Is there anything I can/should do? Someone has sent an anonymous letter to the HR Director about me

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I can completely prove the accusations are false.

I’m named in the letter as is my DH who works for the same company in a different location and function to me (we have been married longer than I have worked here, didn’t meet at work and apart from recommending me for this role 7 years ago I have progressed entirely through my own merit and hard work)

Last year the company restructured and made a lot of people at my pay grade redundant. I now work at 3 different locations instead of the 1 I worked in for 7 years so I have to stretch my days over all 3 sites. They are used to having 1 person per site.

I report directly to the senior management team (my DH is not one of them) and have received positive feedback from SMT throughout the location changes.

I booked annual leave for 2 weeks over Christmas and during this time someone has written to our HR director asking for clarification on my role, when to expect me at their site and accusing me of coming and going as I please and being able to do so because my DH is a senior manager.

I haven’t seen the letter. I was told about it by one of the SMT, he said their will be no investigation into the accusations by the HR Director as they believe its untrue and I’m not to worry about.

I’m worried about it!

A quick check of my laptop access by IT will prove I’m working more than my 40hr week plus my mileage forms. I have no idea why someone would send an anon letter instead of talking to me, one of the SMT or their own line manager.

Do I have a right to see the letter? I get the feeling I’m expected to just forget about it but I can’t. I work my arse off and someone not only thinks I’m just swanning about but also believes it’s because I happen to be married to one of many managers and we don’t even work together!

I don't think it's very professional that one of the members of the SMT told you about this letter/complaint especially if nothing was going to come from it. It sounds like it was going to be dealt with without having to concern/worry you. Which is exactly what it's done now!
Personally I would just leave it. Unfortunately you're aware of it which makes you feel uncomfortable but you probably weren't meant to know about it anyway!

Agree that it is EXTREMELY unprofessional - and probably a breach of confidence - by the person who told you about the letter. I would ask the HR director how the blabbermouth knew about the letter. It's not uncommon IME for HR to receive such calls and letters, and I'm not talking about whistleblowing here.

No, I don't think you have the right to see it. If it's not true just ignore it. Do the different sites know when you are next going to be in via an online diary/work system, if so make sure everyone knows how to use it!

He was told to tell me and it was quite obvious the call was about me as I was in the office and could hear the HR person on the other end of the phone.

How am I going to go back on site knowing someone felt so strongly about how I carry out my role to write to the hr Director, everyone is a suspect now, I just can’t help how I feel.

Well it sounds like you have the support of the SMT which is great. But my question now would be what are they going to do to address this? I’d want some visible show of support rather than it being ignored. I know it’s an anonymous letter but they can go and talk to the managers in each location and they don’t even need to talk about you, but an “I’m disappointed”-type chat about anonymous allegations (which, by the way, are completely false) have been made and this is not the way we work here, disappointed by this etc etc, any issues should be raised face to face.

I wouldn’t want to see the letter btw, it would make it more “real” to me and would upset me even further.

I think when you return, you should suggest to your immediate managers on all three sites that you set up. google calendars each so of the most can see what you're up to during the working day. That way, whoever has written this letter might keep their nose out of your business in future!

Can you do a subject access request? I think you are entitled to all information about you. Not sure if this letter would fall into this category but maybe do some research to find out.

I agree with others, I work in HR and we do quite often get these nasty little missives with trivial, unsubstantiated complaints of this nature, always anonymous of course! I really don't understand the mentality of someone writing anonymously to HR in that situation, what do they think is going to happen, we'll go 'ah yes so-and-so has been taking an extra 5 minutes on their lunchbreak and not washing up their mug properly, we must sack them forthwith'?? Even if it was a serious allegation, without a named witness to the 'incident' it's pretty hard to investigate properly...

I understand the desire to see the letter but I wouldn't push for it TBH, so long as no action is being taken and it's effectively being put in the bin it's only going to wind you up more. I would focus on requesting some show of public support from the SMT plus a clarification to those that need it of where you'll be when, to avoid any future 'swanning around' allegations? I'm with you on this front, I work in a multi-site organisation that previously (until about 5 years ago) had its own on-site HR at every office, major cut backs since then mean it's just not possible and actually not really necessary to have someone there full time so we all travel around as and where we are needed (working pretty hard actually, more so than in the days where we had the luxury of one person per site!), but if I had a doughnut for every time someone's said to me or a member of my team 'oh you lot are part-timers', 'you never want to come and see us anymore', 'we don't have any HR support' etc etc I'd be even fatter than I am! Sometimes you just have to be a bit thick skinned about these things...

I sent my January diary to the SMT before Christmas, I don’t think it’s any of them. if it’s someone in admin or reception etc I’ve never sent my diary out to all on site as they don’t need that information. Apart from requesting some stationery here and there my role has no direct interaction.

I do want to read the letter after all it is about me and could potentially damage my working reputation especially now my name has been flagged to the HR Director, how is that fair?

I'm sorry this happened to you. Organisational change can bring out the worst in people. If the letter was anonymous then no one will take it seriously. If the person put their name to it, then HR or their manager should be having a conversation with them about it.

I retract my earlier advice. @maxelly has given you the perfect response. Maybe give it a few weeks and see if you still feel the same way about the letter.

As for going back to that site, you need to take a deep breath and go back in with a big smile and a confident air. Probably no-one knows about the letter or cares about your working hours anyway except Poison Pen and they are going to feel pretty silly when they realise their letter has had the exact opposite of what they wanted (ie it has brought your hard work and good performance more to the attention of SMT, not got you into trouble). Try and view it as an opportunity to show how professional and unflappable you are compared to Poison Pen who has got themselves into a flap about something utterly trivial.

Do NOT start to apologise or explain yourself if you need to arrive and leave at odd times etc., even if you were 'swanning off' that would be no business or concern of their's, you know you do a damn good job as does your manager, and that is all that matters, not whether you work or 20 or 30 or 40 or 100 hour week. IMO the people that get hung up on start and finish times (particularly of other people!) is probably self-conscious about their own performance. You don't need to be worried about anything .

I can guarantee you that the HR Director does not think badly of you because of the letter. If they care at all (and most HR directors have far more to worry about than silly anonymous letters, ours usually chucks them at the nearest passing person and says 'sort this out' by which she means chuck in the shredder), they will be more worried that they have a nasty, unhinged person at that site than anything to do with you. Try not to worry, I know it's easier said than done...

Maxelly thank you so much.

My head was wobbling and you have set me straight. I was focusing on the letter and the sender, I don’t actually need to worry, I’m doing nothing wrong, the exact opposite in fact.

I’ll follow your advise, I’ll also let go of seeing the letter and move forward. I do have SMT support and we can take the opportunity to eat all know that.

Thank you!

You are welcome, everyone has a head wobble sometimes! Best of luck

I'm interested to know why you don't have an open diary, albeit with confidential appointments not shared. Even very senior people in our organisation state which site they are on and often what train they will be on. In our team we have staff on three sites, if I want to discuss something it makes sense to check their diary and put a slot in when they will be on my site or vice versa.

We do and it’s shared with those that need to know, it’s not sent to the Accounting, payroll and admin team because my role has no direct link to them.

The letter could have easily been written by someone who doesn’t have access to company email. I have no idea who sent it.