Facing an investigation for bullying and harassment: Ask the expert
I have worked as an office co-ordinator since July 2008. I went on maternity leave in January 2010 and I am due to return to work at the end of October. Before I started my maternity leave I informed my employer that I would only be able to return part time due to child care arrangements to which he replied that we could sort that out at a later date. I called in to see my employer in July to discuss changing my hours. He said that he would have a "few things to juggle around" and then he casually threw into the conversation that there was an investigation he was dealing with regarding bullying and harrassment. At first he wasn't prepared to tell me any more but I said that was not fair as the allegation was against me. He still wouldn't really tell me anything so when I received my request for flexible working forms I enclosed a letter asking to discuss the issue further. My employer wrote back last week suggesting a meeting regarding flexible working and in a seperate letter he said that we could discuss the allegation informally on the same day, he also said that he had to look into matters as a 'number of colleagues had approached him and made comments'. Amazingly he suggested that I ask a colleague to sit in on the meeting regarding flexible working but I don't feel that I can trust anyone there now and I am dreading the thought of returning in October. Do I have a right to know who has said what about me or should I just try to ignore things as there has been no official complaint made verbally or in writing? I am wondering if my employer is trying to make it difficult to return in the hope that I will quit as he did say originally that my job was difficult to do on a part time basis.
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