I have been suspended from work. False allegations against me. What to do next?

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Yesterday I was called into the office & to my surprise I have been accused of gross misconduct of health & safety laws for allowing a work collegue to ride on the back of a piece of machinery that I was controlling at the time.

I wasnt aware of this happening at the time & I have pleaded my innocence over this excuse to get rid of me, sorry, I mean 'accusation of misconduct'.

All was captured on cctv (they only seem to be there to sack staff these days, as they havent caught 1 thief since they were installed).
I was accused of knowingly allowing him to ride on the machinery because at 1 point I was seen 'looking back' according to them, which was actually me looking down to the side.

I go back in sometime next wk for a 2nd interview regarding the situation.

What do I do next please? Do I file a complaint higher up in the company & take out a grieviance against the manager, get a solicitor?

What are my options regarding this?

[fishbowlhead]

Consult a solicitor who specializes in this sort of thing.

[ETC]

Yep solicitor, discrimination, union rep to all meetings (if you have one) if not a friend associate, ask for all meeting to officially minuted by a neutral taker and that they must be signed and you want a copy, request all communication with you is now done in writing and inform them you will be taking a rep to the meeting. Get a copy of your contract and check the rules etc etc. if all else fails Dr's for a fit note for stress due to the discrimination work place bullying etc, file a complaint

[nakamura]

What the posts above say. I just want to wish you good luck. Hope it works out for you.

[MisterBubbles]

Don't leave the meeting until all parties have signed dated and copied the said meeting and you take a copy of them, dont get them posted, had that with amended ie total bull**** put in. Think thats what ETC meant but as said ive heard and got sent out crap after a meeting.
And never ever go into any meetings alone under no circumstances, even if you have to rearrange a meeting or your lawyer cant be there or friend at work, if they ask you to go in alone flat refuse and go home.

[Kieran76]

What has happened the person who got on without your knowledge.

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Thank you to all of you for your advice & support. The other guy has had the same treatment as me. He's admitted full out that if is to blame & that i didn't know. When i was interviewed i brought my supervisor in as a witness (only person i trust), & all parties signed & dated the minutes taken. I checked over the minutes & found that the minute taker (another manager, suprise suprise) had written a false reply from me, so i asked for this to be changed as it painted me in a bad light. I asked for photocopies of all paperwork & checked them thru again. Then i was escorted off the premises like some thief or criminal, which was very embarassing & humiliating tbh. I'll try & sort out a solicitor this wk but i don't have a lot of money as they've cut my hrs in work to 20 hrs a wk, so i don't know where to go for help with that. Any ideas guys? (sorry if this is all written as 1 para - i'm writing it on my old style nokia)

[MisterBubbles]

Citizens Advice, plus check your contract,is this legal, maybe you have stress and need to go to your doctors, and i'd start looking for a new job ASAP.

[egparadigm]

Contact ACAS for specialist employment advice: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

Citizen's Advice might be able to help, but more likely they will send you to your union and ACAS, as it is too specialist an area. (I volunteer for the CAB.)

[egparadigm]

You can see some information on their website, however:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/work_e/work_problems_at_work_e/dealing_with_disciplinary_action_and_dismissal_at_work.htm

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

I'm not with any union, & i'll b honest when my supervisor was called in a few month ago for, have a guess? - 'gross misconduct', his union could do nothing for him. I mentioned in a thread a few months back about what happened to my supervisor & how i believe a lot of businesses are trying to sack off staff in order to employ ppl on lower contracts. I believe that this is what is happening to me at the mo, & i guess it was only a matter of time til they tried to fine a way to force me out. I'll check those websites that u guys have mentioned for more info, thanks. Right now jobs round here are very few, & if i'm sacked then my chances will be less than zero. Its great to know that big businesses don't give a toss about ruining someone's life. Just so everyone knows i'm not giving up with these tossers. I will be fighting this to the end clear my name rep & keep my job

[tyjay]

Was it a fork lift that you were driving? as that what I do as a living if so bad situation to be in I'm affraid.
I hope there lenient with you, I guy I work with was with 15 ft of a forklift when SALA (safe and legal at work) was doing ther visit and instant suspension. He got away with that it really depends on how they want to deal with it
At the end of the day the guy who jumped on the back may of done more damage than he could of imagined.
I'll check with our health and safety guy today see what his take would be on it.

Bri

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

It was an electric pump pallet truck. He was hanging onto the back of a metal carrying cage that i was hauling from the cctv footage. I didn't see him as i was checking the route ahead of me to ensure it was clear

[tyjay]

Not sure about ppt I'll check for you and get back to you, we're you pulling anything or was it empty, we had the cages removed from ours as they wouldn't go onto wagons.
I would of thought that as you have to be signed of to use them the laws will be similar, hope the other fooka gets done though.
How long was the on the back, and did he jump off on his own, or did u see him first??

Bri

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Didn't even know he was on there mate. If i'd known i'd have told him to get the f**k off. He must have been riding it at least 30 to 40 feet looking at the footage. I didn't feel any change in the weight added by him as the cage i was moving weighed a tonne & the forward motion is controlled with a switch & not pulled in any way by me. I was busy checking ahead for obstacles/pedestrians. From the footage he's riding it like a fairground ride, which doesn't help, & now i'm in the **** over this. Any other time in the past the previous managers would have pulled him to 1 side & said "don't do it again", but the business has changed a