I have been charged with the false sexual harassment by my female manager.
Below are the 2 incidents on which I have been alleged.
Case 1: 11 months ago, I took her inside a meeting room (located at center of floor, having transperent glass doors in the mid day in presence of almost 60-70 employees around to discuss work related issues. I “locked” the door to avoid any disturbance to fellow team mates sitting just outside the door. Intent behind locking the door was to avoid any loud noise reaching outside the meeting room if we get in to any arguments because she is very loud and has no manners. I didn’t want anyone to make fun of that meeting. After that meeting, she went out normally and smiling.
The very same day, I thanked her on the whatsapp for understanding the issues and on which “she responded with a smiley”. I have the screenshots of that.
Here, charges were dropped on me because of the locking the door.
Case 2: Recently, me and my new male manager had a huge fight. In that argument, I abused him. I admit it is not ethical & should not be in place. He has no manners at all and suppress everyone and that day he yelled at me in front of other team members which was an abuse and harassment for me and that’s where the fight started. The female manager I wrote about above has charged me with sexual harassment as I abused in front of her. She was present there & witnessing the entire scenario with her own consent/awareness. I didn’t say anything to her.
The HR called me spontaneously few days back and started threatening me on the name of police, court, metoo movement and asked me to write a statement saying that I understand I have been alleged with sexual harassment charges and asked to apologise for the abuse thing. At that time, due to the way they were talking to me, I could not understand anything and did what they said.
This is a conspiracy to fire me as I never bowed down in front of this corrupt managers.
Please suggest what should I do.
My team members suggested to write an email with whatsapp screenshots about all this to the higher management from both team and HR end and include all the team members and ask the team about if they felt anything like that as they were there. Also, to ask for CCTV footage for that day.
A few team members are willing to respond on the email telling the truth which is against the female manager.
Is this the right way? Please suggest.
From India, New Delhi
Below are the 2 incidents on which I have been alleged.
Case 1: 11 months ago, I took her inside a meeting room (located at center of floor, having transperent glass doors in the mid day in presence of almost 60-70 employees around to discuss work related issues. I “locked” the door to avoid any disturbance to fellow team mates sitting just outside the door. Intent behind locking the door was to avoid any loud noise reaching outside the meeting room if we get in to any arguments because she is very loud and has no manners. I didn’t want anyone to make fun of that meeting. After that meeting, she went out normally and smiling.
The very same day, I thanked her on the whatsapp for understanding the issues and on which “she responded with a smiley”. I have the screenshots of that.
Here, charges were dropped on me because of the locking the door.
Case 2: Recently, me and my new male manager had a huge fight. In that argument, I abused him. I admit it is not ethical & should not be in place. He has no manners at all and suppress everyone and that day he yelled at me in front of other team members which was an abuse and harassment for me and that’s where the fight started. The female manager I wrote about above has charged me with sexual harassment as I abused in front of her. She was present there & witnessing the entire scenario with her own consent/awareness. I didn’t say anything to her.
The HR called me spontaneously few days back and started threatening me on the name of police, court, metoo movement and asked me to write a statement saying that I understand I have been alleged with sexual harassment charges and asked to apologise for the abuse thing. At that time, due to the way they were talking to me, I could not understand anything and did what they said.
This is a conspiracy to fire me as I never bowed down in front of this corrupt managers.
Please suggest what should I do.
My team members suggested to write an email with whatsapp screenshots about all this to the higher management from both team and HR end and include all the team members and ask the team about if they felt anything like that as they were there. Also, to ask for CCTV footage for that day.
A few team members are willing to respond on the email telling the truth which is against the female manager.
Is this the right way? Please suggest.
From India, New Delhi
Case 1
Locking the door was wrong.
Closing the door could have served the same purpose of avoiding disturbance etc.
Anyway you have evidence of the lady not misunderstanding the locking of door.
Case 2
You abused you manager, and it cannot become sexual harassment of the witness.
Pl try and sort out the matter in house itself
If not possible then take legal help.
Your issue appears to be an interpersonal incompatibility problem resulting in legal issues.
What evidence you have about corrupt managers?
From India, Pune
3131Locking the door was wrong.
Closing the door could have served the same purpose of avoiding disturbance etc.
Anyway you have evidence of the lady not misunderstanding the locking of door.
Case 2
You abused you manager, and it cannot become sexual harassment of the witness.
Pl try and sort out the matter in house itself
If not possible then take legal help.
Your issue appears to be an interpersonal incompatibility problem resulting in legal issues.
What evidence you have about corrupt managers?
From India, Pune
May be the fellow employees can express their views as how they have harassing by suppressing.
Won’t the biggest corruption evidence be when I email the thread to the higher managment and the team members, and the team members respond against them saying that these are false allegations?
Is it a good idea Emailing higher management and team members because that’s the only way to show my side of evidences which the HR is avoiding?
From India, New Delhi
Won’t the biggest corruption evidence be when I email the thread to the higher managment and the team members, and the team members respond against them saying that these are false allegations?
Is it a good idea Emailing higher management and team members because that’s the only way to show my side of evidences which the HR is avoiding?
From India, New Delhi
Dear member,
What has happened with you is quite unfortunate.
If your teammates are ready to be your witness then I recommend you putting up application to the MD of your company asking for conducting through enquiry. In the application narrate the incident but do not reveal that you have material evidence of any kind or you have witnesses.
However, please note that you may not rely cent per cent on the teammates for deposing before enquiry officer as the witness. Many times people commit something but when it comes to actual deposition they develop cold feet.
You say that you have observed corruption by the managers. But then do you have material evidence of their actus reus? If yes, then put up separate application to inform MD about the corruption. However, in the application do not disclose about the evidence that you have.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
What has happened with you is quite unfortunate.
If your teammates are ready to be your witness then I recommend you putting up application to the MD of your company asking for conducting through enquiry. In the application narrate the incident but do not reveal that you have material evidence of any kind or you have witnesses.
However, please note that you may not rely cent per cent on the teammates for deposing before enquiry officer as the witness. Many times people commit something but when it comes to actual deposition they develop cold feet.
You say that you have observed corruption by the managers. But then do you have material evidence of their actus reus? If yes, then put up separate application to inform MD about the corruption. However, in the application do not disclose about the evidence that you have.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Dear anony,
Indeed what has happened is very unfortunate. I suggest you go through the guidelines of POSHAW act to gain an understanding on the subject.
Case 1 - help me understand how bolting the door will reduce the noise from going outside? The act of bolting the door to avoid noise from going outside is just silly and lame. And i can't recall seeing a full glass door ever with a lock or a bolt. The only thing that can come to your rescue under such a circumstance is camera recordings if any, eye witnesses who saw you both in a discussion and maybe chats if they are relevant.
2. Cussing at work at a dear colleague is christened as a misconduct. Please understand that office is a controlled environment, and one really needs to keep calm. Yet however such an act can't be considered as an act of sexual harassment. While reviewing cases of sexual harassment, the internal committee assesses the nature of the issue and also the impact of the incident on the lady concerned irrespective of the intent of the offender. I think a mere apology is enough to close the case.
In case you are being framed by corrupt managers, you must approach your senior management with proof of corruption. In case you don't have proofs to substantiate your allegations of corruption, don't even bother wasting the time of your management.
Try to sort the entire thing amicably, make an apology if it works. Do seek professional legal advice if required.
Regards
Rahul
From India, Delhi
Indeed what has happened is very unfortunate. I suggest you go through the guidelines of POSHAW act to gain an understanding on the subject.
Case 1 - help me understand how bolting the door will reduce the noise from going outside? The act of bolting the door to avoid noise from going outside is just silly and lame. And i can't recall seeing a full glass door ever with a lock or a bolt. The only thing that can come to your rescue under such a circumstance is camera recordings if any, eye witnesses who saw you both in a discussion and maybe chats if they are relevant.
2. Cussing at work at a dear colleague is christened as a misconduct. Please understand that office is a controlled environment, and one really needs to keep calm. Yet however such an act can't be considered as an act of sexual harassment. While reviewing cases of sexual harassment, the internal committee assesses the nature of the issue and also the impact of the incident on the lady concerned irrespective of the intent of the offender. I think a mere apology is enough to close the case.
In case you are being framed by corrupt managers, you must approach your senior management with proof of corruption. In case you don't have proofs to substantiate your allegations of corruption, don't even bother wasting the time of your management.
Try to sort the entire thing amicably, make an apology if it works. Do seek professional legal advice if required.
Regards
Rahul
From India, Delhi
Dear Anonymous If you are confident of your innocence let te inquiry be conducted by Internal Complaint Complaint Committee under POSH. Shailesh Parikh 99 98 97 10 65 Vadodara
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
Locking the door is an issue. you should have avoided. Again as per you female Manager is very loud & Male Manager do not have manners. So you had a negative feel for both of them. First remove your mindset about them and approach . You may get better results.
From India, Bhubaneswar
From India, Bhubaneswar
Dear colleague,
In both the incidences, I see no acts of sexual harassment committed by you. The act of just locking the door for a meeting with your female Manager in full gaze of many teammates neither amounts to sexual harassment nor abusing another male Manager in the presence of female manager who is just witness to it.
But your abusing the Manager amounts the misconduct if you are a workman under the Standing Orders Act provided the Act applies to your establishment.
You said you are falsely charged with sexual harassment. What does this mean. Have you been given the Charge sheet? Or She has filed the Complaint to the internal Committee under the Posh Act.
In either case you deny the charges and face the enquiry and I am sure you will come out clean as you committed no acts of sexual harassment. But consult some
Labour lawyer to present your case in the enquiry.
About your written apology, you go on record that the admission was extracted from you under threat and coercion
and whatever stated therein is not true.
Remember, you can call some Managers as corrupt only if you have some reliable evidence in your possession.
Regards,
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR- Consultant.
From India, Mumbai
In both the incidences, I see no acts of sexual harassment committed by you. The act of just locking the door for a meeting with your female Manager in full gaze of many teammates neither amounts to sexual harassment nor abusing another male Manager in the presence of female manager who is just witness to it.
But your abusing the Manager amounts the misconduct if you are a workman under the Standing Orders Act provided the Act applies to your establishment.
You said you are falsely charged with sexual harassment. What does this mean. Have you been given the Charge sheet? Or She has filed the Complaint to the internal Committee under the Posh Act.
In either case you deny the charges and face the enquiry and I am sure you will come out clean as you committed no acts of sexual harassment. But consult some
Labour lawyer to present your case in the enquiry.
About your written apology, you go on record that the admission was extracted from you under threat and coercion
and whatever stated therein is not true.
Remember, you can call some Managers as corrupt only if you have some reliable evidence in your possession.
Regards,
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR- Consultant.
From India, Mumbai
Hi,
So, I dropped an email with all the details and screeshots to the too management and the team. I got 4 responses in my favour out which 2 responses were recalled as the employees were threatened by my managers. Still 2 responses are there, 1 of a female employee and 1 of a senior employee at my position.
The lady who put the blames gave me a missed vid call on this Saturday after that incident. Don’t know the reason but I have that screesnshot too now.
Please tell me your point of view on this.
From India, New Delhi
So, I dropped an email with all the details and screeshots to the too management and the team. I got 4 responses in my favour out which 2 responses were recalled as the employees were threatened by my managers. Still 2 responses are there, 1 of a female employee and 1 of a senior employee at my position.
The lady who put the blames gave me a missed vid call on this Saturday after that incident. Don’t know the reason but I have that screesnshot too now.
Please tell me your point of view on this.
From India, New Delhi
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Sexual Harassment.pdf