Bullying and Harassment

The request was partially successful.

Dear Sir/Madam

I would like to know how many employees of the city council have
been absent from work due to either stress, anxiety, depression or
any combination of those ailments between 1st August 2004 and 31st
October 2008.

Please also confirm how many complaints of bullying have been made
by employees of the council against managers or colleagues during
the same period.

Please confirm how many employees have claimed constructive
dismissal within the same period for bullying/harassment.

Please confirm how many claims have been filed against the city
council at the Employment Tribunal within the same period for bullying/harassment.

I would ask that you remember the statutory duty imposed upon
public authorities by virtue of Section 16 of the Freedom of
Information Act to provide advice and assistance to requesters. If
for any reason you are leaning toward rejecting any part of this
request or if you plan to argue that it is unmanageable or
unanswerable in any way then I would expect you to contact me
promptly to find ways to answer this request to our mutual
satisfaction.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear Sir or Madam

I would also clarify when I mentioned constructive dismissal, I was referring to the employee directly, similar point about bullying and harassment complaints, there is no Employment Tribunal claim called "bullying and harassment". This will usually form part of a claim for unfair dismissal or one (or more) of the various discrimination claim and/or under the Protection from Harassment Act. Could you provide the information on the aforementioned.

Could you provide the information in electronic format via this website.

Thank you for your full co-operation

Yours Sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear Sir or Madam

You have not replied to my FOI request within the 20 working days you are allowed by law.

Kindly address yourselves to this matter immediately and explain your lack of response.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear Sir or Madam

I originally requested the information on the 4 December 2008. It is now 14 September 2009 please explain why you are failing to adhere to the procedures of the Freedom of Information Act?

You have not responded to any of the correspondence I have sent. Section 16 of the FOIA imposes upon you a duty to provide advice and assistance. Yet you have not done so. You have done nothing to assist me in seeking to find a way that would help me obtain the information I am requesting.

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Manchester City Council's handling of my FOI request 'Bullying and Harassment'.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/bu...

I look forward to hearing your response to the above issues I have raised.

Yours faithfully

Vicky Gray

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

On your website it states the following: "Service Outline The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities
including Manchester City Council. The Act came into force on 1st January 2005.

Any person making a request for information to a public authority is entitled to be informed whether the public authority holds that information, and, subject to any exemptions, be supplied with that
information."

PLEASE EXPLAIN why you have adhered to what you are stating on your own website??
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/a_to_z/serv...

I am writing to request an internal review of Manchester City Council's handling of my FOI request 'Bullying and Harassment'.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/bu...

Yours faithfully,

Vicky Gray

Manchester City Council

Dear Ms Gray,

Request for Information - Reference No: COR/7M2LPM

I write in respect of your e-mails dated 14th and 16th September requesting
an internal review in respect of the Council's handling of your request for
information. I apologise for the substantial delay in responding to your
request for information. I can advise that the Council anticipate that a
response to both your original information request and internal review will
be provided by 23rd September 2009. If for any reason it is not possible
to meet this timescale, I will let you know.

In the meantime, if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact
me.

Yours sincerely

Luke Dolby
Solicitor
Democratic Services
Manchester City Council
PO Box 532
Town Hall
Albert Square
Manchester
M60 2LA

External tel: 0161 234 3529
Fax: 0161 274 7007

Email: [email address]
Website: www.manchester.gov.uk

show quoted sections

Luke Dolby, Manchester City Council

Dear Ms Gray,

Request for information COR/7M2LPM

I write in respect of your e-mail requesting an internal review in respect
of the Council's handling of your request for information. Unfortunately it
has not proved possible to answer your request for information and request
for an internal review within the timescale previously estimated. As
previously mentioned, the Council is currently preparing a response both to
your request for information and for an internal review. These will be
issued to you as soon as possible. If you have any queries regarding your
requests, please contact me using the details given below.

In the meantime, I apologise for the delay in replying to you.

Yours sincerely

Luke Dolby
Solicitor
Democratic Services
Manchester City Council
PO Box 532
Town Hall
Albert Square
Manchester
M60 2LA

External tel: 0161 234 3529
Internal tel: 800 3529
Fax: 0161 274 7007
Email: [email address]
Website: www.manchester.gov.uk


Gill
Wood/Chief.Execut
ives/MCC To
Luke Dolby/Chief.Executives/MCC@MCC
16/09/2009 11:22 cc
Karen
Chadwick/Chief.Executives/MCC@mcc
Subject
URGENT - Internal review of Freedom
of Information request - Bullying
and Harassment





Luke

Please see further email below from Vicky Gray concering her request for
internal review. I think it would be best if we got an urgent
acknowledgment out giving an anticipated response date (in the very near
future). Can you draft something and I can, if needed, send it from
information compliance.

Regards

Gill

Gill Wood
Senior Democratic Services Officer
Democratic Services
Room 401
Town Hall
Albert Sq
M60 2LA

Tel: 0161 234 4083
Internal: 800 4083
Fax: 0161 274 7007

Email: [email address]
Website: www.manchester.gov.uk

This email contains information which is confidential and may also be
privileged. It may not be disclosed to the Local Government Ombudsman or
any other person without legal advice. It is for the exclusive use of the
intended recipient(s).

show quoted sections

Dear Luke Dolby

Please explain why you have not provided the correct information? You only 11 months late responding to my request.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Dear Luke Dolby

I am still awaiting a response to my request. The next excuse will be the Christmas holidays. Please respond to this request.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Manchester City Council

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Gray

Please see attached in relation to your request for information.

(See attached file: Response_COR7M2LPM_081209.pdf)

Yours sincerely

Gill Wood
Democratic Services
Town Hall
Albert Sq
M60 2LA

Tel: 0161 234 4083
Fax: 0161 274 7007

Website: www.manchester.gov.uk
Email: [Manchester City Council request email]

show quoted sections

Dear Ms Treacy

Thank you for providing the correct information.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

Vicky Gray left an annotation ()

If anyone is experiencing any form of bullying either in the workplace or elsewhere the following sites are helpful.

Very helpful: http://employees.org.uk/

Legal Advice: http://www.lawcentres.org.uk/

Helpful if going to tribunal http://etclaims.co.uk/

This is a free course which people may find helpful
http://www.skillsoft.com/bullying

Advice from Government website
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/D...

Mobbing
http://bullyeq.com/mobbing.htm

SOME SUGGESTIONS TO HANDLE BULLYING

(1) Make sure you keep a log of everything;
What has happened and what you have done and where it occurred, include dates, time and people around

(2) Keep all communication professional, factual, non-confrontational and problem resolution oriented. This will help you maintain your professionalism and credibility.

Keep all communication in writing so you have a paper trail in case you or the council needs to take legal action. Steer away from any emotionally charged conversations and do not respond to threats or degrading communication, verbal or e-mail. If the bully approaches you to harass you walk away immediately saying nothing.

Always remember you are in a professional setting and must maintain your creditability at all times. You will look more adult to the senior executives if you walked away and did not engage in the behaviour.
Keep everything on file; arm your self with facts and documents. Get enough hard evidence that backs up your position of concern, but make sure you do not strengthen the Bully’s position.

(3) Report to your supervisor/manager the incidents and request a copy of the council’s anti-harassment policy; you have the legal right to it.
If they will not give it to you then go to Human Resources or to the next level of management. If the Bully is the next level then go to their supervisor, after you have gone to your immediate supervisor/manager and Human Resources. Do not request it from the Bully.

Make sure you keep a log of who you spoke to, when and what you requested, and their actions.
Make a follow up requested by e-mail, stating the time and date of your meeting and the outcome.

(4) DO NOT hold any one-to-one conversations with the Bully in private.

Have someone else present for meetings, or have them where others can over hear if you can, i.e. keep doors open.

Ask MANAGER/CEO to help resolve issue by making a work agreement that the two of you must have a third party present at meetings until the issues are resolved.

(5) If the person you go to does nothing, keep going up the COUNCILS seniority levels until you reach the CEO.

(6) If no one in the COUNCIL will resolve the harassing behaviour, seek legal advice with your notes and communication file in hand.

GOOD LUCK AS YOU WILL NEED IT.

Regards

Vicky Gray