Bullying at work - Advice needed please...

[AttillaTheHan]

A friend of mine has been bullied at work by her manager for a few months now. She finally decided to put in a formal complaint while her manager was on holiday. The area manager took her complaint seriously and they have already got witness statements from other members of staff.

The manager got back to work today the action taken by area manager was;
the manager gets interviewed next monday,
my friend was left to work under this manager with no attempt made to make work 'safe' for her. Area manager left them to it with the words of advice "it will be awkward for a bit but it should get better".
My friend feels totally unsupported by her work and subsequently went to the gp on the way home and has now been signed off work sick due to stress.
However she does not get paid sick leave.

What are her rights? Should her work provide safer work arrangements for her in the circumstances? Should they pay for her leave if the situation is untenable at work?

Please help if you know employment law or have any good advice..

I have advised her to speak to CAB.

TIA

Oh, also would she have needed to be part of a union for some time befre asking for support from them?

Bump

I'm in a similar boat though I AM being paid whilst off with work-related stress, and also, HR are being kind and supportive to me (I am also pregnant, so I think they may be being extra careful). I believe she would need to have been a union-member to get help from them, yes - it is worth her asking her respective union if they might take her if she pays a certain amount of back-payment. They may, they may not. Unfair to the union members who've been paying subs for years if they take her straight away.
Think the CAB sounds like a good bet to start with though. Sorry not to be much more help. Hope she gets it sorted.

Different unions have different policies on how long you have to be a member before they'll represent you or give you legal advice. Some will take you on straight away. It's worth her asking the relevant union.
It doesn't seem right that she should lose out on pay because her manager is making it too difficult for her to come into work.

Guys you have to look at it from both sides here.

if they have witness statements and have said they'll interview him then that is what they will do. They can't just suspend him unless its for gross misconduct and doing this could be seen to be grounds for constructive dismissal. They have to follow a process and procedures.

Your friend has a safe work environment. She might not be able to deal with conflict but that does not constitute her not having a safe working environment.

In her position they'll argue her position is tenable and she should come in - in any case they'll follow standard sick pay. She will be entitled to sick pay but after 3 days I think SSP kicks in.

Hi

I have to say I was put through a fairly horrendous ordeal last year whilst pregnant. I was put on a disciplinary for gross misconduct ( completely unfounded!). In my case the union did take me on - but with partial support. That said a good working colleague of mine was a union rep - so she made up the rest of the assistance which was greatly appreciated.

I did continue to work throughout (although it was GM I was not suspended - weird huh?!) but it was miserable.

On the other side of it - I can honestly say that I have taken pleasure from seeing egg on the other parties faces - it does not look good on them at all - and are less likely to be taken seriously in future!

Do get her to speak to her respective union - they may be able to help - and then your suggestion of the CB is a good one too.