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Original poster

Suspension

76 replies

whatwillhappenif · 01/12/2024 10:37

A well liked colleague at work has been suspended, and it has really upset us all as they were close friends and we feel it was unfair and just based on the fact his new manager does not like him.

The problem is that we have all been asked not to contact him in an official email from HR.

A few of us have been in contact outside work with him to offer moral support, and we have put a joint grievance in against the manager who suspended him.

My worry is that we may get in trouble for being in contact with him due to the email we initially received about not having contact as the grievance we submitted has been handed over to an external legal team.

Will we get in trouble for contact outside work with him, and what will happen to us if this is discovered which I'm worried it will be, as I stupidly sent a linkedin request to him which I later found out was linked to his work email which I'm guessing the new manager has access to. I havent asked the new manager if he has seen this for obvious reasons and he hasnt mentioned it to me, so I'm hoping he's missed it or it didn't go through to the work email after all.

OP posts:
shuffleofftobuffalo · 01/12/2024 14:20

Generally the best thing to do in these situations is not get involved. Putting in a joint grievance sounds ridiculous tbh - is your grievance that this manager caused the suspension of your colleague?

There's usually more to the story than people will readily tell you, my general principle is never let someone else sleepwalk you into trouble - unfortunately it sounds like that's exactly what you're doing.

If you were told not to contact him you shouldn't have contacted him. It's actually quite hard to get suspended from work, the misconduct has to be pretty bad for them to not want you there at all while the issue is resolved. The only times I've know it have been where the misconduct alleged was extremely serious eg there was one recently where the person was accused of handling child porn.

CherryHinton · 01/12/2024 14:31

Your collective grievance is a waste of time - they will rightly not share the details of his suspension with you. If he thinks it is a personal vendetta against him, and he needs to raise that, and you can all be interviewed as witnesses if you have something relevant to say.

Original poster
whatwillhappenif · 01/12/2024 16:32

The grievance is against his manager and HR as they have teamed up together to suspend him.

Does anyone know if we can we get in trouble if they find out we've contacted him while he is suspended, and what can happen to us?

OP posts:
Calmhappyandhealthy · 01/12/2024 16:48

The suspended colleague will be in breach of their suspension which will not be good for them

secretbumworms · 01/12/2024 16:50

Why are you all getting involved when you've been told not to? You're causing him more issue, not less.

Original poster
whatwillhappenif · 01/12/2024 16:51

We didn't want to get him in trouble. We just wanted to support him and now I have a feeling that him and us will all get in serious trouble if they find out.

OP posts:
secretbumworms · 01/12/2024 16:52

I mean, if you've all submitted a joint grievance then you're kind of entangling yourself anyway.

Calmhappyandhealthy · 01/12/2024 16:53

whatwillhappenif · 01/12/2024 16:51

We didn't want to get him in trouble. We just wanted to support him and now I have a feeling that him and us will all get in serious trouble if they find out.

I'd say so, yes.

Harassedevictee · 01/12/2024 16:56

@whatwillhappenif do not make any more attempts to contact your colleague. You have had a direct instruction from your employer. You are playing with fire.

I can tell you now that it is very likely you do not know all of the facts. GDPR means no one should be telling you what is going on. Your colleague and their manager are both entitled to confidentiality. Trying to interfere in an investigation is unprofessional and likely to be a disciplinary offence.

If, and only if, the manager has acted unprofessionally or breached policy in relation to you, or you have witnessed them behaving unprofessionally or breaching policy can you submit a grievance. Make sure you have a timeline and documented evidence that you include in the grievance.

Kitkat1523 · 01/12/2024 16:56

Keep out of it…..he’s a colleague …..they come, they go….not worth getting in trouble for

Panickingnowhelp · 02/12/2024 20:30

I dont see how a workplace can stipulate who employees can have contact with outside of work however I think anyone can see why it isn't wise to get involved in the suspension side of things.
I wouldn't be interfering with this I would let the process run its course, as others have mentioned - its likely you don't have all the facts. This doesn't mean you can't support your friend but this needs to be separated from the workplace.

healthybychristmas · 02/12/2024 20:43

I would tell him that I wanted to stay friends but until it was all sorted out I wouldn't be able to have any contact. I wouldn't risk losing my own job over this.

HermioneWeasley · 02/12/2024 20:47

You have deliberately ignored an instruction from management so yes you could face disciplinary action.

i don’t know what you’re trying to achieve

Hoppinggreen · 02/12/2024 20:51

You are not helping him or yourselves.
Keep out of it

Kinneddar · 02/12/2024 21:04

You submitted a grievance?? Wow. Talk about over stepping the mark. It's none of your business.

Contacting him against HRs advice is another seriously bad move.

You're all over involved and over invested. at this rate he'll not be the only one suspended

Onthesideofthespiders · 02/12/2024 21:07

Does your grievance even hold any water? What’s the complaint? That they’ve followed company policy to suspend an employee (and you don’t have all the information for why because you’re not entitled to that)?

If they’ve broken the law or treated him unfairly then his employment lawyer will help
with that. But you contacting him, which will breach his suspension rules, is going to make it worse.

Schoolchoicesucks · 02/12/2024 21:43

Rescind the linkedin invitation if it hasn't already been accepted.

I don't think your employer can ban you from being in contact with another person socially. If you are discussing work-related things, or the suspension or grievance then that may breach policy and potentially be grounds for disciplinary but "being in touch" isn't within their remit.

What is the basis of your joint grievance? You are probably not in possession of all the relevant information about the circumstances of your friend's suspension. Has the same manager acted to wrong you (all)?

CrazyAndSagittarius · 02/12/2024 22:14

It would really piss me off to be told by an employer who I can and cannot speak to outside of work. They are overstepping their boundaries massively. If I was going to raise a grievance it would be about this. You can't get involved in someone else's suspension, but had I been a friend of this person I would also have contacted them to offer moral support, an employer does not get to tell me what to do in my own time.

HelpMeGetThrough · 02/12/2024 22:36

whatwillhappenif · 01/12/2024 16:51

We didn't want to get him in trouble. We just wanted to support him and now I have a feeling that him and us will all get in serious trouble if they find out.

Well if they find out, you've probably well and truly stamped your card with them.

He's nothing more than a colleague, so not worth risking your livelihood over.

TY78910 · 02/12/2024 22:53

Panickingnowhelp · 02/12/2024 20:30

I dont see how a workplace can stipulate who employees can have contact with outside of work however I think anyone can see why it isn't wise to get involved in the suspension side of things.
I wouldn't be interfering with this I would let the process run its course, as others have mentioned - its likely you don't have all the facts. This doesn't mean you can't support your friend but this needs to be separated from the workplace.

Exactly my thoughts. They've probably said don't contact him regarding ongoing investigation / about things business related as it's a conflict of interest. They cannot dictate whether you are friends outside of work.

ItTook9Years · 02/12/2024 23:08

I’ve been in senior HR for over 20 years and I’ve never heard anything like this. What on earth possessed you to ignore a management instruction? Yes, you could all get into trouble. Why ever did you think this was a good idea? In technical terms, your colleague’s suspension is absolutely FUCK ALL to do with you.

ItTook9Years · 02/12/2024 23:19

Oh, and suspension is taken extremely seriously by HR people. I’ve no idea why you think they’ve “teamed up”, but unless you’re qualified in this area - and I strongly suspect you aren’t - your opinion is irrelevant and you could indeed have action taken against you.

Redwinedaze · 02/12/2024 23:22

Speak with Acas @whatwillhappenif they should be able to give some guidance.

skilpadde · 02/12/2024 23:24

The problem is that we have all been asked not to contact him in an official email from HR.

A few of us have been in contact outside work with him to offer moral support, and we have put a joint grievance in against the manager who suspended him.

Suspension is not undertaken lightly, and to be frank you have absolutely no idea why he has been suspended. The manager and HR won't have gone down that route because they thought it'd be a fun jape, or because they've got it in for your colleague.

You were told not to contact him, yet you have and on top of that you've raised a grievance??

It's really a bit late now to be worrying that you've done the wrong thing.

StormingNorman · 02/12/2024 23:25

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