Its not slagging off?

[Beth2511]

I work as a supervisor in retail, turned up the other day to a very upset team member after a morning of put downs and rubbish from the assistant manager.

We proceeded to have a conversation about this and things that had been said and done. During this conversation another team member popped into the office, we stopped talking but she had been outside the door for a few minutes so of course part of our conversation has been relayed back to the assistant manager. Id spoken to our shop manager about things as employee was very upset.

However, now assistant manager has put in a formal complaint about me slagging him off and bullying him.

I dont see how i was doing either and at 3months pregnant its really not a stress i need!

Is this really considered bully ing?

Hearsay is not fact I would put all that in writing and complain formally about the gossiper

Just respond in writing to explain the facts - employee was upset, you went to a quiet room to find out what had happened, employee explained the issues they had with the assistant manager, and part of this conversation has been overheard by an employee and passed back to the assistant manager.

Chinese whispers always ends up miles away from what it started as. People can't help embellishing or filling in the gaps with their thoughts and interpretations. Anyone senior enough to be handling formal complaints should know this.

Assistant manager sounds like a piece of work, though...

Yep tell HR exactly what occurred, the employee who listened in was totally out of line, but I'd say you also need an office where you can genuinely be private.