Grievance

[Sparklybutold]

Got an email yesterday out the blue inviting me to a grievance meeting. No detail about what the grievance is about in the letter. Seems my managers don't know nor do HR? It seems the only person that knows is the investigating officer? And whoever made the complaint?

I have looked at the policy which frankly isn't very clear.

I hate the unknowns and this is really stressful? I'd have thought that if you are attending a meeting where a complaint has been made against you then you would be given the details of what this is about prior? I've contacted the investigating officer who bounced me back to HR, and then HR said they don't know the details and have bounced me back to the investigating officer. The lady from HR was abrupt and demonstrated no care. The call ended abruptly when I asked ‘so there's nothing you can do to support me?’ next thing I hear is the ring tone - great.

So it's the weekend tomorrow and I am working. Bloody fantastic.

Any advice?

Yes. And I had to let them know by Monday midday I think.

Yeah, I really don't think it's about you, unless they're bodging this investigation.

The HR lady demonstrated no empathy or concern even though I stated how distressing the letter was. She just seemed bothered that is called them. Ironically I had a conversation with another colleague about a similar scenario where shed been put through an awful ordeal and then this literally happens!

If you’ve been given the right to be accompanied I would assume the grievance has been raised about you rather than you being called as a witness. Sounds like this has been horrifically handled.

Then I think it’s you, I’m sorry, they should have said the allegation though, there can be reasons they don’t, due to sensitivity. Or risk if destruction of evidence.

They could be bodging it. The acas lady said that if I did feel blindsided in the meeting that it would be perfectly reasonable to get the facts and then adjourn the meeting.

It really has. I really wish I could tell them to fuck themselves.

Yeah you can definitely request to adjourn if you feel blindsided.

@Wisteriaroundthedoor

If they couldn't tell me the allegation owing to whatever reason then this should have been clearly communicated. I just feel awful. I'm going into work tomorrow and I don't know whether I'll be seeing/working with the person who made the allegation!

I’m not sure it has been horrifically handled. There can be reasons for not saying the allegation, ie a risk of evidence destruction or police involvement.

If they are asking you if you wish representation then I’m fairly sure it’s a serious allegation about you

I agree with you on not disclosing the reasons for the meeting - I’m a HR Director and we wouldn’t normally do this ahead of time given it’s a fact finding meeting rather than a disciplinary hearing, however the way the OP has been treated by the HR team is terrible and there’s no getting around that. There has been no regard for her well-being at all and the company had a duty of care to her so definitely shouldn’t be hanging up the phone on her. She also should have been offered appropriate support.

Absolutely take someone with you- they’ve offered it so definitely do this.

I think I’d be inclined to audio record the meeting, either with or without them knowing.

@Wisteriaroundthedoor

Oh God this just keeps getting worse. The job I'm in is notorious for bogus complaints which could have a real impact on my future career. Ironically this job is to pay for said future career! Ironically I spoke candidly to manager about this concern as it's a known concern for the type of job I'm in.

But I can't think of anything that I've done wrong! Definitely not seriously wrong! I literally had a meeting with my manager hours before I received the email and had a great conversation! Weekend before had a great talk with my other manager and passes my probationary! Then this lands!

@Mariposa26 i totally agree and am shocked rhe hr person hung up.

Any job I've had previously,has had a grievance policy laid out. Do you have anything like that available to you? You know in the same way a work will have a sickness policy?

I'm sure you're stressed to the back teeth

Surely if the allegation was even remotely serious, you would have been suspended from work pending investigation, on full pay?

That’s illegal

@Mariposa26

So can a fact finding be about me or someone else?

This was not made clear in the letter - could this have been done to prevent ‘contamination of the fact finding?’.

I have tried to contact both my managers, no response from one and the other has no knowledge of what's going on (or so he says). Literally had a productive and paoutive meeting with both of the managers just before receiving the email.

Is fact finding informal?

Not before the fact finding meeting, no. Unless they felt a risk to other employees.

Not necessarily, it's standard procedure to offer someone the right to be accompanied to a grievance meeting nomatter how serious the allegation.

OP, at first I thought this was a clear case of you being a witness rather than the allegation made against you. That would explain them not giving you any detail in advance so that you couldn't discuss it with anyone else. However the fact they've said you've got the right to be accompanied makes it sound like it is an allegation against you. But if it were then I'd have expected you to receive some more information in the letter. HOWEVER this has been handled absolutely terribly and HR hanging up on you is dreadful. ACAS have given you the correct advice to just find out the facts and ask the meeting to be adjourned if they blindside you. Hopefully it won't come to that.

I've looked but it's not clear

Yes. I only say yes as I know this has happened to two of my colleagues (with charges later dropped)

Op, irs about you. That’s why you can bring someone. And it’s not informal it’s formal, it’s the first step as they get your side.

I’m sorry but this may happen at the meeting.

@Wisteriaroundthedoor that's interesting, we would always suspend someone before investigating a serious allegation.