An impossible Situation

Fresh from a long sea holiday everybody was very surprised when I arrived and reported for duty to be met with a disciplinary hearing and finding out my whole salary will now be permanently “suspended” no reason given.

The holiday leave that had been still owed me was cancelled for outstanding sick leave and the balance sick leave was to be claimed and I would have to pay it back so in effect I now owe the university money.

I know it doesn't really make sense.

The main thing is my whole salary was now “suspended” and without me being dismissed. To me that says my name is on the personnel but with no privileges and no income. This after five years satisfactory work performance very little affected by illness, certainly acceptable for any “normal” person. It's hard to believe.

Out of the blue were two disciplinary hearings sudden and in rapid succession and right at the beginning of the academic year. I was just as surprised.

Disciplinaries and representation

The accusations were ridiculous I listened to all of them and left without a word all these charges were nonsense I left with no defence this all was clearly all of it just made up. It would be stupid to defend. There was no substance to any of it. Plus there had been no written warnings not even an oral warning.

I excused myself and left and not attempting any kind of defence at all, this was obviously literately all fabricated. They tried to stop me. I in turn had been very surprised all this was totally unexpected. This whole business happened in the first few days of the first semester.

They must have been very confident they could “pull it off”. While some nasty co-workers and of the staff union representation instead of supposedly helping me and assist it was apparent which side they're on, yes I know, ultimately their own. To save face resorting to blackmail that's how they do things there. The dude was in the bed as well. He and some of my own family and the main bigshot staff union buddy.

By “they” I mean representatives of the university particularly management of the Faculty of Science and School of Mathematics and “the head” would be the Head. As at that time.

I could not find anyone willing I could trust so I knew not to defend myself I have no experience in this. In the letters summoning me for the hearings it was explicitly stated no legal representation or training or anyone with such experience is allowed. I assume this must be standard policy.

The people present at the hearing were the head of school, the head of HR science faculty the dean of science and his secretary. They also were the ones signing the papers. Very convenient. Luckily there was a dictating machine. The whole story in just a few days as classes and the semester started. For the second hearing the same nonsense this time on paper with no new allegations and I didn't even bother pitching up.

Embarrassment

Obviously I must be one terrific embarrassment. Unfortunately the university is put in a very bad light in approving the conduct of just a few people representing the university and abusing their authority.

In the second summons the charges were on paper they had forgotten before in the rush and there were no new alleged transgressions. This fact proves they have nothing on me. My side was clean otherwise they had to say so then. I refuse to defend myself against nonsense. Even so I can account for every single day of the year and every duty. My salary was stopped “suspended” no reason given come payday nothing in my bank account. War. But I did have a place to go thank God for my mother.

This meant I was now on unpaid sick leave and that then indefinitely, meaning that I had still to be on the personnel. All salary cancelled so their last resort was abscondment but by that time I was in state mental hospital. It meant I cannot be dismissed because now you have to concede I was sick in the first place. Beautiful. An unexplainable position. If I could have everything over just like this I would have done exactly the same. Stupidity on stupidity, a comedy of errors with enemies like that you don't need friends.

Bad to worse

The psycho-dude guy advised me “Don't let them be your problem, you be their problem”. This sounded like a very good idea turned out not actually what he had in mind.

The head had informed me officially I was not entitled to sick leave and in effect also I was to catch up on work missed during sick leave I had taken. That meant holiday leave when sick and had to pay the balance in. It was now all of it unpaid leave and he cancelled what I had and had to pay it back and would be recovered from my salary. Can you imagine?

I wonder who is incompetent they should have fired him rather. He just decided on impulse on his own I was not entitled to sick leave and any such leave would be unpaid. Official. Without even giving a reason. Just like that. Perhaps I did provoke him you might say I was a controversial case we had history. Some co-workers added fuel to the smoke and flames get Rrrid of him! These were just a handful I had many fiends I was popular on the campus with the students too.

I told him I am looking for other work and would resign as soon as I had a post I was optimistic, this didn't work out no hard feelings I would start afresh. I had been looking already for work near East-London I have family there. In answer received a note from him telling me to resign immediately “keep your side of the bargain” signed and dated “many cordial reminders”. Quite blatant. Black on white.

I've seen this before, interesting, a hard man, strong, of assumed obvious superiority never excepting any kind of apology or excuses, no understanding no compassion no mercy but when in trouble himself excuses come quick and fast and resorts even to grab at straws frantically and never accepting any personal part of the blame. Typical behaviour of a bully while his staunch buddies defend him for favours and keeping his own seniors happy. This is kind of thing  is actually common. Play the game.

We had a history could be that I did provoke him but he made one terrific blunder.

Fitness for work

Obviously the university wanted me on disability and so far as to want to keep me from getting work elsewhere and supposedly for “my own good”. Very conveniently as well to prove problem is solved. They have now decided I am unfit for work by themselves and without even a real medical doctor. Turned out this psycho-dude was in the bed as well, and some of my own family as well as my personal mentor who as it happens was in fact the big-shot staff union crook too.

Some nasty characters. These just a handful most people liked me a lot, colleagues and from other academic departments and co-workers like computers and security guys as well as the students. Declared unfit for work and on disability pension would be a very convenient cover-up. So honestly I wonder why terminate my employment so urgently? For me? Ridiculous. As history proved otherwise.

There were also other prospects that were very keen I have a very good academic reputation and good CV and I can earn a lot more as well. The university wanted to be excused and wash the hands and me forgotten somewhere rotting in poverty so as to get on with their gangster cloak and dagger activities in peace.

Sickness and holidays

Everything is accounted for, our off days we were allowed working from home such as marking, preparation of lectures research and so on. Lectures are not on record but a class would have complained very quickly, I didn't miss any tutorials either not one those are on record on the attendance registers. My evaluations were very good. I attended to every duty, preparing lectures tutorials invigilation consulting hours and marking and so on. The head was none too busy to bother with the matter the fact is the university had nothing at all to back their absenteeism claims it was simply assumed and fabricated.

Still even though I was not entitled to sick leave anymore I had made very sure I have all the doctor's letters the medical aid and doctors' rooms would be able to confirm all these dates. There were regular consultations unfortunately including those with the dude which were just a waste of money.

I am able to account for all absence and all doctor's visits and other “normal” medical treatment are documented including ordinary “real”  illness even though not eligible for sick leave at all. The medical aid would be able to confirm each one my medical was cancelled only later with the actual “suspension” of my salary. I was well below the allowed sick leave.

The head was definitely totally unprepared for me arriving there reporting for duty in spite of his gift of predicting the future (he sees patterns). In fact I don't think I was even on the work allocation. And also they have the odd habit I noticed all the letters were undated, I did bring it to their attention each time. We had a new dean every year the turnover of staff alarming looked like at least 20% each year even the VC a new one every now and then.

Time Gentlemen!

My problem here was anxiety and exhaustion I was working too hard. My hospitalisations were brief it had minimal impact on my work most of it was during university holidays anyway, in fact I had used no other leave only vacation and sick leave and they've got many other all sorts.

Now I could not have sick leave because I was sick and at the same time when it suits them, not sick, to be irresponsible and abusing of leave. And if I were sick why a disciplinary? This obviously is admitting I am able and fit for duty. Crazy.

The official story was “we were told there were some meetings and it was decided that he was to be dismissed” and then without privileges gratification or compensation. Only entitled to his pension fund up to date that's it. No severance.

I would be able to obtain other employment and paid better too and even now. The fact is I could find work elsewhere without a problem you see what an embarrassment I was and just had to get me on disability and stop me from getting work because they knew very well. They went as far as to directly and actively prevent me from finding other employment. The university, an embarrassment to itself. Some ugly characters.

It sounds unbelievable doesn't it?

The road to Hell is paved with hidden assumptions.