Should I go off work due to harassment?

Question

I'm being picked on at work due to things outwith my control, lies spread about me in a previous place someone got wind of. Now it seems I am easy game for everyone and in particular one person who I really don't get on with but must work beside.

Someone got wind of rumours about me and the word must have spread around the workplace, would an investigation resolve it? I have no friends there so no real allies if a harassment case is opened which concerns me, as does not noting every specific insult (there have been so many)although I could think of a few.

I'm thinking I should take a couple of weeks off work as it has been stressing me out, affecting my concentration, making me unhappy and even affecting my sleep. That way I could look for another job or at least have a valid reason to move departments. I've been at work longer than a year so have rights and this has been going on almost all that time.

Should I do it?

Answer 1

Taking time off may help you de-stress but it won't make the problem go away. This is a lousy situation which you are a victim of. Your HR dept has a harassment policy. I would talk to your supervisor/manager. If he/she does not address the harassment policy with all employees, the next step is going to HR. It's not pretty, but if you go to them, they should get to the bottom of things. Otherwise you can continue to suffer or just quit. Bullies don't go away. Sorry you are in this spot.  

Answer 2

The real answer is that you need to move on!

I've been in that problem too with nasty people, and you get them everywhere in life.

Good luck!

Answer 3

You keep asking this. I think that you are being harassed for spending too much time on the Internet instead of working.

Answer 4

You shouldn't just leave. You should ring your trade union ASAP and get help from them, or even contact a solicitor about your rights. If you've been working a year you have full employment rights unless you're on a temp contract, and if you're being forced out of your job that could be illegal. If you stay and fight you could get thousands of pounds or even tens of thousands of pounds of compensation if you're unfairly fired or being unfairly treated, but if you just quit you would be in a weak position. Whatever you do contact the trade union for your industry (there must be one) straight away before you do anything else though.

Answer 5

If your feeling uncomfortable do it! Don't let people make you unhappy at work, don't like it move on!

Answer 6

In the UK you should raise a grievance following the company's procedures. This would normally be by putting it in writing to your manager/supervisor and copied to HR. You should include in your letter as many examples as you can remember with specific details (date, time, any witnesses) as the more exact information you give the easier it will be for your employer to investigate your complaint fully.

It is essential that you follow this statutory process. Then if you do not feel that your grievance has been handled correctly or dealt with fairly you will have more room to follow up.

You could even include in your grievance that you would be willing to move departments to resolve the matter.

Good luck

Answer 7

i know someone who went through something quite similar, someone found out something about his past and started to lay in to him quite badly, before we knew it everyone was doing it, he did nothing about it and ended up feeling poor, the depression hit him so hard that he actually became physically sick and contemplated suicide, don't worry he is fine now, but no one should have let it get that bad.

anyway what i will say is it is obvious they don't respect you and in my opinion you loose respect for avoiding the situation and gain respect doing something about it and gain even more for dealing with your self, i hope this helps in some way.