National Bullying Helpline

Help Stop Bullying Now

Call 0845 22 55 787

The only UK National Bullying Helpline for adults & children

Monday to Thursday 10am - 4pm 


The UK's only bullying helpline for both adults and children and the UK's leading website on anti bullying initiatives.

STRESSED ?

IS YOUR STRESS DUE TO BULLYING AT WORK ?

1 in 4 people allege they are being bullied at work
and 1 in 8 people are affected by bullying at work

Help us - help you. Can you make a small donation to our Charity today? Just £10 will make all the difference. Every penny goes towards the running of our helpline call centre and the resources required to keep our offices open. Some of you pay for Trade Union support but still turn to us for additional advice and help - so why not send just a small donation to us? Please give generously. Send your donation to; The National Bullying Helpline and send it to 15 Dorcan Business Village, Murdock Road. Swindon. SN3 5HY. (Cheques should be made out to The National Bullying Helpline). Alternatively, see www.justgiving.com/nationalbullyinghelpline.raisemoney

For every £1 you donate, we receive £1.28 through Gift Aid.

Lady cryingWorkplace bullying is unfortunately a fact of life for too many workers in the UK. Unlike their playground equivalents work place bullies and their supporters tend not to use physical abuse. Instead they resort to long term psychological intimidation which can be just as devastating for the person on the receiving end. Fortunately for those being bullied help is at hand, for one of the most distressing parts of being bullied is the feeling that no one seems to care and there is nowhere to go for help.

Bullying in the workplace takes many forms and it is important to remember that each incident may seem unimportant in isolation but there is a cumulative effect which builds into a much more serious situation.

CYBER BULLYING

Cyber Bullying is on the increase. Cyber Bullying is a crime. If you are a target of Cyber Bullying, or an anonymous blog, see our LAW page. Bullies are Cowards!

SICK NOTES

From 6th April 2010 doctors and employees saw the introduction of a so called “fit note” or “Statement of Fitness for Work” as opposed to the old system of providing a sick note, which simply states the reasons for a particular illness together with its anticipated duration. This new approach will give you greater flexibility in terms of a phased return, altered hours, amended duties and workplace adaptions. If you would like some free advice on this new scheme, call us today on 0845 22 55 787.

FIRED? MADE REDUNDANT? RELEASED?

If you have been recently released (made redundant, dismissed, "let go"), and your employer did not consult with you, inform you of your right to be accompanied at the dismissal meeting, inform you of your statutory rights and put the business case in writing - or fail to inform you of your right to appeal - then you may have been dismissed unlawfully. You really should call us, within 3 months of the dismissal, and we will advise you of your rights and your options from hereon.

SUSPENDED For raising a Grievance? Call us today.

DISCIPLINED For raising a Grievance? Call us today.

REDUNDANT For raising a Grievance? Call us today.

EXCLUDED For raising a Grievance? Yes, exclusion is bullying. Call us today.

If you have complained about the way you have been treated at work and it has led to 'less favourable treatment' (which may be discrimination), harassment or any of the above, call us now!

RACE DISCRIMINATION is unlawful

SEX DISCRIMINATION is unlawful

AGE DISCRIMINATION is unlawful

DISABILITY DISCRIMINTION is unlawful

TEACHER: NHS EMPLOYEE? - YOU SHOULD READ THIS

You may have a right to be accompanied at a disciplinary meeting by an Employment Law Solicitor ! Case Law: March 2009. Up to now, under the Employment Relations Act 1999s10., employee’s only have a right to be accompanied at a formal meeting by a trade union representative or a colleague. In a ground-breaking Case, a recent High Court ruled that an employer must now allow a worker to have legal representation at his/her disciplinary hearing, where the circumstances are so serious that a potential outcome might impact on the employee’s Human Rights. In a case involving “R v The Governors of ‘X’ School and ‘Y’ Council, a High Court ruled that, in the context of the Education Act 2002 s.142 this employment law rule was trumped by the Human Rights Act and that the employee had the right to legal representation at a disciplinary hearing. Specifically the High Court ruled that: "the gravity of the particular allegations made against the Claimant (sexual impropriety with a person under 18 and abuse of position of trust), taken together with the very serious impact upon the Claimant's future working life ....... are such that he was, and is, entitled to legal representation at hearings before the Disciplinary Committee and the Appeal Committee".

Note, in a previous case involving Kulkarni v Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Trust in August 2008, the High Court came to the opposite conclusion on analogous, but not identical, facts. In the 2008 case a Doctor was accused of sexual impropriety with a patient - apparently the Doctor had placed a stethoscope under the patient's knickers without her permission. The High Court held that the Doctor was not allowed legal representation at a disciplinary hearing. The 2008 case was decided essentially on the grounds that the Doctor's rights under the Human Rights Act were adequately protected by his rights of appeal - grounds specifically rejected in the present case, albeit on different facts.

The National Bullying Helpline is just a single phone call away, so if you feel that you are being bullied through the process, in any way' give us a call -in complete confidence.

MEDIATION

Call or e-mail us now if you require assistance with workplace disputes. Whether you are an employee or an employer, we can refer you to experts and recommend solutions. We provide a complete confidential and impartial service.

INVESTIGATION

Would you rather have an independent investigator look into your grievance or appeal - or a manager at work? If you want to request an independent, impartial, investigation - call us. We can refer you to organisation's that will help. At the time of referring your case to either an investigator or an employment law solicitor you will be issued with a document explaining your rights, pointing out also that the referral is at your request. This document has been agreed by the Law Society and states, explicitly, that you have a right to place the business with any company of your choice.

We generally appoint two Investigators to every case. All of our Investigators are CIPD qualified. We have 5 FCIPD members working with us.

Due to a complaint received by the Trustee's some time ago, we reviewed our processes. Referrals to dispute resolution providers are conducted through a consent process and any investigator or mediator appointed will not have previously spoken to the complainant at the helpline charity. This is due to perceived conflict of interest. We always endeavor to maintain open and transparent policies and procedures. If you have any concerns, please speak to us. You are always welcome to visit us also.

Helpline 0845 22 55 787


Employees

for your FREE copy of  our
Step by Step Guide to
Dispute Resolution
(Bullying in the Workplace)

Name
Employer
Email address
 

We never share your details with anyone else. All correspondence is confidential.

If you would like more comprehensive information you can purchase 'The Complete Guide to Dispute Resolution' at a cost of £10. Please click on the button below to pay. 

Donations: We are now asking for a voluntary £10 donation for our charity from all those we assist. We have saved you from having to pay legal fees. If you believe the documentation supplied to you by our charity is of value, please send a donation of £10 to 15 Dorcan Business Village, Swindon. SN3 5HY. Cheques made payable to: The National Bullying Helpline. Thank you.

Testimonials: It was you who kept me sane when I was at my worse. I was far too ill to deal with them while I was there, as advised by you..... Keep up the good work. Your recognition will come. I don't have any gold, but if I did!!! You know I think you're worth more than your weight in gold. Your ability to listen to my rambling, make sense of it, understand what I went through and then give me good advice, helped tremendously. I will be in your debt forever. Even if I get nowhere with my case. Yvonne. Helpline caller. October 2008.

I saw you on 'This Morning' after having read about your most recent case in the papers. Thank goodness that there are people like you who are willing to help ordinary workers fight against their Goliaths. Thanks again. Wife on behalf of her husband, who was bullied. June 2006.

"You are doing God's work". Helpline caller. Jan 2009.

Your feedback is always welcome !

 

© 2007 the National Bullying Helpline Charity number 1117852
Registered Office : 29 Devizes Road, Swindon, SN1 4BG  Company number: 5948477

Updated 19-08-2010