AIBU to go off sick over complaint about me at work

[SadlyNotATroll]

have kept some details deliberately vague but will try to give as much detail as I can. I work in the public sector dealing with members of the public, making decisions that affect their lives. We recently recruited and I chaired the recruitment panel. Due to legal issues affecting our department we were no longer able to recruit and withdrew the vacancy. I was tasked with communicating this decision to the unsuccessful applicants after they had interviewed, but was not able to offer any information as to why they were unsuccessful, despite them being told if they were unsuccessful that they would get feedback.

One of the candidates was very upset about this and emailed me several times asking for feedback. I explained I could no longer provide feedback but I couldn’t explain why. Upper management forbade me from providing any further context, e.g. that there was a legal issue affecting the vacancy. The candidate emailed me several times over the following days and I replied each time saying I was sorry but the decision was final.

They have now complained about me and I am being investigated. I am confident I have done nothing wrong but I am so anxious about the process. I’ve been told it could take up to 4 weeks. I’ve been invited to a formal interview next week and have asked a member of the union to come with me. I don’t know if it would look bad if I went off sick. I’m so anxious my brain keeps jumping to the worst conclusion. I just don’t know what to do.

Personally I’d go off sick and seek employment elsewhere, because whoever you’re currently working for, sounds like an absolute shit show.

it's just an investigation to establish what happened, once they have done that, they will revert to the application to jog on and it will concluded.

no need to worry or pretend to be sick

The employer is 'investigating' OP because a member of the public has made a complaint against her. Notwithstanding that her conduct was entirely in accordance with employer's instructions. It would be odd if she weren't interviewed given the complaint is against her, however ill conceived and unfair the complaint is

💯 (sadly)

I can beat that one, I once had someone raise a grievance against me because when I was note taking in their grievance about something completely unrelated (I work in HR) I kept interrupting them. Yes - to take notes and clarify what they were saying! Utterly utterly ridiculous and a waste of everyone's time including my manager but this person had form for stomping her foot whenever she felt like it and getting her own way - and management pandered to her to keep the peace (and presumably avoid being next on her hit list)

Don't go off sick, don't give the complainer that much power. It will look shit. Just carry on with an air of nonchalance and truth will out, nothing will come of this petty complaint, companies have the right to withdraw vacancies whenever they want even public sector, so long as there has been no discrimination.

Depends on the nature of the complaint, doesn’t it.

If it accuses OP of being abusive, for example, then yes. If, as suggested by OP, it’s because the candidate was promised feedback, and that promise was then rescinded, then no, it doesn’t need the full baroque rigmarole of the public sector complaint process. Because she was merely carrying out the required procedure. Any manager with any sense - and an eye to spending public funds wisely and responsibly - will make sure a sensible path is taken.

@SadlyNotATroll
I'm both a former very senior manager in the public sector, & also a Unison rep before it became untenable.

I would not go sick under any circumstances ; it would be indicative of a failure to cope with the job.

You know you are in the right, you also know that there are procedures that must be adhered to.

Stay strong, Sister.

Thank fuck you didn't recruit this twat. Don't shoulder all this as it wasn't your decision and pass this onto someone above your pay grade. I worked for a LA and had to deal with massive arse holes. However it wasn't without a lot of anxiety and ultimately people can be extremely unkind and do not understand consequences for those they moan about.

The candidate is absolutely within their right to complain and ask for feedback, and during the investigation it will come out that you weren’t allowed to pass anything on due to a management decision.
hopefully you have in writing from above where you were told not to give away any information? If so, print and take with you to the meeting.
its so rare but sometimes people are determined to get that feedback and will go to mad lengths to get it. You’ve only followed what you were told so with your audit trail on that you will be fine so do not go off sick in case someone higher throws you under the bus.

I'm so sorry this has caused you anxiety and upset. The complainer is clearly complaining about the system, not about you personally. Please don't take any negativity from it. It bears no reflection on you at all.

All the best with this. At least Unison are worthwhile. You will be stressed and upset so I reckon you are due a few days off sick. You could also take more time at the very end as things can move slowly in Local Gov. Some people do this professionally ,apply for jobs and then sue if things don't go their way. If you know their name you could look into their details. I remember there was a man who more or less made it his life's work suing companies. Let Unison know if you can find anything to nail this utter swine. If you do put in for stress leave you don't have to stay at home. I once had a week as I was being harassed by a man who came into our workplace and he thought he was entitled to my job. If you are on long term sick leave you can get out and about and it might even do you some good to go on holiday .Local Gov management tend to recruit less capable bosses who are mainly incapable of being a good manager. I think back and would actually only rate about 2 bosses as worthy of being managers. I really wish you well.I send a hug over the internet.

Going off on sick will only prolong the process. The complaint won’t go away and you will still need to be interviewed.

You know it’s a bullshit complaint and you have all the e-mails with instructions from the line manager as to what to say in response to the request for feedback.

Crack in with your job, get the interview done, show them your file and move on. Got to be better than stringing it out for weeks and weeks because you have chucked a sickie.

Why is it so common in the public sector to just go off sick at the drop of a hat? I’ll bet if you were not guaranteed sick pay, you wouldn’t even be contemplating this.

Don’t go off sick. That’s for when you’re actually sick. God forbid you suddenly get struck down with something and then don’t have enough sick leave to cover your needs / work decides they can’t support you when you’re off sick so often.

It’s a non complaint because you did what you were told. It’s fine!

IMO you should only go off sick if you are actually sick and unable to work. Including in the public sector.

If the fact finding invitation letter states that you can bring union representation. Do. Not. Go. To. That. Meeting. Without. A. Union representation

OP, you are seriously overthinking this, try and be a bit more rational. You have written proof that you were told what to do and to keep repeating. If you are that worried, take photo's of all emails, don't forward them to a private email address, so long as it doesn't break GDPR rules, so if they are trying to throw you under the bus, which I highly doubt, you have proof that can be legally shared. By your post, you have done nothing wrong.

Union Rep here. Public sector have a duty to investigate all complaints. However, you were following instructions from management. Show your file to HR/Investigator and there will be no case to answer.
If I were in that meeting supporting a member I would make it clear that I am furious that you are being put under this pressure when they could just ask for copies of the paperwork and clear this up without the need for formally investigating and causing unnecessary stress. Most public sector managers are hell bent on not taking responsibility, responsibility that they are very well paid for. The NHS is riddled with crap managers like this and that's why I'm so busy!

Because unless you work in the public sector you have no idea of the bent management that take no responsibility and look after each other and the way that they treat staff under them is often appalling. Yes they do throw staff under the bus. Yes they do pass the buck and blame lower grade staff and give out warnings for things that could just be cleared up with a quick chat. They also break employment law and their own policies at will, and that's just HR! They often take months and months to put together hearings for grievances, bullying complaints and disciplinaries. Many taking 8-9 months or longer. And you wonder why people go off sick with stress?
I've worked in both, private and the NHS and believe me the NHS higher levels of management are shocking, and far too highly paid. Hundreds and hundreds of them in every NHS trust.

Speak to your line manager for advice x

This. You’ve done nothing wrong. I hope there’s a paper trail from the more senior members of staff showing their refusal to give feedback though.

Oh for goodness sake you aren’t “sick” are you - it’s just a piss take of the company benefits - woman up - you haven’t done anything wrong - going odd “sick” over every little slight is just ridiculous

I have worked in the public sector - civil service and local authority. I agree
that management take very little responsibility, however people do take full
advantage of the sick pay scheme’s. I have seen many people go off sick so they can take long holidays, use it for childcare and instances like this, where the person isn’t sick, but it in the middle of an investigation. It’s a shocking waste of tax payers money.

I worked with some lovely people, but compared to the private sector, there are so many lazy people who don’t think twice about going off on the sick for the slightest thing.

I work public sector and the abuse of sick leave was an eye opener. People don't go off for a few days like private sector. Its weeks, sometimes months at a time. For 'stress' usually. It's no more stressful than anywhere else.

While this sounds upsetting, complaints do have to be investigated. However it seems you were only following instruction so the complaint against you shouldn't be upheld, and if there are grounds, those who instructed you are accountable. You need to just explain you acted on instruction.
As for going off sick, unless you are sick, its not a good idea. It won't help you, in fact it will prolong the process as they will be obliged to factor your 'illness' into when meetings can take place etc.

You just need to provide all the evidence. If in a public sector role surely you can say that the interview and waiting for the interview are causing you great stress and provide your evidence email about the interview and feedback along with what you have written here?
this is not your fault, the person requesting feedback has also gone too far. I’ve applied for lots of jobs where they haven’t provided feedback, perhaps a learning opportunity for your department is to not advertise feedback offers in future recruitment campaigns