HR are lying? Aibu to be worried?

[ijustwanttodu]

So HR have fabricated an entire meeting. I had a meeting with them and they said we discussed this issue with you a year ago.

They claim I was taken into a small room and talked to by someone who has since left. 3 weeks into me starting there. I was taken aback and said what date was this and she got quite flustered and tried to change the subject and then gave me the vague answer of what month it occurred. And then she said all this bad stuff about me, how I kept coming into work late during that time.

I don’t know why she would do this.

Yes and I’ve probably been naive. I’m going to discuss it tomorrow.

Tbh I don’t want to work for a company that wants to manage me out, I’m not worrying every single work day that todays the day I’m going and waste my weekends dreading the upcoming week. My entire weekend has been dominated by this and I’ve just felt sick.

I’d way rather my manager say she doesn’t want me there anymore and for me to say that’s fine and give me my notice period to find another job (obviously that conversation won’t happen but it would save a lot of worry if I just knew the truth)

Thing is “lateness” has never ever been brought up to me by anyone is that company. I’ve only been late once (car accident closed the motorway) but I kept my manager informed and offered to make up the missed time. But nothing came of it, no meetings with anyone, no action plan, no complaints. So that’s why I’m quite shocked at HR mentioning it as it’s never been an issue.

I personally think your manager had an informal chat with hr last year about your performance, it still ongoing and now it's led to a more formal discussion because either you've not improved or your manager has taken it further. Instead of asking your manager if she wants you to work there anymore i would take the initiative and resign, you're not happy, they are not happy and under 2 years you've little protection. Something has happened and it sounds like it's out of your managers hands now.

Then I misread 🤣 but the other points still stand. I’m not seeing rudeness or any posts that are combative.

It is fine to ask for further info but once a poster indicates they aren’t comfortable with that I think it needs to be left. Posters who are like flies banging against the wall are tiresome, they really are. They just won’t take no for an answer and they turn it around as evidence of an OPs infuriating character rather than their own.

But it wasn’t a formal meeting. For me a formal meeting would have a proper time slot/invite, there might be an email sent beforehand with an agenda/reason for meeting, there would be a follow up email of what was discussed - actions taken, and usually something signed by both parties to confirm you both agree this was discussed.

None of this happened.

Unfortunately I can’t just resign as I don’t have a partner who could pick up the slack of a missing wage and yes I have savings but maybe only enough to support me for 3 months. I don’t want to use them on this. So yes I will be looking for a new job but I can’t just resign tomorrow.

Have ever had any discussion or meeting, formal or informal, with anyone about your work or performance. Have you had performance reviews, id you have a probationary
Period. Have you now been invited to a formal meeting/disciplinary with HR and been given all the relevant details . I don't understand why HR rang you or what they said.

I didn’t really have a performance review, just a letter saying I’d passed probation.

I haven’t been invited to a formal meeting or disciplinary (at this point).

Sounds like constructive dismissal being drummed up by a bunch of snakes in the grass.

Log everything and go over their low-life heads if poss. Better yet, concoct your own story against the worst one of the vermin and make sure it kicks up a proper stink.

So, if I understand it right... your manager told you hr would be calling you about an issue, hr rang and set up a teams meeting which you would of had to join. Your manager obviously spoke with hr to know they were calling you. During that teams call hr said you'd already had an hr meeting about this previously which you don't recall, there's no evidence this ever happened. Either they've been given the wrong information or they are incompetent. You haven't been invited to a formal meeting or a disciplinary so the issue, if there is one, has either been resolved or no further action is needed or will be taken. Your line manager claims they don't want you to leave and has put in long term goals with you which you must have discussed and agreed to.

No HR just called me through teams, there was no prearranged time or meeting invite sent.

That's weird then, I've always had an invite and had to join the teams meeting, that's with Microsoft teams.

You mean in general or with HR?

Because yes Microsoft Teams you can just call/video call through to anyone without a meeting invite.

I’m clutching at straws here but do you have a diary or even a wall calendar from last year where you’d have written appointments/meetings?
And can you see any follow up emails from HR? Surely if there had been a meeting they’d have sent a review of the meeting and a “going forward plan” document?
If you were given any sort of warning at this past meeting that would also be recorded in writing somewhere, even if as brief as Jane X was given a first verbal warning for being late x times. ( I used to ask employee, manager and myself to all sign this to prove it was seen and agreed)
Ask HR for your record file?

How bizarre. Just ask to be shown proof of this meeting. You would have been invited by email or as a meeting request? Notes would be been made? It could be the HR person who left was meant to speak to everyone separately about this, failed to include you and just kept your name on the list of those 'spoken to'? Basically she made an error. Maybe she left BC she kept making mistakes.
If your timekeeping is poor then that's another matter surely? Either you're late or you're not so you must know if this statement is factual? What does your own line manager have to say?

Who was on the teams meeting, was it audio or video, was it a work phone or did they call you on your own personal mobile. There will be a record of that "chat" with whoever made the call.

It was a video call through Teams. There would be a record one it in the call log, but no meeting invite. It was just me and the HR person.

Did they call you at work or at home, did you record the call. Your manager did tell you that they would be calling so must gave already spoken to them,.

Whether there was an invite or not is a bit of a red herring. HR called to talk to you about your performance, at your manager’s request or at the very least with their agreement and support.

Even if you are being dealt with informally at the moment, involving HR is always the first step towards your manager making their concerns formal and going down the performance management route.

What I’m confused about is why your manager isn’t more involved in the process. Are they generally a weak manager who find dealing with problems difficult?

I only brought up there being no invite to demonstrate it wasn’t as formal as it could have been.

My issue isn’t even about what they spoke to me at the time. My issue is the fabrication, where it’s come from and for what reason it’s been brought up.

My manager doesn’t strike me as weak at all tbh, but I agree she should be more involved.

Call her bluff and ask her to be present next time you speak to HR. Then watch her face and body language.

Good luck tomorrow but don't be surprised if all this started because your manager can't or won't deal with it and asked hr to get involved but its gone a bit squiffy and nownits out your managers hands.

OP I've read through most of the thread. You need to join a union and get some advice from a professional, they will need to know history and policy and procedures to begin to dig into what is going on.

My advice in the interim is to note every discussion with HR and your manager. If they call you randomly again ask if it is a formal meeting. If it is ask why you have not been given sufficient notice of the meeting or what it is regarding. Also formally ask in writing for all information pertaining to said issues that the hold. This is your right under the Freedom of Information Act and they have to comply. Make sure to include the meeting they eluded to.

Haven’t read all of the thread but just to say… There’s a FB group called “UK employment law and HR advice”. If you’re on FB it might be worth cross posting on there to get some free advice.

Any update, did you get a chance to speak to your manager

Spoken to manager today and there’s no update, they just said there’s nothing for me to worry about.

The person in HR has still not bothered to respond to my email. Which I personally think is disgusting, throw out accusations but when asked for the absolute minimum of proof (the date) they hide away.