How angry am I?
Discussion
Fuming, that's how much and also frustrated:
We had a fairly good contract with an organisation until earlier this year when they decided to use an alternative method of getting the work done (which was more expensive) and quietly but quickly cut us from the process comopletely. The asured me it was a political change requiring them to do things differently, so i shrugged my shoulders, asured them we were there isf needed and have sunce maintained an occasional contact for when they realise the new process is way to costly long term. I noticed other parts of the organisation, who are massive also cooling their relationship with us.
Today I get contacted by an employee of theirs asking if I would give a character reference for her as she is being disciplined. She sent me copies of the various intervews that were done for the discipline and amongst it there is a temp telling a senior manager that I disclosed confidential information, which is completely untrue, and obviously was said to cover her own tracks and get the discipined employee in the dirt (she wants her job). We were never told of the allegation or gven a chance to respond.
I have an overwhelming desire to contact the organisation and have it out, but the information I have seen may further compromise the disciplined employee's continuing employment as she is still working there but has moved locations because of the problems.
What would you do? I feel like sueing her little temporay ar5e off as she has cost us £10,000 a year and sullied our reputation.
Let me get this right...
An employee of an ex-client of yours, contacts YOU to give her a character reference. In the information she sends, there is incriminating evidence that SHE made libellous accusations against YOUR company???
1) She has damaged your business reputation adn therefore your livelyhood.
2) She is clearly too thick to keep her job anyway.
3) Why on earth do you owe her any loyalty whatsoever?
4) Business is not about being nice. When the chips are down, nice gets you nowhere.
Time to stick the boot in. Perhaps request an urgent meeting with ex-client concerning said employee, shop her and explain how dissapointed you are with their procurement process not even informing you of their reasons for ending their relationship with you.
You may not be able to get your client back, but you sure as hell can make sure this 'not to be trusted' employee gets the boot and perhaps learns her lesson.
Oh, and why not pursue her with a claim of libel?
An employee of an ex-client of yours, contacts YOU to give her a character reference. In the information she sends, there is incriminating evidence that SHE made libellous accusations against YOUR company???
1) She has damaged your business reputation adn therefore your livelyhood.
2) She is clearly too thick to keep her job anyway.
3) Why on earth do you owe her any loyalty whatsoever?
4) Business is not about being nice. When the chips are down, nice gets you nowhere.
Time to stick the boot in. Perhaps request an urgent meeting with ex-client concerning said employee, shop her and explain how dissapointed you are with their procurement process not even informing you of their reasons for ending their relationship with you.
You may not be able to get your client back, but you sure as hell can make sure this 'not to be trusted' employee gets the boot and perhaps learns her lesson.
Oh, and why not pursue her with a claim of libel?
Why is an employee of an ex-client contacting you to help her in a disciplinary matter against your ex-client?
If you act for her, who would pay your fees?
Can you be trusted for an independent character reference when you have former commercial links (and possibly a legal dispute) with that former client?
It sounds to me that you need to just quitely walk away from this one and put it down to excperience.
If you act for her, who would pay your fees?
Can you be trusted for an independent character reference when you have former commercial links (and possibly a legal dispute) with that former client?
It sounds to me that you need to just quitely walk away from this one and put it down to excperience.
Do you have a 'friendly' lawyer? If it was me, I would have my friendly lawyer draw up a 'not friendly' letter to the lying temp - this should really put the wind up her, especially if she then needs to go to the effort of seeking her own leagal advice. I would also directly contact the seniors people at the company and suggest chat about what went on. It may not get you back a contract, but if you deal with it head on now, while peole's memories of events are fresh, you may clear the air.
I would question whether the employee who has approached you with a grievance could herself find that she could be accused by her employer of leaking confidential information to you.
You need to be very careful on this one before you fly off the handle and start threatening legal action..
What you haven't fully established in your original post is what is the contractual relationship you have with this employee?
You need to be very careful on this one before you fly off the handle and start threatening legal action..
What you haven't fully established in your original post is what is the contractual relationship you have with this employee?
Based on the fact that a grievance procedure itself is highly confidential... if you contact her employer then you risk disclosing confidential information, which is exactly what you are alleged to have done in the first case, thus fuelling the original claim...
A classic rock and a hard place situation..... I agree with Eric's original quote
"It sounds to me that you need to just quietly walk away from this one and put it down to experience."
A classic rock and a hard place situation..... I agree with Eric's original quote
"It sounds to me that you need to just quietly walk away from this one and put it down to experience."
The girl was the administrator on a contract we had with them. She moved within the iorganisation because she had problems with her line manager. He left shortly after but his parting shot was to instigate discipline for an incident which had arisen a few weeks before she moved.
Her discipline has now reached a formal stage when the punishmnet has to be decided. In mitigation, she has asked me for a reference about how we found her in the role.
As part of the discipine proceedure she was given a record of what the temp had said, which was that I recommended a course of action because it would benefit a colleague of mine, and disclosed confidential information. The temp passed this to her senior manager. Neither of these facts is true, as I didn't know the riend was involved but I think the temp wanted to paint a pciture that the administrator, the colleague and I were somehow members of our own secret masonic type group. and didn't think any of us would see what she had said.
I need to check my facts first as the temp has said the colleague told the temp that I had favoured him and passed the information to him ( which can't be true as I didn't know until after that he was involved and hadn't spoken to him for some years), so I need to know exactly what he told the temp (which I think is probably that he knew me and she has taken it from there).
I am not in a rush to act, need to let the red mist settle an dthe discipline to be finalised. I am minded to contact the boss managing their team, but don't want the girl in rouble for showing me what the temp said.
Her discipline has now reached a formal stage when the punishmnet has to be decided. In mitigation, she has asked me for a reference about how we found her in the role.
As part of the discipine proceedure she was given a record of what the temp had said, which was that I recommended a course of action because it would benefit a colleague of mine, and disclosed confidential information. The temp passed this to her senior manager. Neither of these facts is true, as I didn't know the riend was involved but I think the temp wanted to paint a pciture that the administrator, the colleague and I were somehow members of our own secret masonic type group. and didn't think any of us would see what she had said.
I need to check my facts first as the temp has said the colleague told the temp that I had favoured him and passed the information to him ( which can't be true as I didn't know until after that he was involved and hadn't spoken to him for some years), so I need to know exactly what he told the temp (which I think is probably that he knew me and she has taken it from there).
I am not in a rush to act, need to let the red mist settle an dthe discipline to be finalised. I am minded to contact the boss managing their team, but don't want the girl in rouble for showing me what the temp said.
Weigh up the possible financial risk you might be taking if you pursue the matter.
I would imagine that any character reference provided by you on her behalf might not be admissable as you are not independent. You have had a commercial involvement with her former employer and indeed have an axe to grind against them - therby nullifying the value of any evidence you might provide before a tribunal.
I would imagine that any character reference provided by you on her behalf might not be admissable as you are not independent. You have had a commercial involvement with her former employer and indeed have an axe to grind against them - therby nullifying the value of any evidence you might provide before a tribunal.
Eric Mc said:
Weigh up the possible financial risk you might be taking if you pursue the matter.
I would imagine that any character reference provided by you on her behalf might not be admissable as you are not independent. You have had a commercial involvement with her former employer and indeed have an axe to grind against them - therby nullifying the value of any evidence you might provide before a tribunal.
I would imagine that any character reference provided by you on her behalf might not be admissable as you are not independent. You have had a commercial involvement with her former employer and indeed have an axe to grind against them - therby nullifying the value of any evidence you might provide before a tribunal.
I think they are just trying to se if the discipline is typical of her performance (which it isn't, she made a one-off but monster error of judgement). Her new boss has put in a reference, so has a manager who was also given a hard time by the departing manager.
I think will just sit it out for the minute and see what happens. I was miffed because I met the temp before I jknew what they had said, and they were trying to tap me up for a job. Without knowing about this and seeing her work I politely side stepped the request. Just as well!
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