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Original poster

Ex employee has emailed our COO saying I'm not fit for my role. Internal investigations involved.

41 replies

Knotnowdear · 06/10/2021 20:05

I'm having an absolute nightmare. I engaged a specialist firm to help with a large programme of work I'm responsible for. He was part of that engagement. After a few weeks I got reports of behavioural behaviour issues from the stream lead and reported it back into the firm after validating with another team member.

After another few weeks the behaviour hadn't improved so I raised it again with them with a view to coaching and they said immediately we'll pull him out (the engagement is worth a lot to them) and replace him, which effectively lost him his job.

Cue absolute mayhem. He started contacting everybody involved, screenshotting and recording messages. He emailed my boss, his boss and his boss (the COO) saying that I was mismanaging the programme, I was wrong, we were doing it wrong and that I didn't have the experience to do the role.

I got hauled in front of internal investigations to explain and justify myself and my role and behaviour. My boss, his boss and the CEO have all been involved, along with peers at the my bosses boss level to do independent adjudication. The investigation has been going on for several months now.

He pulled a SAR request under GDPR and so they pulled every single communication I made about him via Teams and Email.

So over several months, he's been able to make these allegations against me with impunity and I've had no right to reply. Predictably my org worked on 'what's best for the org'. I'm sure my reputation is irreparably damaged in a firm that I've only been with for 12 months. I took a pay cut with a bonus instead and I'm sure that's now trashed.

I've considered going legal re defamation (the internal investigation found me fit for the role) but he's so batshit (I think narcissism at play) I'm not sure I want to engage any further.

Any ideas? Do I just suck it up and deal with the loss of reputation and remuneration, or fight because these people shouldn't be able to do this with impunity?

OP posts:

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 06/10/2021 22:22

But you did get a chance to respond - you said you were hauled up to explain yourself?

Why is it taking so long for them to figure out he is behaving maliciously? We're you unprofessional about him in Teams chats?

Original poster

Knotnowdear · 06/10/2021 22:32

No, in all of my Teams communications over many months, the only thing that raised a red flag was me saying one time that I thought he was a narcissist.

In general the internal investigation was about me defending my position against his allegations, which were agreed to be unfounded.

OP posts:

flumpetto · 06/10/2021 22:38

I find this amazingly weird from your company. Why on earth are they pursuing this? You need to get legal advice and make clear that you will take action to protect your reputation.

If this happened at my organisation it would be shut down straightaway. The specialist company would want to deal internally to protect the reputation. My boss (who is our COO) would want to protect me.

Is there any reason that they want you out of the company??

HundredMilesAnHour · 06/10/2021 22:40

Wow, this is horrendous. Well done you for hanging in there.

Have you taken legal advice? I suspect there may be multiple legal issues here. Firstly, you need to make sure you get advice so that you know where you stand (given that your employer is looking after them, you need to look after you!) but also, surely he has massively breached confidentiality clauses in his contract with his ex-employer and has maybe exposed them to that risk too?? You don't get fired and then get away with screenshots and recordings, this is a massive breach. Has anyone looked at this?? If he was fired, how did he even have access to this stuff still???

Please get your own legal advice. You need to make sure you and your reputation are protected. I can recommend an excellent employment lawyer if you need one (partner in an employment law practice in the City so not cheap but he's amazing - PM if you need details)

Original poster

Knotnowdear · 06/10/2021 22:44

Absolutely not. I've turned around a major programme and I'm exceeding expectations.

This is just all about somebody who was let go - not by me - who is intent on causing maximum destruction and I was seeking advice on how best to manage that.

OP posts:

Whstdoyouthink · 06/10/2021 22:49

Wow how stressful, the chances are this isn’t the first time he has done this. Is he still employed by the firm he works for? Have your firm now concluded? You need to draw a line

These instances happen more that you Wil expect so I wouldn’t worry about reputation. The Christmas party season will soon be upon us and they’ll be loads of conduct issues that will overshadow this

Original poster

Knotnowdear · 06/10/2021 23:01

He has done this before and got money from it. I'm absolutely certain that this is the driver for this and my reputation is collateral damage.

OP posts:

HundredMilesAnHour · 06/10/2021 23:10

@Knotnowdear

He has done this before and got money from it. I'm absolutely certain that this is the driver for this and my reputation is collateral damage.

I'm sad to say this is no surprise but him getting away with it is just so very, very wrong.

I can't imagine how you're feeling. You must be incredibly strong to be still standing. I would be furious and feel so frustrated and powerless.

prh47bridge · 06/10/2021 23:16

As a previous poster said, you have had a right to reply when they investigated the allegations. It appears, from your posts, that your employer has investigated his allegations and decided they were unfounded. If that was their finding, why do you think your bonus is trashed and your reputation damaged?

PermanentTemporary · 06/10/2021 23:21

I would talk to an employment lawyer. I think you've been treated appallingly and I think you need to decide what you want out of this.

I do think it sounds as if this could pass, if you can hold on. But it sounds as if you desperately need someone who is unequivocally on your side and looking out for your interests.

How is your immediate team and other direct reports?

PlanDeRaccordement · 06/10/2021 23:23

Id let it go. He lost and you won. I have had similar happen and anything that could be interpreted as vengeful/payback would only worsen your reputation further.

WithMyEncyclopedia · 06/10/2021 23:33

I'm massively reaching here, but it reminds me of someone I encountered. Does his first name begin with R, by any chance?

Ozanj · 06/10/2021 23:33

My workplace would seek the defamation lawsuit themselves if they discovered it was malicious. I would ask your HR and legal teams at work what happens next and what your rights are.

Hoesbeforebroes · 06/10/2021 23:33

You have to admit, speculating that someone's a narcissist, in writing using traceable work apps wasn't very smart. With the benefit of hindsight.

But I'd take the fact that they are now handling it without involving you further as a positive sign, and if you are doing a great job otherwise there's no reason you can't recover from this and keep moving forward.

Original poster

Knotnowdear · 07/10/2021 20:19

Well, I got a bollocking from my boss and HR about the narcissist comment but not under formal disciplinary. It will impact my bonus because that's deemed as not living the right values. They've drawn a line under it and we're moving forwards.

I was so stressed about it all my GP offered to sign me off but in the end I've taken the feedback in good grace and will move on. The mitigating factor is that what I'm delivering is hugely successful.

I'm still angry that he was able to cause so much disruption but lessons learned. No point in going legal as internal investigations has deemed all of the allegations unfounded.

Thanks all for your advice.

OP posts:

blairresignationjam · 07/10/2021 20:34

This is madness. I am ex HR and we would never have entertained an ex-employee making contact like this to complain. Let alone began an investigation. Once you're out the door you are a nonentity to us.

ShagMeRiggins · 07/10/2021 20:41

I'm still angry that he was able to cause so much disruption but lessons learned. No point in going legal as internal investigations has deemed all of the allegations unfounded.

Get external legal advice anyway. Internal investigations are never disinterested, even if they found the allegations unfounded. You need the professional advice of someone wholly on your side, especially as you have suffered reputation all and financial damage.

xksismybestletter · 07/10/2021 20:41

I don't quite understand your op. It sounds like he raised some issues in a reasonably unprofessional way but it got looked into, you explained your side of it, you got some management advice on not writing down things you shouldn't and that is the end of it?

A complaint against you is never fun but you must have known it might come if you raised issues with someone more than once. Did you take cover on doing this by discussing it with your senior in advance so if there became an issue then they were already briefed?

He is entirely allowed to raise a SAR, that is the point of it?

I am sorry you took a pay cut to do the job, but your org is not going to care about that.

I am sympathetic, I hope it doesn't come across that I'm not but this is the sort of things that happen when the stakes are high and you have to manage a project /people

ShagMeRiggins · 07/10/2021 20:42

*reputational

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/10/2021 21:18

this is the sort of things that happen when the stakes are high and you have to manage a project /people

I don't agree with this. The OP and her firm is a client. A client unhappy with the behaviours of one of the staff supplied by a specialist firm. The OP complained twice. The specialist firm pulled him off the project and he ultimately lost his job with the specialist firm.

He targeted the OP in retaliation. She's been cleared of wrongdoing. But what the hell are the specialist firm doing? They should have dealt with this. He's their disgruntled ex-employee. It sounds like he's repeatedly breached confidentiality as well as bringing his ex-employer into disrepute. The specialist firm should be all over this. Instead it looks like all the focus has been on the OP, as a client staff member, having to defend herself. The whole mess is appalling. And none of this should be lying at the OP's doorstep. Calling him a narcissist is very mild indeed.

daisychain01 · 08/10/2021 06:00

You've called him an "ex-employee" but that's not correct from your title - your company didn't employ him. He is a contractor. Unclear how he "makes money" from this kind of stunt.

As you've only been employed by them for 1 year, your employment rights are limited to protection from discrimination (from Day 1) It isn't clear how you could prove that your employer acted the way they did because of a protected characteristic - sex, race, disability status etc, so unfortunately that isn't an avenue worth pursuing.

Personally if I was treated that way, with no support or confidence in me, there's no way I would want to stay with the company. If you have "exceeded expectation" it seems strange they haven't given you any protection or defence against this person's accusations and have done nothing to properly draw a line in the sand under it. It seems they are letting it hanging unresolved from your perspective, rather than you having reassurance that an injustice has been done and that they appreciate your significant contribution to their project.

Their behaviour over this situation isn't rational and would give me doubts in their business prospects if that's how they treat their staff.

JuneOsborne · 08/10/2021 06:14

I'd still get legal advice. What's on your HR record as a result of this? Will it affect references if you do leave.

If your company have drawn a line under it, the investigation is over, you've delivered the project and you have no further Comms with that man, you have 2 choices.

Stay or go.

If you stay, in a way, you're showing your determined side. You did no wrong, you've been vindicated, someone hell bent in causing destruction hasn't got the better of you. Your got for the role, you carry on with your role, head held high.

Or you leave, which may be better for you on a personal level. But, you're back to the question of a reference.

I'd ask for a meeting to close all of this out and decide where to go from there.

And forget that chap. People like want to get under your skin. The worst thing you can do from his perspective is ignore him. He wants a reaction. He got one from your company, he doesn't get to get one from you as an individual.

you must have been through the mill.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 08/10/2021 06:24

You need to separate the two issues:

The contractor- he’s an idiot who does things for his own ends. You’re probably right about his narcissism, but the key to dealing with these people is to ‘grey rock’.

The lack of support (and your ongoing feelings of a lack of support). This is serious. First of all, even if your company has policies meaning they must investigate, this should have been shut down earlier. Second, you clearly have no faith in their support, meaning that they themselves are unlikely to be ‘living their values’. You need to raise this, and soon. You need to raise how their actions made you feel, the fact that you feel wholly unsupported by them, and that it is causing you extreme stress and upset. You also need to seek to resolve it, or find a new job.

Companies that fail to support employees properly don’t change. Do you really want to be on tenterhooks forever waiting for the next one?

LivingLaVidaBabyShower · 08/10/2021 06:29

@daisychain01

You've called him an "ex-employee" but that's not correct from your title - your company didn't employ him. He is a contractor. Unclear how he "makes money" from this kind of stunt.

Their behaviour over this situation isn't rational and would give me doubts in their business prospects if that's how they treat their staff.

I came on to post pretty much this. I'd be appalled and stressed if my company treated me as you have been. Once i had 20 months under my belt id be interviewing with a view to exiting in 2 years

And i would not expend more energy on this guy. He sounds bananas.

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/10/2021 07:10

Companies that fail to support employees properly don’t change.

I can’t believe that your bonus has been impacted for not living by company values. It sounds as if the values only go one way - protecting the org.

Please don’t be beaten down. Rather take the personal experience and learning you get from being employed by the company and move on when it’s time.

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