To turn down this work “resolution”?

[onfiree]

I’ve posted before about my dreadful workplace. I just wanted to gather some thoughts on a proposed resolution from work and whether my gut reaction is unreasonable?

I started a promotion last year and was relentlessly bullied. My manager sexually harassed me, I complained about him, and he got increasingly angry and retaliated against me. He fabricated bullshit disciplinary matters against me and tried to get me sacked. He’s harassed me since I went off sick recently too. He was backed up by his management and I feel constructively managed out. This has destroyed my life frankly, ruined my reputation, my career prospects, threatens my finances and most importantly wrecked my mental health.

I raised my concerns via my union representative and asked for someone independent to manage me. Work have now backtracked/stopped the disciplinary action against me, there’s no way I would be sacked. Instead they have offered a “resolution” for me to move to another area of the company. This could be any job, I have no say in this, as they think this is a reasonable way to get me to return to work.

AIBU to be annoyed by this? I just feel like my manager has got what he wanted by forcing me out, my reputation is still damaged, my career prospects are going to be non-existent and it won’t make me “whole” again.

That sounds terrible! What does your union rep think?

It could be good if it’s the right role they want to move you to, so perhaps the compromise position would be to make sure you (and rep) get a say in what that position is. Perhaps set some criteria for the new position (it should have the same pay, same status, same promotion potential, same training opportunities etc) and you get to talk to your new manager before confirming.

It sounds like you’ve made great progress in getting them to the point of not being able to sack you! So recognise the achievement in that and focus on your future going forwards (don’t fall into the trap of wanting to make sure he gets what he deserves, you’ll have to trust karma for that - focus on you).

Hope that helps - good luck!

So, obviously you should push for having a day over where you work.

But realistically, do you want to return to working with this manager?

That’s awful. Is it a well known company? Could a hint that the press might be interested in a story about a manger sexually harassing an employee and then making up disciplinary matters to get her out of the job, make them take you more seriously? I think you need to insist that you’re only put into a role that you’ve agreed to, rather than any role that you don’t get a say in.

I don’t want to continue working with him but I’m at the point now where I want to resign and I’m concerned about my health. Like I think this doesn’t address my main concerns.

My union wouldn’t support a resignation so I’d then have to look into solicitors for help

Certainly, it’s a gov department. Feels borderline corrupt

Wow, in which case I’d definitely use the public interest angle to aid your case if necessary.

What is their exact proposal? That they will inform you of your new job title and either you take it or... what?

Have you countered by saying you will accept a transfer to another department providing your salary and benefits are equivalent or better than now and your new place of work, if not the same, has to be within X miles?

AIBU is the worst place to post stuff like this. Best to get the thread moved to the Work board.

Were your allegations investigated and proven?

Haven’t been a CS for a while but pretty sure that would be considered gross misconduct (blackmail/publishing info without following internal/legal processes).

This is standard advised practice when a company wants to fire someone but can't (remembering that they think you're the problem and not your manager).

I would enquire about a compromise agreement with a decent settlement to see if they'd go for that, while looking for another job elsewhere. I can't see how any of it would wreck your career prospects at all and you're better off out of it.

They want me to take a managed move, they haven’t advised anything other than that. A managed move is just whatever is available and there’s a stigma around it so most vacancy holders don’t accept managed moved candidates

they don’t support moves to other government departments unfortunately

The allegations against my manager were never investigated

the allegations against me were investigated and partially upheld based on a biased investigation and when I raised concerns, the whole thing was withdrawn

I think escalating my complaint is the only way forward, whether that is settled or taken to tribunal.

Fuck them for thinking I am the problem in all this, they will still deal with perverted men like my disgusting manager. I genuinely don’t understand why he’s being protected here and he is shit. I must just really be disliked.

No, it isn’t you, and I’m sure that you are NOT disliked in the slightest. I recently retired from a Govt dept and sadly, it’s always like this; the person who makes the complaint is always the one who gets a ‘managed move’ whilst the person with the appalling conduct gets to stay where they are. HR and management are just so, so weak and toothless. Things always seem to ‘dealt with’ like this. Ultimately, the perpetrators are effectively rewarded for what they have done. It’s so wrong. I really feel for you and am so sorry that you are going through this x