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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Work made me take the blame when it wasn’t my fault

176 replies

madamovaries · 17/03/2022 10:31

I have a job which involves significant public scrutiny. There was a screw up at work where a male colleague messed up - I did nothing wrong, as my employer has repeatedly stated - and for complicated reasons, I’ve been made to take the public flak for it. I asked the company repeatedly to make clear it wasn’t my error but they refused. My (nice) colleagues are shocked and don’t understand why this man has been protected at my expense.

It has had a big knock-on effect on my ability to do my job as everyone I deal with keeps raising it with me and some people are even refusing to work with me. Over something I didn’t even do! The bosses keep saying it will blow over but it hasn’t at all.

It has also affected my health. I got sick with the stress, then caught covid. I also had a miscarriage which I don’t know was related obviously but has broken my heart.

I don’t really want to leave the job right now as I’d need to be somewhere else a while to qualify for mat leave pay, but should I just cut my losses and go elsewhere (another employer has thankfully been trying to poach me). I guess that would help restore my confidence which is at absolute rock bottom.

Aibu to feel my employer has failed in its duty of care?

OP posts:

GatoradeMeBitch · 17/03/2022 15:17

"Men fail upwards."

Did they have good reason for protecting this man, or is it simply that they prefer him or it's a boys club thing?

Original poster

madamovaries · 17/03/2022 15:19

@girlmom21

Why did you agree to take the blame?

I didn't take this lying down. I fought it at every step, made clear how unhappy I was, objected etc. They rolled on with this appalling approach anyway.

The problem is that the way they have handled it publicly does not make clear that I wasn't to blame. in fact, it makes it look as though I was.

My bosses know that they have behaved badly. But the issue is, I work in a small industry. The risk of taking a constructive dismissal claim is that I would never work in this sector again - and I don't want to leave the industry. I think they know I will take mat leave soon, and are resting on that.

I can't reveal everything as it will be identifying, but I actually barely know the guy who made the mistake. He passed work to me that had an error in it, which I was given by my line manager. I sent the finished product back to him to check - so he had two opportunities to notice his mistake. It is a frustrating thing because there's no way I could have caught his error as I didn't have access to his original research (and - mad though this now seems - that is standard practice). Basically my job was just to put a bow on his work - and it turned out his work was a total turd.

OP posts:

LizDoingTheCanCan · 17/03/2022 15:24

He passed work to me that had an error in it, which I was given by my line manager.

Basically my job was just to put a bow on his work - and it turned out his work was a total turd.

If you were given the work, why did he pass it to you? Did you delegate the task to him? Are you senior to him?

girlmom21 · 17/03/2022 15:30

Is he more senior than you? Is it a 'blame the junior' style thing?

HardbackWriter · 17/03/2022 15:36

Did your name go on the finished report? If so then I think you do have to take responsibility for it as a whole - if the report had been praised would you have redirected that to this guy?

ForeverSingle881 · 17/03/2022 15:53

If you don't want to pursue constructive dismissal, then your only choice is to take the other job being offered to you. Cut your losses while you can.

DameHelena · 17/03/2022 15:56

I'd say still speak to a solicitor. Tell them about the maternity leave/pay thing and see what they say.

And is it really so certain that would never work in this sector again?

ClawedButler · 17/03/2022 16:05

So it's something like, he collected data, and based a report on that data.

The report he gave was not, in fact, supported by the data.

But you could not have known that, because you did not see the data. You took it in good faith that he had correctly analysed the data and drawn a suitable conclusion from it.But he didn't.

You now have to stand up and publicly say, "The conclusion I drew was incorrect, I am an idiot"

Is that basically it?

Sapphire387 · 17/03/2022 16:06

Hello OP.

I work for a trade union. You should raise a grievance now and document this in full.

Were they aware that you were pregnant? Do you think it was connected? If so, put that in.

Did this happen within the last three months? If so, I would advise you to put in a claim for ACAS early conciliation NOW while you consult your union / ACAS. It will stop the clock a while so you can find out more about any potential employment tribunal claim.

I am sorry to hear of your miscarriage

TwoDaysOff · 17/03/2022 16:08

Inwpuld get something in writing so that if it follows.you, you have proof it wasn't you.

Chloemol · 17/03/2022 16:10

If you have a letter stating it was not your fault, just share that with everyone

Leftbutcameback · 17/03/2022 16:12

Is this a published paper - academic research?

LouiseCollins28 · 17/03/2022 16:12

@Iamthewombat

When I read the first couple of paragraphs, I thought, “oh, Priti Patel is on Mumsnet”.

But seriously, if the role involves public scrutiny, and presumably public censure, you need to insist that your employer makes the position clear. The problems are obviously not blowing over, are they? Have you explained the circumstances to the colleagues who are refusing to work with you? What does your employer have to say about that?

either that or maybe this person is Sue Gray

implantreplace · 17/03/2022 16:17

He passed work to me that had an error in it, which I was given by my line manager. I sent the finished product back to him to check - so he had two opportunities to notice his mistake. It is a frustrating thing because there's no way I could have caught his error as I didn't have access to his original research (and - mad though this now seems - that is standard practice). Basically my job was just to put a bow on his work - and it turned out his work was a total turd.

And you could not obtain the research before signing off your part?

Fairyarmpits · 17/03/2022 16:22

You need legal advice on this.

Why are they protecting a MALE member of staff?

This is affecting your ability to do your job because people are making it apparent that they now don't trust you. Potentially it could affect your career long term.

Is this a PA/Director relationship by any chance?

carefullycourageous · 17/03/2022 16:23

@implantreplace

*He passed work to me that had an error in it, which I was given by my line manager. I sent the finished product back to him to check - so he had two opportunities to notice his mistake. It is a frustrating thing because there's no way I could have caught his error as I didn't have access to his original research (and - mad though this now seems - that is standard practice). Basically my job was just to put a bow on his work - and it turned out his work was a total turd.*

And you could not obtain the research before signing off your part?

It is normal to expect that colleagues do their part properly, the last person in the chain surely hasn't time to check every piece of work that went before.

implantreplace · 17/03/2022 16:25

I agree @carefullycourageous

implantreplace · 17/03/2022 16:26

@Fairyarmpits

You need legal advice on this.

Why are they protecting a MALE member of staff?

This is affecting your ability to do your job because people are making it apparent that they now don't trust you. Potentially it could affect your career long term.

Is this a PA/Director relationship by any chance?

So you’d be ok if it was a FEMALE?

Makeitsoso · 17/03/2022 16:27

If you left in these circumstances and the company knew about all this and didn’t act then I think it would be constructive dismissal. Ring ACAS for advice perhaps.

UKRAINEwearewithyou · 17/03/2022 16:29

Boris Johnson's PA?

Dominic Cummings' advisor

jay55 · 17/03/2022 16:29

If your reputation has been shot you won't get another job in the industry anyway. So you've nothing to lose from constructive dismissal.

implantreplace · 17/03/2022 16:31

I think it’s probably a little bit of both

You should have obtained original research if you were working on something so high profile or explicitly said in your covering email when sending it onto him that you can not verify XYZ as no access to the research.

The fact you have it explicitly in writing that they are going to use you to take the blame is just plain odd.

Did theyActually say - we know you aren’t to blame at all. Or is that your interpretation?

ChateauMargaux · 17/03/2022 16:37

Please contact a lawyer to see if you have a discrimination case, a defammation case or a constructive dismissal case... when you have this information, go to HR and your in house lawyers and request that the company formally correct the public record and clear your name. Stay close to the organisation that is trying to poach you.

Leftbutcameback · 17/03/2022 16:38

It depends on context. We sometimes write technical pieces of information which our comms people then re-write for the relevant audience.

In that case the final piece of work might be produced by the Comms advisor but they would have no way of knowing whether any of the technical work was correct.

In those circumstances I would expect my name as technical advisor to go on the document, But I do wonder from OP is saying whether she’s some sort of comms advisor or press officer?

Newschapter · 17/03/2022 16:47

Sounds to me you may work for the press or local government.

Fight your corner.

Gone are the days the women takes the blame for the men.

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