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Thinking of resigning

10 replies

Clairec2018 · 02/08/2018 03:23

Would like help with this if someone could contact me. I've went 3 times to my overall director to verbally raise concerns and asked to be transferred after being bullied by my new manager on a daily basis.
This manager has bullied me from day one, and my overall director verbally stated he was aware she was bullying me.
He also mentioned the way she was given the job as my manager was "poorly handled" as she had no experience or qualifications.
The first time i mentioned it as a concern was feb 18 after she had been employed as my manager in July 2017 and as I felt i couldn't cope anymore. I then again brokedown to my director in april 18 after she humiliated me in front of customers, then may 18 when she did it in front of staff.
Despite promises of it being sorted by the director, nothing was ever done about it.

My doc signed me off on sick leave at the end of June as I was at my wits end and my health was suffering rapidly.
I then emailed my director formally asking for a transfer due to the ongoing situation.
He replied a few days later saying he was taking it as a formal grievance.
I replied and said I never wanted to go down the grievance route, I just wanted a transfer to a different department as previously asked for.
He replied back saying not to worry and it was just a chat, but I was to attend the meeting with reasons why I wanted a transfer and to provide evidence.
The night before the meeting was to take place I forwarded him a letter with my reasons for requsting a transfer. This was produced the form of a time scale of all the issues I faced, and of which he was aware off, I also included hard evidence of bullying from her and my current medical state.
He postponed the meeting 2 hours before i was due to attend, and said it was down to the content of my evidence but said he would get back to me that day.
I've now been waiting on a reply for 8 days.
I am considering resigning and going down constructive dismissal route as all my attempts to resolve the issue have been ignored and it's literally ruining my life. I have no faith in my employer to look after me or adress my transfer request or the formal grievance he insisted on, but I didn't ask for.
If anyone can help me, I would be very grateful ! I have always loved my job and would go back in a heartbeat if I was moved away from the girl who has caused me so much heartache. But they have yet to offer me anything, and the meeting they set up was withdrawn with no further contact.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, my self esteem is on the floor.

OP posts:
Zommum · 02/08/2018 03:52

I'm not in the UK, but is there an organisation that can help? Or maybe contact a solicitor and find out your rights before resigning. They might be able to support you. It might make it difficult to stay though.

whiskeysourpuss · 02/08/2018 04:17

Contact ACAS for advice. You would need to contact them before raising a constructive dismissal claim anyway.

daisychain01 · 02/08/2018 04:46

Being bullied by your manager is frightening and unpleasant, but I need to highlight that technically bullying is not illegal in UK. That does not mean that you should not take action.

If you have 2+years' employment service with the same employer, you need to formally lodge a grievance, in writing, outlining events, timescales, specifics of your manager's behaviours and that despite suffering ill health from these circumstances, you want to continue your employment with them, but to eliminate the detrimental effects of the stress caused, and to enable you to function in a safe and healthy environment, you wish to be considered for an immediate transfer to a different function. If you use those word, it could signal to them that you've consulted a solicitor and they are indirectly referring to the rights under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which nowadays increasingly incorporates obligation by the employer towards safeguarding the employee on welfare matters such as the negative effects of bullying which have become alarmingly common, due to lack of action, probably because technically bullying isn't illegal per se

If you have x years' history of positive end of year appraisals, awards, positive feedback from internal staff or customers mention this in your grievance, to show tangible evidence of your performance. If the only person being negative towards you is this manager then it calls into question their bad character.

You need to have fully exhausted all internal routes to resolving this matter ie via your company's grievance + anti-bullying/harassment policy, before being able to instigate a Tribunal Claim. I would highlight here that Constructive Dismissal is a technically challenging and expensive claim to pursue with limited precedent of success, and in your current stressful condition, you would be advised to try to resolve through the formal grievance route rather than Tribunal, to get them to take you more seriously.

By you saying you didn't want to 'go formal' could have signalled you were not serious and they've chosen to bury their heads in the sand rather than deal with it. It's a very common response, ignore and hope it goes away.

If you have worked there less than 2 years, your rights are very restricted unless you can prove discrimination which doesn't sound relevant here. It would be better for your health to find a new job.

Clairec2018 · 02/08/2018 16:47

Hi
Many thanks for your responses, I have been employed here for over 6 years and I have always worked well with everyone and helped out in every department.
My appraisals and job reviews have always been excellent, and there has never been any cause for concern.
When I verbally spoke to my Director back in February about how my manager was treating me he did say he thought she may have felt jealous by my standing within the company, and felt threatened by her lack of experience.
I would like to email my director today and ask for an update on my transfer request made back in June, using the wording Daisychain01 has suggested.
My initial email stated that: Following our recent conversations regarding issues within the section, please accept this email as a formal request to transfer to another department.
These issues have caused me a great deal of stress and anxiety. I feel It would be better for my health and well being, and would facilitate my return to work if this could be accommodated.
I then suggested other areas in the company in which I knew they were short staffed in, and I had previously helped out before to fulfil my contract.
Obviously I dont want to repeat myself, but I believe Daisychain01 statement may be effective.
Should I follow it up with asking who I report my grievance to, as they have yet to follow through with the one they suggested?
I also attended my GP this morning and was very honest as to how this has made me feel, and worrying about it daily has ate into my time off work.
She has put me on antidepressants which Ive never had to take before in my life.
I feel I should be trying to use my time off to recover, but having this hanging over me is having the opposite effect.
Hence why i thought I should just resign, but I do still love my company.
Thanks again for all your help.

OP posts:
daisychain01 · 03/08/2018 05:53

Should I follow it up with asking who I report my grievance to, as they have yet to follow through with the one they suggested?

Sounds like you have already made a good start with your initial letter, which may not have made it clear that it was a formal grievance (even though it could not be more clear that it was!). Your next email/letter could start by saying you have been given not alternative but to formalise your grievance (if possible refer to the company's grievance policy, they need to know that's what it's there for!) so it is explicit.

As regards asking them who to address it to, as you've already had interactions with you director, just send it to them as they can be proxy- HR if your company doesn't have an HR dept. Don't ask them the question, as it will be another opportunity to kick it into the long grass and not respond.

Elbows out on this one, keep up the momentum, they are letting you down by trying not to rock the boat.

Clairec2018 · 03/08/2018 15:03

Thank you Daisychain01
I have sent an email today. Hopefully I will hear something soon!

OP posts:
daisychain01 · 03/08/2018 16:50

Good luck I do hope if nothing else it's cathartic to tell them they can't just keep ignoring you and hope you go away. They sound awful. Can you think longer term about moving employers. They probably won't change ....

Clairec2018 · 03/08/2018 17:39

Thank you
I have other options available to me that will tide me over until I find something else, so I wont be jobless if I resign.
I have put so much into my current role, and saw it as position I would work in until retirement.
The way they have handled the whole scenario is abysmal, and I would like to see what they come back with, its the only thing stopping me from walking away right now.
However I have no faith in them anymore so may also be hard to stick around after this.
Ill keep you posted, and thanks again for all your help.
Enjoy your weekend.

OP posts:
Fannybaws52 · 03/08/2018 17:45

Don't resign. Raise a formal grievance next. If you resign, she wins. The grievance forces them to deal with the problem and then if you feel like it, you can move on. Stay strong a bit longer and fight back. 6 years service buys you rights and you may be able to take this to a tribunal if they continue to fail you.

daisychain01 · 04/08/2018 16:43

If nothing else if you can force them towards a formal internal investigation it will give this dreadful manager serious shit and probably be on their employment record. You may still decide to resign but sounds like you have evidence to stand your ground. Thry don't deserve the Easy ride of you just resigning but do t become the sacrificial lamb Take it only as far as you are willing to so it doesn't affect your health

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