nurse and she signed it, so I had proof that I could not have been under the influence of drugs on the date where the manger claimed to see me being under the influence.

she then switched tactic to my history of mental health. When I started 5 years ago, I was at uni and was taking anti deps, sleeping tablet, etc and saw my mental health team once a month. since then I have been weaned off my meds and no longer see a psychiatrist. I told her that I would be happy to get a note from my GP to confirm that I am well enough to work.

she told me that she wanted to discuss my future with this organisation on a certain date, I found out from a colleague who is also a friend that she told my work mates, not to contact me and to not invite me to a particular work nights out. He also said that she was going to finish me as a volunteer and give me a thanks for your service but you are no longer required here type of meeting and if advised me that it would be better if I resigned, so on the morning of the meeting Informed HR that I was resigning and the official letter is in the post.

At the meeting she basically said that she has too many complaints from people including service users, members of staff and others that the girl ( meaning me) looks like she is on drugs, I explained AGAIN that I do not do drugs, she then switched to mental health and said that I obviously did not have the insight to recognise that my psychiatric meds were causing me to present in a way that caused others to think I am on drugs.

I am now paranoid and embarrassed. I don't take any medication with the exception of sleeping pills for when I really cant sleep. I am reluctant to volunteer for any other place or carry on looking for work as I don't want people to think that I am either on drugs or am a mantel patient.

I am pretty chilled and talkative to the right people, so I don't know why people would say im on drugs.

I have listened to my voice and watched my pupils on vids etc and I appear normal, I take pride in my appearance and do not behave wacky or overly shy.

The manager has no reason to dislike me or to fire me. I have worked hard including working in weekends/evenings on projects and I was made to feel awful. I had to be escorted out the buildings. when I asked about references she said that companies were not allowed to give bad references, so she would not do that to me. she said that HG give out standard references in those situations. I am annoyed because it feels like a real kick in the teeth, because I wanted to work within that field, because I enjoyed it.

I honestly don't know how to approach this.

I agree with Blu There will be an Equality policy and a Grievance policy.

And any member of staff or volunteer in my organisation who turned a blind eye to dealing on the premises would be in big trouble.

Oh darling this is not your fault. Unfortunately some idiots people are so frightened of mental illness that they use it against you in situations like this. I've been in the exact same position where I was more or less given the sack and marched off the premises with the only excuse being "you're not well, you shouldn't be here". I was perfectly bloody well enough to do my job, but you can't argue with people like that, they make you out to be "crazy" because you (naturally!) get upset and play into their hands.

I am really concerned that this has put you off volunteering. I am really passionate about the ability of volunteering to change lives and especially to help people overcome mental illness by improving their self-esteem and -confidence and getting out into the world. Please look for other opportunities in your area; there is someone out there waiting for someone like you to come along and volunteer with their organisation! do-it.org.uk is a great website you can use to find something local in any category (rehabilitation for example). Don't let this bully make you think you talent and energy to help people isn't worthwhile; you are marvellous!

Out of interest, was she ever a volunteer before she became a manager? In my experience it makes such a huge difference to have a manager who knows what it's like to give your time up for someone else. Sounds like she'll be up shit's creek soon enough if she treats all her volunteers this way.

The thing is the people that set this place up do not run it nor pay her to treat people badly at some jumped up woman's whim - it is a serious business they are in and funding is tight - they depend on volunteers - if this woman goes on some bizarre ego trip she could cause a lot of damage. Especially where volunteers are concerned as they are an asset to such a service. Go above het head.

Ps - you can include your volunteer of the year award in your cv - that is enough of a reference along with the norrmal basic reference you get these days.

and you can get a personal reference from your old manager

If this is a drug service it will be commissioned by a local Daat - contact the commissioner and let them know - her behaviour is terrible. Services are going to increasingly need to develop and support volunteers.

The equality act 2010 recognises mental health under the same terms as disability. It is therefore illegal to use mental health as a reason for dismissal and you have a case of discrimination. If you are a member of a union you should see them, if not acas would be able to provide advice to you. Your boss is a bully, but fortunately she's a stupid bully and has broken clear rules.

good luck op.

Sorry to go on but people on sleeping pills often do look exactly like they are on heroin or similar bearleft. I have had this experience, and sleeping pills can be from the same class of drugs. Junkies also often take Valium, Temazepam and other prescription sleeping pills or tranquilizers.

If this is what happened, isn't it more useful to realize that than to automatically assume that a person is a bully because someone on the internet says they are?

Your post is extremely coherent and reasonable. I don't know what this woman's game is but I think it's horrible that you have been put in this position when you are trying to do good and have had your own problems to deal with.
Some people are just vile. Please, whatever you do, don't let this affect your recovery.

I volunteer ( so do not have employment rights about discrimination)

You have some rights though, just normal legal rights everyone has.

I think you need to do what is best for your mental health but sacking you for mental health issues is discrimination and possibly a hate crime.

Accusing you of a crime you have not committed is slander isn't it?

And the health and safety at work act applies to none employees, legally she shouldn't do anything to put your health at risk, which she clearly has.

Hi sorry only just came back to this.

I wasn't suggesting you had the rights of an employee. You clearly do not. But you do have a right not to be discriminated against on the basis of a having a disability (in this case a mental disorder). They could not recruit volunteers but then dismiss them because they found out they were gay or Sikh - that would obviously be discrimination. Likewise they cannot recruit volunteers and then dismiss them because of their disability status because it is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act.

The relevance of s.149 is that public sector organisations have a special duty to promote equality, and this extends to organisations with delegated duties (so voluntary organisations holding contracts from local authorities, the NHS or in this case HM Court Service). Failing to uphold this duty could be a grounds for revoking the contract in of itself so it is worth mentioning when you write to HR about your shitty experience of being discriminated as a disabled person - i.e. how do you square your treatment of me with your general duty under s.149 Equality Act to promote equality? I would guess your case by itself won't be a huge deal for them, but they cannot afford to get a reputation for being an organisation which treats volunteers like this.

The key point is that you are a disabled person and as far as you can tell the only reasons you have been given for them being unhappy with your performance relate to your disability status. And you can take legal action for redress to a county court against any organisation which you believe has discriminated against you on the basis of your disability status, not to an employment tribunal for dismissal.

Op she sounds vile, the way you have been treated is disgusting. She sounds like a bully who is trying to get you out. I would go to her supervisor or head of the organisation. They are lucky the have people volunteering their time for free and should be grateful to you.