public comment about work place

[Sniper34]

So I have put myself in a pickle and need help how to process...
I am due back at work after maternity leave and contacted my line manager in November regarding my return and explained to her that I can only return of I can do all my contracted hours in one day (15h) im a support worker and this is how I did my shifts before I went on maternity leave. She said she will look into it. I wrote HR and explained my situation in January and there was no concerns then either. Coming closer to the date my line manger was all of the sudden not able to have me in her team as she couldn't accommodate me. HR didn't know what to do and this was 4 weeks before I was due back to work.
I wrote to HR and explained I was quite anxious and asked if I needed to fill in a flexible working. No answer.
At this point I was quit frustrated and wrote on FBthat I felt unsupported and not welcome back at work. More or less...
I have now been called in to an investigation interview.
What do I do and how do I conduct myself?
I know I made a mistake by writing on FB but I have deleted it however it was up there for 24h...
How should I approach it? Please if you can help with some pointers i would be so greatful as I do feel highly anxious about returning :(

Hello OP, something similar happened to my ds1.
He was called in for a disciplinary interview just the same and had a screen shot to show him as he went in.
He was asked the usual question of did he want a representative etc, but he was pretty much banged to rights.
They were looking to get rid of people and previously other people had posted all sorts on fb.
He resigned before he was sacked and started a better job 2 weeks later, better pay and conditions with good prospects.
On what grounds do you think they could discipline you?

Do you have a special media policy? They usually mention not bringing the company into disrepute. What exactly did you write? I thin it might be a sackable event at my work.

I think its wrong and sneeky tbh.

OK, you maybe shouldn't do it, but you could verbally tell all your friends, who also tell theirs and word gets about very quickly. You don't need fb to damage a company and this should be taken into account in situations like this. they don't know how few or many actually read your post, but likewise you could have inadvertently informed 100 people just by telling a mate.

It seems they can do this quite legally if they want rid of you for any reason. it could be a work colleague who actually reported seeing this btw.

With my ds1 they were taking the data protection route, which was stupid as he hadn't leaked any data protected or otherwise.
He was just moaning about his lot, a bit.

Look out for another job, just in case. But be prepared for the worst, it does sound like somebody has been waiting to drop you in it.
As you aren't fitting into their work schedule for them, as your OP, it wouldn't surprise me if they don't want rid of you because the hours you want are difficult for them.

At least find a representative to take with you and listen to what they say. If it looks like you are going to be pushed resign for Gods sake.
A new employer won't think twice if you tell them how unsupportive they were being after your mat break

I obviously meant "social" media policy

Maybe Get a doctors note for postnatal depression to wave at them at the interview, after all you are clearly worried about your job aren't you, enough to go on social media to let off steam. Prepare for the interview with every bit of evidence you can find to say your employer hasn't been supportive eg have you been invited to keeping in touch days? Team briefings? Personal development reviews? Indeed, if you have been truthful in your social media rant then what have they lost? If you really want to pin them down or the interview doesn't go to plan, under information commissioner rules you could put in a formal request for a copy of every email, document report etc over the last year with your name on. This may turn up some interesting things if you honestly feel they are being unhelpful. Whatever you do, don't get angry or start swearing or revert to social media again. A cool head is needed here whatever the outcome. If you are in a union it is now that you might want to speak to them. Hope this helps.

at this point it's only an investigation interview, they haven't started disciplinary proceedings.

take along copies of everything you have in writing, and write up a timeliness of your phone conversations including dates and times, who you spoke to, what was discussed, etc.

I'd go down the "I was and still am really anxious and stressed about the whole situation, in the heat of the moment I vented on Facebook but realised very quickly I was wrong and deleted the comments" route.

in most workplaces now, this type of thing is considered to be misconduct, if you're lucky you'll get away with a warning.

it's likely to have been a colleague (who you've considered a friend) who has dropped you in it. if you haven't done so already, delete all work colleagues and lock down your profile.