Suspension lifted, now what?

[PinkFlOId]

I secured a new job following a difficult time in personal life, felt a job change would help. Same massive company but completely different department, different area and slightly different role.

Within days of starting I disclosed something to my manager and as a result I was then suspended.

It was a civil matter going through the courts, not criminal, I did not need to disclose but am not great at deceit.

The suspension lasted 5 months. They have now decided that I have done nothing wrong, that I did not need to disclose the matter and can now return to work. I don't understand why it took so long. Why I was suspended in the first place or how I can just return to this new place now as if nothing happened.

I have been signed off by my GP with stress, it has been a very worrying and horrid time.
I am reluctant to return but it would be so irresponsible to leave a job without another to go to.
How would I even get a new job and explain the last 6 months?

Has anyone been in a situation like this?
It is causing so much worry for me.

I would discuss compensation with HR and your union and also a move to a different department to avoid further gossip.

Go back with your head held high. You’ve done nothing wrong.

Agree. Once you’ve got day 1 over and done with getting back into a routine of work may help. A suspension at my work would take ages no doubt to sort out too, I’m not sure why these things take so long

I'm not in a union and not sure how I'd even start the conversation with HR.
I feel like I'd like to move away but can't imagine what it would look like to future employers and worry what any reference may look like, they can't say 'she seemed okay but only worked here a bit before we suspended her and then she was sick' and a future company think Bingo, we've found a solid member of staff here.

I don't know if they would go through what any sort of reference would say if I leave but don't feel brave enough to approach that conversation with HR just yet.
Currently nobody is doing my role and I'm being paid though so sure they'd be glad to get rid of me.
It's just how I get another job and explain it all without lying or sounding like a basket case.

I agree with @andfinallyhereweare.

I don’t understand why you were signed off sick while you were suspended?

In your shoes I would ask HR and your manager for a return to work chat and iron out all the things making you uncomfortable. When you have an agreement on how they will all be handled, get back into the office.

I bet nobody is half as interested in this as you think. It’ll be news for half an hour max after you walk in and then everyone will move onto the usual weekend plans, annoying clients, what to have for dinner type chat.

I wasn't signed off while suspended.

My GP has signed me off now as my mental health has nose dived due in a large part to the months and months of not knowing if I would be sacked and then worrying how I'd support my family.

I'm still very worried about that. It keeps me up at night and I'm quite depressed and anxious.

Has anyone managed to get a new job after being suspended for months and if so how on earth did you explain the long suspension?

I can't think of anyway to briefly explain it on job applications or in interviews without a potential new employer thinking that

1. there's no smoke without fire
2. this employee would bring drama
3. this clearly has affected her state of mind, she's not fit to work for us

Get HR to phase you back in, this seriously is no biggie, to anyone else. They have made the mistake here, go back in with your head held high.

Ask for a referral to occupational health and discuss a return to work plan. This might include a phased return, an internal move or another way of getting you back while looking after your MH.

I appreciate that the trust is probably gone but you should at least try for your own sake. You did nothing wrong.

I agree with a previous poster, people will be less bothered/interested than you think. You don't owe anyone an explanation. If you do apply for other jobs you don't have to mention it at all.

If you do decide to go, working as a temp for agencies like Brook Street or Ambitions Personnel is an option. You can tell them what happened and they can advise you on what to put on your CV and what to say in interviews.

You don’t mention the suspension unless specifically asked, and then you tell them the investigation found in your favour but you chose not to return to work with people who doubted your integrity and professionalism.

This

Just go back. 99% of people won’t know about it and the few that do will hopefully be feeling embarrassed that there was such an over reaction. If you worked there so briefly you are unlikely to get much sick pay. I bet the thought of going back will be worse than actually going back.

That's a really good response @StormingNorman just what I was looking for but couldn't find the words.

I'm not shy about going back as far as colleagues are concerned. I didn't get to know them nor them me, if anything what has happened could almost be like an ice breaker. I'm very open and have no problems with talking about what happened if asked.

I do get sick pay and have been with the company for a decade. That's one of the reasons why I'm in such a quandary.

Given the chance my ideal would be to return to the old department but I know that isn't possible.

I have a lack of trust in the new manager.

It felt like the information I gave them was treated as far more dramatic than it actually was.
During the investigation meeting the conversation was twisted to sound like I was reluctantly disclosing and some spin had been put on the situation.

There were comments that the manager had made which, if you didn't know me or the role would make you think I was completely unprofessional and incompetent. That's not a person I can respect. I'm going to struggle to work under them now.

It sounds as if there is a personality clash with you and the manager. Less diplomatically, what a bitch!

misrepresenting your discussions and work are huge red flags for your future relationship. Is there an option to move to another team?

Alternatively speak to HR or your manager’s manager to address that the false allegations have had an impact on you and your relationship and you possibly need mediation with your manager to understand her motivations and agree a way forward. Your manager will throw a shit fit…good. But you are being professional while playing the game.

Even if you do decide to leave, this will buy you some time. If you decide to stay, it reframes the power dynamic between you, manager and HR and protects you a bit.

Op, asked to be moved to a new role in the company?

Why would you need to mention this suspension at all to potential new employers? You have been completely exonerated so there is no disciplinary black mark on your record. Your employer should not make any reference to it in a reference for this reason. If they did they would lay themselves open to legal action.

I would speak to HR and make absolutely sure that there is no disciplinary mark on your record. There shouldn't be but best to be absolutely sure. Insist they remove any inaccurate records with the threat of tribunal action if needs be. Then if you are up to it speak to occ health about the plan to get you back to work in a way that protects your mental health.

You don’t need to mention the suspension to a new employer. Same as you wouldn’t have any obligation to tell them you’d spent x years taking maternity leave over the course of your career.

The suspension shouldn’t be mentioned in a reference either.

Ask for an Occ Health referral to discuss your return to work. In the meantime, search for a new job.

I can relate to your case. I was suspended over the phone by my manager on a friday eveing. It took three weeks before I was able to give myside of the story. It then happened the person who took my story, had left the job. This whole time my HM did not tell me or call to check in on my. I took it up higher and they were very suprice that this case was going on and for this long. To make a long story short, I have my job back, and I have been put on phase return. Also due to my suspension, there are more investigation going on with what I had disclosed in thw work place. I will be meeting my HM and I know he does not care for me and he twist things that are said. I will be demaning that the suspension be removed from my file, if not I will be taking it up to ACAS. I'm going to go with my head help hight, and say I fought the law, and I won. Stay strong, and be brave.

If you do apply for a new job you don't need to tell them anything. You were employed during that time and it is unlikely to be part of any reference most companies these days just doin 'tombstone' references. I'd go back and see if you can get over it, if not nothing to stop you applying elswhere and just saying the new job wasn't as portrayed/wasn't a fit etc.

It will be hard to start any job. Going back to an organisation you know well, even for a short time, should help you rebuild your confidence as you return to work.

As a pp suggested, a phased return may help. You should have accrued annual leave so use some of that to ease you back in.

I also agree asking for a move of team, directorate etc. may help.