I have a human resources question about work. Someone falsely accused me of something and I want justice...?

Question

OK so "I want justice" might be going a little far, but I at least want an apology but don't know how to go about getting it.

My boyfriend and I work for the same company. I've been there for about 8 years, him for almost 1. We both work for the corporate office but it's a huge company so he's in the main building and I'm in a smaller building on the same property. I usually go over to the main building to have lunch with him every day in the cafeteria.

Well, today the HR manager had my boyfriend's boss talk to him about touching me inappropriately on Friday at lunch. I'm pregnant, and someone told the HR manager that they saw my boyfriend touch my belly and then touch the belly of one of my friends who is also pregnant. There is one huge flaw in this accusation. Friday was our partner appreciation luncheon so we didn't have lunch together. They split everyone up into two groups - I went to the early lunch and he went to the late lunch. They give you a ticket so you have to go to the lunch time they schedule you for, otherwise you don't eat, so we have proof that we didn't even see each other at lunch, and my pregnant friend was at lunch with me so he definitely didn't touch her either.

So anyway, my boyfriend told his boss this and she said she believes him, but I know it'll stop there. We didn't get in trouble, but at the same time there's some person out there making false accusations for who knows what reason, and I feel that we deserve an apology. We're going to talk to the HR manager tomorrow, but she never does anything about anything in these situations, so I don't know what else to do. I know I should just let it go since we didn't actually get in trouble, but it just makes me angry because we do remain completely professional at work. I'm 27, he's 28, so it's not like we're a couple of kids making out on recess....

Answer 1

For the sake of a "harmonious" work environment. I would just let it pass.  I,too, work in a large company..and have had several false things said about me as well.  As long as HR and your supervisor believe you, and no harm comes to threaten your job, I would drop it.  You're letting someone with petty actions and apparantly no life of their own, seep in to yours.  There is an old saying "living well is the best revenge"...showing you will not let some petty "co-worker" invade your life, will make you the winner.  Whinning about it can bring only grief...and make YOU look petty and "guilty" as it were (even though you weren't...another old saying "Me thinks thou dost protest too much"...meaning only the guilty will be loud about it...)...understand that right has the might...and don't let this petty indivdual ruin anymore of your days.

Answer 2

This I have to say, is a very weird situation.  I am an HR mgr. and I think your mgr handled this wrong.  Someone could have complained that the touching "made them uncomfortable."  Hey, some people are weird like that.  But anyway...they can say something just because there are laws that if someone is doing something that makes another "uncomfortable" then yes, something can be said.  However, the hr mgr. should have just spoken and explained your situation to the person who complained and left it at that.  It is no big deal that your bf touched you or didn't touch you.  And sadly, you will not get any kind of apology.  Just explain to the mgr that next time they should explain the situation without jumping in and complaining to you, if they didn't already.