Inappropriate behaviour by managers

[Lucy310381]

Hello, I have a problem which I just don’t feel right with so I thought I would ask your opinion if you think what has happened is right.

I have recently undergone a gynaecological procedure which required me to have a few weeks off work for recovery. I told my employer this was a personal matter and I did not want to discuss it with them and would like to speak to occupational health instead. When I spoke to occupational health they agreed I did not need to disclose the full details of my operation and all that mattered was that they knew when k was coming back and that it did not affect my ability to do my job which was clear and concise in their report.

Unfortunately I had to do a back to work interview with two male managers and even though I had said I wanted to keep the finer details private they both grilled me about it. They asked me very personal questions about my operation and tried to lead me to tell them what I had undergone! I felt so uncomfortable and embarrassed and I found the meeting totally undignified!

Do you think that this should of happened? Is this normal?

Thanks

Could you have stopped the interview? Then rang occupational health for advice? Why not ring them tomorrow and ask them?

What did they ask?

Did you just respond saying you had an operation and that you would or would not require xyz ongoing support

I wouldn't have answered any personal questions

I have spoken to occupational health since and they have told me that should not have happened!

I just felt pressured by their questions and only told them what was in the report but they still kept badgering me for answers. I just felt so uncomfortable

They asked me to explain what my operation was and to explain why infections were mentioned in my report

The fact that they were 2 men, putting you under severe duress to divulge intimate medical information of a gynae nature is enough to be classed as harassment under Equality Act (2010).

I would lodge a formal grievance against the 2 managers, citing the law, the exact facts, including how they made you feel* and get them cautioned or even better, dismissed. It's disgraceful.

• Manager A and B questioned me during my back to work interview about my intimate gynae procedure, despite me being very clear with Occ Health and them, that I was only willing to provide basic general information about the medical circumstances. They failed to honour my request, putting me under extreme duress, with their persistent, detailed and intrusive questioning, which had no relevance to the back to work interview, to establish whether I was fit to do my job. They made me feel frightened, humiliated and fearful that I might lose my job

You should find your Grievance will set the hares running in HR, they will take it very seriously as it has all the hallmarks of a Discrimination claim at Tribunal.

I did try to raise it an unofficial capacity but my supervisor just brushed it under the carpet and said my comments were very “loose”!

This has made me feel even worse about it

Agree with daisychain01. You need to raise a formal grievance.

I am going to do just that but I suspect it will brushed under the carpet to protect the managers :(

Why on earth did two managers interview you? I'd also raise a grievance, I can't believe two were there and they were hectoring you

There is something very wrong with that work culture. It sounds like 2 men ganged up on you after an intimate female operation. I think that is bullying and harassment. It's common knowledge that a 'women's operation' is nobody else's business.

Sorry I should clarify. One of the managers was the principle HR partner for my employer which is even more disturbing to think they deemed it ok