serious work problems

onemore guy

So I am looking for a bit of advice.
I work in a company where one of my colleagues is harassing and bullying me on a daily basis.
This person is a problem worker and has had many issues in the past with everyone including senior staff.
My colleague has accused me of trying to physically hit her (lies) among many other accusations and is now constantly trying to get me fired (she even asked my manager to fire me) yet nothing has been done to resolve the situation. I am now at a stage where I dread going to work I have to constantly look behind my back and what what I say as any mistake will and has lead her to make complaints. Even though these complaints have all been dismissed I am totally stressed and can't even sleep properly anymore.
What gets me is that the management do what she wants, she has complained about my lunch time and this has now been changed to make her happy.
She is rude, abusive a liar and she is dragging my name through the mud. I don't want to quit because I think these types of people should be stopped but I am at my wits end...
Is there anything I can do? What are my rights?
Thank you in advance

LegacyUser

Why don't you lodge a grievance through your companies HR procedure. She should not be allowed to get away with this.

Have you got records of any of the things your colleague has said & done, as these will be very useful. If not, start keeping records now - dates, times, what was said & done.

Best of luck OP.

onemore guy

guestuser wrote: »

Why don't you lodge a grievance through your companies HR procedure. She should not be allowed to get away with this.

Have you got records of any of the things your colleague has said & done, as these will be very useful. If not, start keeping records now - dates, times, what was said & done.

Best of luck OP.

Thank you for the advice. I haven't loged a complaint because my direct managers have asked me not to they are workimg on ir they say but I am getting moee and more frustrated and uncomfortable with the whole thing. I think i will give it a week annd then lets see how things are then

mrsbyrne

This always makes my blood boil.
This person is obviously being protected for some reason.
She is either somebody's relation or they are afraid of the consequences of sacking her.
Their not afraid of you quitting because your a decent normal human being who will just suffer in silence for a while before disappearing off to a new job and they can con some other sucker in to your job to be her next victim.
The management probably have the attitude that when she is tormenting a colleague she is leaving them alone.
If you can face it, make an appointment to see HR on Monday. Give them times and dates of incidents. I don't have to tell you to stay calm and unemotional.tell them that you've got advice, and that if the situation is not resolved immediately , that you will have no other choice but to make a complaint to workplace relations and they should have no doubt that you will follow through on that.
Don't forget that if you are very stressed, you should see your GP.

onemore guy

The thing is that she is not in any my superior, she has been in the company one more month than me and has been nothing but problems with everyone around her, in fact these complaints of attempted physical confrontations have been made by her about other staff including against her superiors. The fact that I am a man and she is a woman doesn't make things easier on me either but I have never, ever tried anything like that I am a professional and would never risk my reputation like that.

mrsbyrne

Businesses are terrified of unfair dismissals complaints against them as they can be very costly.
In the current climate a sexual harrasment complaint is more or less the kiss of death for a business. Your employer is probably hoping that you will leave quietly and then they will have more time to decide what to do with her.
That's not fair on you. They have a duty of care to you which they are ignoring.
At the very least ring employment rights for more advice. Its a statutory body. Ring 1890808090. When you get through don't follow any of the prompts. Hold on till you get to speak to somebody.

Quandary

You need to start keeping a time stamped log of every incident involving this employee. Purely to defend yourself in the event you might need to. Also, if HR aren't pulling their weight make sure you keep a record of every time you have had to go to them about this employee. Maybe try asking HR if it would be possible for you to physically move to another part of the building if possible.

People like her are poisonous and dangerous so try to put as much distance in every sense of the word between you and her as possible.

Best of luck mate.

Clauric

Op, I have to commiserate with you on your situation. However, commiserations aren't going to get you anywhere. I agree with the posters above, record everything ie time, date, locate, event, nearby employees, witnesses, who you reported it to, and actions taken by the person you reported it to. Make sure to email your complaint to your line manager, their manager, head of HR and to you personal email address. This will create a paper trail, and you can use it for future reference, as needs be, at a later date.

However, I do have two other suggestions, somewhat interrelated.

1) speak to an employment law solicitor. They will be able to advise you on what the company should be doing, and what you need to do. They will also be in a position to help you, should you need to bring legal action against the company.

2) it may be appropriate to fight fire with fire in this case. I am NOT suggesting that you do any of the things your colleague has done, or said that you have done. However, it may be that she is bullying you, simply because you are male. If that is the case, then there could be reasonable grounds to make a sexual harassment complaint against her.

I would point out that the company has an obligation in law to provide and ensure that the workplace is bullying free. By asking/telling you to drop your complaint, they are failing in their obligations. The fact that you are stressed out by the thought of going to work is a clear and definitive sign of their failure.

Another suggestions, although you would nee PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, is to give the company an option. Either the bullying stops and appropriate measures are put in place to ensure it does not reoccur, or you will leave the company, and take them to court for constructive dismissal and sexual harassment. This might light the proverbial fire under their collective asses and get something sorted out.

Boombastic

Escalate to hr. Don't leave you self open to any more false accusations by being in a situation where you are alone with her. Your line manager is not doing his job and addressing this issue. Write down everything

the_syco

onemore guy wrote: »

I haven't loged a complaint because my direct managers have asked me not to they are workimg on ir they say but I am getting moee and more frustrated and uncomfortable with the whole thing. I think i will give it a week annd then lets see how things are then

F**k the week. Call in sick on Monday, goto your GP.

It's easier to fight with a clear head. Jot down all the incidents now, whilst you remember them. When your head is straight, then go back to work. And on that day, goto HR, and do the following;

mrsbyrne wrote: »

If you can face it, make an appointment to see HR on Monday. Give them times and dates of incidents.

Then

Clauric wrote: »

1) speak to an employment law solicitor. They will be able to advise you on what the company should be doing, and what you need to do. They will also be in a position to help you, should you need to bring legal action against the company.

Doing so with a clear head will ensure you you won't be in any panic.

Finally, whilst you're out of work, the b|tch may start on someone else. When you go back, you may find she's found someone else to torment. Don't think the problem is solved, because when her new project quits, she'll be back to you. As the saying goes; strike whilst the iron is hot. But doing so with a clear head allows you to aim straight without stress clouding your judgement.