To put in a SAR request or let it go.

[Latenightdrive]

My previous manager (over a year ago) I caught her slagging me off to the team lead over teams some really nasty stuff. They deleted the whole conversation. She called me on my first day in my new role to confirm that everything had been put to bed as I was moving into a more senior role and had a close working relationship with the HR team. It has now clicked on me that this was for a reason.

I still have to come face to face with these people and they look at me in disgust.

I feel that I want to see what else was said about me and what investigation actually took place if any. (I didn’t go to HR at the time as we tried to fix it internally) as I want to take it further these women really bullied me.

Am I crazy to put in a SAR request now? I feel that I can’t let it go.

Yes. Pick your battles. This isn’t one of them.

And if you didn’t go to HR, I strongly suspect there wasn’t any sort of investigation but a manager taking them to one side for a quiet word.

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(Double posted)

I did this once as part of a discrimination claim against my then workplace. It wasn’t pretty and it was very hard to read. TBH I don’t feel I gained anything from knowing that plotting and lies happened behind my back. I already knew but being privy to the finer details was rough. I had to do it for my claim but I wouldn’t do it again unless it was absolutely necessary

Oh wow! Did you request to see everything? I feel like I just can not let it go. They have laughed in my face and got away with it and I still have to face them.

I think if you were leaving then I would but given you’ve got to work closely with them then I wouldn’t. Knowing won’t improve things. But keep a close eye and ensure they know you wouldn’t have any issue going to HR in future for any inappropriate behaviour

I did and I was surprised as to how much was given to me. Most of it was just generic emails but some of it was really nasty stuff including evidence that proved they’d lied about me. It was a really tough read.

I wouldn't do it. I had a similar situation at work and was given full information by HR. It was a highly unpleasant read and I wish I didn't know. I left that job soon after. I just couldn't continue working with people having read what's been said about me.

Why do you want to know? What is it that you feel it will give you?

It doesn’t matter that you are working with HR (though she may think it’s relevant), working with HR shouldn’t impact anything. Or being more senior. HR need to be objective.

In the year since this happened they have probably continued to talk about you. That won’t be in a SAR. So you won’t get a full picture. But that doesn’t matter. People talk. You need to let that go for your own sake.

It’s unclear if you actually made a formal complaint about them or not. If you didn’t make a formal complaint there won’t have been a proper investigation. So there’s unlikley to be anything regarding that.

You really need to look at why you want to drag this all up a year later. Do you want Hr involved now? Why? One of the questions is going to be ‘why now when this seemed to be resolved last year’ And ‘I don’t like how they look at me’ isn’t going to be a great response. Especially as you are now more senior. You don’t want it to appear you are using your seniority or in with HR, to bring up past events to cause issues.

In all honesty, I can just see you getting even more worked up about this and not really able to do much about it. Because it was a while ago and has been out to bed. I don’t see what good would come of it, to drag it up. And I think it might be personally painful for you to read it all. With no upside for you.

If this happened over a year ago then you need to move on. Leave if you want to, but don't expend anymore energy. Personally I'd be super nice, always throws it them.