Historic bullying complaint?

[WorkComplaint]

Hi everyone,

I've changed my name as I've spoken about in real life to people and don't want it linked to my other posts.

I worked for an Irish Bank for approx 8 years, before leaving while on maternity leave. I decided not to go back because I absolutely hated the place and the way that staff were treated by both managent and customers.

I was bullied myself by a member of the management team which almost resulted in my dismissal due to an error caused by stress.
This same member of staff would often follow me around the office and watch me. He would report to the branch manager every time I left my desk and it was actually my manager who told me to watch my back as he was out to get me.
He repeatedly mocked my accent in front of both staff and customers.
When he was transferred and my manager also moved we got a new female manager who seemed to take an instant dislike to me and I had many issues with her too. I later found out that she was good friends with my bully and seemed to continue where he left off. She made very insensitive comments to me after I had a miscarriage on my first pregnancy and on my return to work put me straight into the safe where I had to do a lot of lifting of heavy coin etc.
She allowed me to be verbally abused by a customer when I had only done as she asked.
I have a lot more things I could mention but will leave it there.

I left in 2015 as I couldn't stand the thoughts of returning to a place like that while my baby went to a creche 5 days a week.

My question is, is it too late to make a complaint. I wish I had done so at the time. He still works there but she has since left.

I don't want anything for myself from it other that to get it off my chest but I would like his employment record to reflect that he was a bully.

Is it too late?

Where is the bank located?

I appreciate its Irish but is it in Ireland or a branch in say Scotland? I imagine different countries have different rules around the issues you are asking about.

I thought it was three years in Scotland incidentally but that may be rubbish.

Hopefully someone knowledgeable will be along soon now I’ve bumped for you.

Thanks @Elieza it's one of the major banks in the Republic

So sorry OP that sounds awful. What outcome would you like to achieve by submitting a complaint? If you know that then it will help work out your best plan of action.

Sorry I just reread your last sentence. In that case I think maybe writing it all out and sending to their HR department could be a good plan. I think you should take advice from ACAS first though.

*second to last sentence! Sorry writing in a hurry

Thanks @bluejelly do you think a HR department would take it seriously now after all this time when I have no specific dates for documentation purposes?

Ah OP, I often have thoughts about this. I had a female manager who was a bully. She didn't believe I"d had an ectopic pregnancy and asked to see my scar when I got back off sick leave, she was awful and eventually I left because I didn't want to work with her anymore.

In my experience HR is to protect the company, you have left and they will close ranks. You have to weigh up the costs of a possible court case with no evidence, stress against the outcome you want.

I think it would help them build a picture. Often HR teams know there is a problem with a bully but it's difficult to prove unless people speak up. I think there's no harm in writing it all down detailing times and dates where you can, along with any other witnesses. But I'm no expert - just a team leader - which is why I think ACAS could be useful (their advice is free)

You can make a complaint but if you want to take it to a employment tribunal then the time limits for raising it officially is 3 months less one day from when the incident happened. They are very strict on this.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I certainly don't want to take them to court. I think I kind of feel like I need to do it as had I done it when it was happening I might have saved someone else from him.

I will definitely consider typing something up. She has moved to some "family liason" type role in another organisation and I think if only they knew the things she did and did to me when I was pregnant.

Hey I'm in ROI and work in HR, you can send the letter and inform HR but without proof over 6 years later, and if you didn't raise anything at the time, it won't be investigated or logged on their employment record.

You may, and I mean may, have had a case at the time for construcive dismissal if you had raised it and nothing was done, so you had no choice to leave, or left and raised it within the 3 months, but not now I'm afraid.

I know it's hard to do, I've worked with some horrors that still haunt my dreams, but you need to find a way to move on. Send the letter if it gives you closure. But I would recommend that if you do, don't be expecting anything in response.

ACAS is UK, so you might be better talking to citizens advice.

Also just reading your second post. Do not send a letter to someone's new employer about their actions at another company.

@SnipSnipMrBurgess

Also just reading your second post. Do not send a letter to someone's new employer about their actions at another company.

Oh no I definitely wouldn't do this at all.

@SnipSnipMrBurgess

Hey I'm in ROI and work in HR, you can send the letter and inform HR but without proof over 6 years later, and if you didn't raise anything at the time, it won't be investigated or logged on their employment record.

You may, and I mean may, have had a case at the time for construcive dismissal if you had raised it and nothing was done, so you had no choice to leave, or left and raised it within the 3 months, but not now I'm afraid.

I know it's hard to do, I've worked with some horrors that still haunt my dreams, but you need to find a way to move on. Send the letter if it gives you closure. But I would recommend that if you do, don't be expecting anything in response.

Thanks so much for the information.

I will let it go I think. His profile pops up on LinkedIn all the time as someone I may know and want to connect with and each time I see him I feel physically sick.

I think you should let it go. You are out of time for anything external so the most you can expect is that there is an internal investigation, do you really want to get into that at this point?

I know it's often said on here and can seem trite but the best revenge is a life well lived I completely understand where you are coming from, this would eat me up too, but block them from anywhere you might see them and try to look forward as best you can.