Blackbanana
Registered User
- Messages
- 17
My other half had a terrible time in her job - public sector. Bullied for 2 years. Had a huge workload - more than anyone else - and then when she complained about the bullying, had it all taken away. Was off sick for 4.5 months with burnout. A year later still not completely back to herself, but is in a new job, but still doesn't feel able to work full-time. The investigation into the bullying was a white wash, as it was against a very senior person - though it was supposed to be independent - the investigator refused to interview witnesses for my partner, until it was pointed out that this created a bias in the investigation, as he had interviewed people for the bully, though they had not witnessed the bullying directly, he then did not interview all the witnesses who would have been able to support my partner, nor any of the emails which demonstrated the bullying, nor any of the call logs which would have shown how the bully sent so many disruptive calls to my partner within matter of minutes on a daily basis. The public sector area where my partner was working initially wanted her to stay, and when she got another job at the end of 2016, they told the new employer, in a statement attached to her reference, that she was attending a psychologist, but didn't state that this was due to needing support with bullying. My partner felt she couldn't take this job as her reputation had been tarnished in some way, and she couldn't start there with a clean slate. She had to endure another 6 months in the public sector area she was working in before getting a job in the private sector. In that time, they took all my partner's work away, and she sat in an office with nothing to do, while there were long waiting lists of people to be seen. My partner eventually got a job, but feels she could never work full-time for anyone again, so his working part-time in one job, and then doing temp work on an ad hoc basis elsewhere. After all this then, though she had received a reference for the new job from them, the organisation where she was bullied refused to sign a form so she could re-register her professional qualification - she has another professional qualification that she re-registeres with every 5 years. The form she submitted to them, had to be signed by them as her previous employer - it just was a yes or no form stating she was of good character. Her new employer who she has now been with nearly a year had no problem signing the form as her current employer. We are now seeing if the agency she does temp work with can sign the form. My partner is worried re refs from her old employer going forward. However, my concern is for her health. She made a complaint to the WRC and the hearing is in April. I don't think she should attend. I think she should accept what's happened and move on, but she is worried that people in any other job she takes will refer back to her old employer for a reference, and they will badmouth her. It has been an horrendous experience, and sometimes we both can't believe that something like this can still happen in this day and age. I am also concerned that decisions, as I can see from the WRC website are published - and I don't want her future career to be affected by what's happened, as that would really destroy her, though she is actually desperately trying to change career now, and working part-time fits in well with this. Should she attend the WRC hearing? Or, just let it go, with all the unfairness, injustice etc. Sorry for long post, would really welcome some perspective.