Oversensitive?

[GreenGoose21]

Hopefully this is a simple yes or no question.

Is it appropriate for a manager making an OH referral to express their opinion on what an employee is thinking or how they are behaving - given that the OH referral will go onto the employee's file and the manager's opinion is completely subjective?

My (bully IMO) manager has made an OH referral for me which states that I have been acting aggressively towards him (I haven't), and that I have made accusations about his behaviour/motives which aren't true. (Says who?).

I don't think he has the right to do this, and I think he's just getting his views down in writing because he thinks I'm going to make a complaint about his behaviour to HR and he wants 'evidence' to prove I'm a bad employee.

Am I just being oversensitive? I know that OH reports are confidential, but the referral isn't and I don't want it on my file.

Well, if he's giving examples of behaviour which are relevant to the reason for the OH referral in the first place, that might be appropriate.

if you're concerned about his opinion on your behaviour being on your file, well what's to stop him making a note for your file at any point, with or without your knowledge? He doesn't need an OH referral to do that.

If you wants to discipline you or something, you have the right to defend yourself, and similarly you have the right to put in a grievance about him if you want to. But he will be allowed right of reply to that anyway.

So I guess in terms of his comments on the OH referral, is it relevant to the medical condition you are being referred for?

No you're not being oversensitive. I had EXACTLY this issue with my ex (bully with brass knobs on) manager in the NHS, who had a history of getting in first with complaints about me and my "behaviour" as she knew full well I was in the initial stages of a grievance against her.

At the OH meeting make it quite clear that you take issue with what has been written about you and that in your opinion it is subjective, unfair and has no basis in fact - where is your manager's evidence for his assertions? He can't simply say you have been aggressive towards him without giving dates/times/examples/witnesses - otherwise it's just subjective opinion.

The key words are "subjective" and "evidence". My ex-manager couldn't deal with having to give objective evidence for her complaints - because there was't any! Insist that the OH person makes a note of your concerns in writing for the formal record. Then if there are any further proceedings (grievance/disciplinary) YOU have some evidence of your own.

Flowery - the OH referral is for stress. The stress is because my boss is a bully (IMO)...but obviously he's not going to write that. I think he wants to paint me as a bit of a nutjob. Dropping little bits of 'evidence' into my file seems like a really deliberate move.

Ratherbe - thank you, that's a good idea. Manager can't provide evidence - he's saying I was behaving aggressively towards him in a private supervision meeting, but that's totally unfair. I was upset, and I was frustrated by the way he treats me - and trying to defend myself in the face of accusations - but the way its written doesn't reflect any of that.

I've worked at my company for 15 years and I've never had a single blemish on my reputation so I really hate, hate, hate the thought of this being in my file.