To ask for advice on an employment issue

[Vinividivici]

I am currently on sick leave, as is described in another thread. The cause of this is work stress. I am fearful that my employer may take retaliatory action if / when I eventually have to return. Would it be reasonable / strategically wise to send a list of grievances (basically a description of what led to this)?

I'm not sure whether there's anything that would matter to an employment tribunal. My issues are:

• documented historical bullying which seemingly was not addressed at the time.
• my job title is far, far too low for my skills, abilities, and portfolio of work. I was on the verge of promotion two years ago when suddenly the global policy was changed to exclude the option of promotion. Since then, I have been given work that is two levels above my official pay grade and expected to get on with it without any support. My job title means that people treat me as if I have little value and I don't have authorisation to do things I need to do in order to be effective. I am humiliated every day. I have raised this with management several times.
• my new portfolio of work was previously owned by my bully. It was handed to me without any support or guidance, other than having to ask my bully for help
• my manager refuses to have 1:1s and I have to arrange ad hoc meetings for anything I want to discuss. When we meet to discuss work projects, this is a clear imposition and I am treated as if I am stupid or annoying. Typically my manager has not read my updates in detail. Occasionally my manager has held specific pieces of the work hostage for a couple of weeks (eventually doing nothing and finally allowing me to take it over again), causing big delays.
• as a result of the above, I feel constantly insecure about the work and whether i will be blamed if something goes wrong due to my manager's lack of communication and occasionally chaotic approach.
• recently I took time off to get married. When I tried to get cover in place 3-4 weeks beforehand, I was told in an annoyed way that this was too early. When I finally was told who could cover, there were only a few day s left before my wedding. A very senior person who had to cover some of my work was hostile and angry.

When I faced the prospect of going back, I spent several days in a state of severe depression. I could not face it.

It seems to me that none of this is discrimination or illegal. Is there any point writing this all out and sending it to HR and my manager?

It’s a very muddled post. If you do submit something, try to make it clearer and more coherent.

I don’t really know how to help you otherwise, as it’s unclear what the issues are tbh. Perhaps a bit more detail would help if it’s not too outing.

This is not how I would write it, but I take the p

Stupid Mumsnet has glitches that result in posts being made too soon.

I think you may want to look at this a different way. If I were somewhere that didn’t value me the way I felt I should be, I’d be looking to leave. As you have been in the same situation for years - presumably you haven’t been.

Not all workplaces/managers are suited for every employee, and that’s okay. But instead of fighting it and driving yourself to the point of needing time off work, focus on finding a way to move on. I say that as someone who previously pushed myself to a breakdown trying to make my dream job work!

You need to be proactive.

This palaver has obviously been going on for a while so how many jobs have you applied for? How many interviews have you had?

I take your point. Basically my issues are:

• unresolved historical bullying
• my job title is pathetically, humiliatingly low and I am being exploited as a result
• I have no normal support from my manager, either for HR things or for work tasks
• I am constantly anxious about work because of my manager's style - basically totally hands off except when criticising the approach that I have taken, and annoyed when I raise items for discussion
• everyone is so overworked that I have been met with hostility for normal work things, like handing off my matters when I went on a scheduled break
• my matters are very high pressure, and I am expected to cover all aspects from admin to junior level work to stuff that would normally be handled by a senior person (but again, with no authority due to my humiliating job title)

I suspect that this would be considered a shitty work environment, but not one where I would have a valid legal claim

Is it worth it to send a list of these issues to HR while off sick?

Thanks. I am off sick now and I will look for other jobs. It's a question of how to manage this job until I can resign or whatever.

I will be applying for jobs.

This has been difficult up to now for personal reasons and because my self esteem has been totally crushed by this situation (why am I good enough to take on all of this difficult work but not good enough to have a normal job title for someone of my experience? Etc)

Are other people in your business doing materially the same work but with a ‘higher’ title and conditions ? Because maybe that’s where there could actually be a grievance.
Especially if you have a protected characteristic compared to others.

Everything else sounds poor, but not illegal.

It's a niche area of work, but anyone doing anything similar has a higher job title. I have the job title of very new employees but I have over 15 years' experience.

The person who previously did this work was two job titles above me.

I have no protected characteristics.

I'm not sure I understand what is "humiliating" about your job title. I presume that you must have applied for the job at some point, unless your title was somehow changed after you started? I get that you feel you'd like to progress, but that's not an option in all roles. Have you applied for internal/external vacancies? If not, why not? If you have applied unsuccessfully, what feedback have you received?

But the question is whether tactically I should send the list of grievances. Could it be strategically useful if they try to take retaliatory action for my sick leave?

There is a very long back story to this, but my bully had been my friend and encouraged me to take this job, suggesting it was appropriate for me. I soon learned that senior management felt that it was a coup to get someone with my skills in that role.

Edit: later, my bully tried to assign me work even though I didn't report to her.

However, they have now entirely changed my job responsibilities and expectations, so I am having to act authoritative and lead big projects while being at the lowest possible level in the organisation (for my profession).

I can't work out if this is about status ie you feel undervalued because your title hasn't changed in 15 years (but it won't necessarily have changed if you haven't applied for a new role) OR if you think your employer is exploiting you by asking you to do work that is above your pay grade? In which case, you presumably have evidence that you're working at a different level to others on your pay grade and you could ask for a pay review or a downgrade of your workload so that it actually reflects what is reasonable in your role.

But this is mainly about your feelings. You need to give clear examples of where they have done wrong.

let’s break it down.

1. historical bullying, did you raise a grievance, if so, you can’t go back to it, the appeal period is over. So remove this. If not, then how long ago was it, as if it’s historical then it is possible the time to raise a grievance is done.
2. what does normal support from your manager look like. What is it you expect and you feel has not been delivered. You can’t just say I don’t get normal support.
3. your anxiety is your issue to resolve. Focus on what your manager is doing wrong and give clear examples
4. you can’t say everyone is over worked that’s not your place. you can’t say explain the hostility and give clear examples.
5. what’s the issue with the cover work. It’s quite normal to have to cover work. You have an earlier point on expecting others to cover yours. You can’t then be hostile to doing it yourself.

Not sure what you mean by retaliatory action?

whats the purpose of the grievance - are you hoping for a pay out to leave?

as you say, it sounds like a poor workplace but there’s nothing unlawful about their actions. You need to focus on finding a new job.

So can you evidence the change in responsibility levels and ask for a regrade?

And if they say no, can you ask to do the same work as others on your pay grade?

Also on the job title.

it’s normal to cover others work when they are out, that’s how teams operate. Getting a more senior job title is linked to doing a more senior job, they can’t just change your job title.
\again you need to give clear examples, are you paid less than others doing rhe same work.

they are unlikely to promote someone off sick with stress and complaining about hostility, their job title and covering others, and also complaining about their manager. It’s harsh but the truth.

whar do you want, do you want to be paid to leave?

What would your “legal claim” be for ? There is no constructive dismissal or unfair dismissal as far as I can see.

Your Job Title is your Job Title, and you have a JD that sits alongside that. You not liking the title is of no interest to a tribunal. That is a value judgment that you are placing on it. You think you deserve more, they do not.

Historical bullying “not addressed at the time” - not sure what is meant by that. A constructive dismissal claim wouid look at how close your leaving was, in regards of the incident. From what you have said it was a long time, so would no be part a a Constructive Dismissal.

Manager not having 1-2-1s that match your schedule, I mean tough luck, they have meetings that match their schedule. They don’t have to have a meeting because you want them. Your comments in his you “felt” don’t carry much weight; what has been documented is the important thing.

Not liking your job title.. that’s no part of any legal claim.

What do you want ? A pay off?

You either get a new job, formally ask for a regrade, or put a grievance in (but I can’t work out the grounds)

1. historical bullying, did you raise a grievance, if so, you can’t go back to it, the appeal period is over. So remove this. If not, then how long ago was it, as if it’s historical then it is possible the time to raise a grievance is done.

Yes, I raised it but nothing was done afaik

1. what does normal support from your manager look like. What is it you expect and you feel has not been delivered. You can’t just say I don’t get normal support.

This is explained above. I don't even have 1:1s, which is totally normal and expected in my organisation.

1. your anxiety is your issue to resolve. Focus on what your manager is doing wrong and give clear examples

She's mean to me and unsupportive. It's not something I can easily describe.

1. You can’t say everyone is over worked that’s not your place. you can’t say explain the hostility and give clear examples.

I was attempting to describe this in plain language in a quick post for MN. When I emailed someone with a task that would need to be done, they angrily came over to me and demanded to know why I couldn't just do it.

1. what’s the issue with the cover work. It’s quite normal to have to cover work. You have an earlier point on expecting others to cover yours. You can’t then be hostile to doing it yourself.

I literally just said these are my projects. I mean that I am the person doing all of the work, with zero support. It's too much work for one person in the time available on multiple demanding projects. It

They don't publish pay info, but the pay band for my job title is lower than the pay band for the job title that would normally handle this work.

I want them not to fire me or make my life worse while I find a other job.

I am not covering anyone's work. This work was assigned to me.

I don't want a promotion anymore. I want to find a way to get out of here without a gap in employment or further hostility.

Ok so if you made a grievance originally but nothibg happened, you could check the proper process and see what should have happened, and then state that i.e. i made a grievance on x, but there was no y meeting or z follow up according to the policy.

My role has moved far beyond the job description, but I have not had the opportunity to address this because I have not been provided mechanisms such as one to ones

The combination of my unresolved grievance and the work load far beyond the job description i waa given has led me to suffer workplace stress, as documented by my GP in this letter.

You are being a bit contradictory, saying your job title is too menial, yet you need support for the work you are being asked to do.

As others have said, it’s time to move on and find a better job. In my (sadly long) experience, you can be the greatest employee in the universe, but if the boss doesn’t like or, worse, value you, you’re f*d.

I can do the work, but sometimes there are strategic questions or risks that need to be considered by a senior decision-maker. My manager is annoyed when I raise these kinds of points, even though they are absolutely things that she needs to have flagged.

But also, why do I have the job title of the most junior lawyer when I am managing huge cases basically on my own? Shouldn't they want to supervise me if I am so lowly?

And yes, I am looking for a job. I probably wouldn't have gone sick unless I felt that I was really at the end of the road here. I would have dragged myself to work and cried every day while stewing in self-loathing, as I have done for several months now.