Lived Experience Forum

[Bast]

Hi all

The stigma festivities started for me at work on 12/1/2017. Just gotta luv working for public health. Yes I do have a diagnosed condition. Please do not ever allow this to be who you are, regardless. OMG I had the audacity to cry after a very difficutl client situation. And.......I handled the entire situation objectively and professionally, the client was finally admitted for a 4 month acute MH stay because of my intervention. 

I was subsequently yelled at, accused of incapacity, disrespected and defamed for my practice. Set up and forced to attend an IME- as too insane to work++++. Refused access to the IME's report regardless of the legal ramifications. Followed by several attempts to coerce me to accept involvement with the number 1 bully who set out to destroy me and 6 colleages from 2015 onwards. What the!

I now have another farcical workcover claim going on - This is hugely painful, 'cos I know that it will lead to more detrimental defamatory information regarding me. I am hanging on ..........somehow.

I am frightened and tearful constantly, yep to prove I was not nuts, actually caused a relapse. I had six months clear for the only time I can remember in my life.  

Regards Bast

[utopia]

@Bast. I'm sorry they are still making this harder for you.
I too worked in the mental health sector. Workcover sends me for endless IME reports. But once - when my work was getting ready to terminate my contract of employment - they demanded an independent IME report. I was advised of this via text message on a Saturday & to attend on the Wednesday.
After the report was done, my union rep said that I shouldn't have attended that IME. That they had no right to send me there. Then they demanded a meeting with me to discuss the IME. I requested a copy of the report before the meeting. NO they said. Workcover always sends me a copy of the full reports. But work said I will get a copy at the end of the meeting. They planned to ambush me.
So I got my union rep involved. She advised them that she would be attending all future meetings with me. And that we will not be attending any medtings til we got a full copy of the report.
It was then two weeks of them bullying me & me referring them to my union rep. In the end we were sent the report.
No wonder they didn't want me to get a copy of it. The psychiatrist they sent me to for this IME - wrote a scathing report about the abuse I occurred at work and the continuing damage this workplace was inflicting on me. The psychiatrist then gave them a mouthful of written abuse about how management didn't follow basic OHS and duty of care towards it's staff. And then outlined that of course I was mentally struggling.
So please, get a union rep in to help you. you need an advocate on your side.
I wish you all the best

[Bast]

Hi Utopia

Thank you so much for your reply - I am not so alone.The report from the IME is uncalled for, even he said it and I think you are right, it contains some detrimental stuff. I have requested it repeadetly via email and yes copped the same - the HR mythologist and the narcissitic manager will discuss this with you at a meeting. I requested a copy in advance 'cos it may be similar to yours - in my favour. No way. Instead I got the HR charmers edited version. No copy of the report was forwarded to my GP as is required. I do have union support and it is now over to the rep. I cannot stand up for myself any more. The self advocacy to save myself from the previous bully has taken a toll. 

The current workcover claim is scaring me pretty well out of my brain. I spoke with the union earlier this month and was fairly adamant that I need to quit - as per the managment shove em out the door policy. In fact the Narcisist has declared at a meeting - "Fit in or F.... Off." 

I am certain that I will never be able to return to work at this dreadful organisation however I remain stuck with the umbilical cord around my neck. I am afraid to check my phone, go to thw mailbox and especially leave my house. The fear and sadness are continuing to grow. I know I did well - I kept myself Ok for 4 months however now every day is a struggle. 

Regards Bast

[girl99]

@Bast

I have been through a similar thing with my work if you want to read some of my previous posts.  I have been sent for many 'Independent Medical Exams' (IMEs) and they are awful.

It is very wrong what is happening to you but it seems their goal is to force you out of the workplace.  My workplace did the same thing.  There is no support for the employee at all.  My advice is do not trust any of them and be careful what you say.  Do not trust HR, your case manager, your doctors or rehab providers.  The system is not there to help you.  They will say it is, they pretend that it is, but it is not.  I have heard stories of them getting people's FB posts, social media posts and other things to use against them.  Please be careful and try to take care of yourself as this is one of the worst experiences you can go through.

[Bast]

Hi girl199 and everyone

It so helps to talk with the people here

Many thanks for all of your wonderfully supportive posts. I am so saddened to understand that you have gone through tis also - however painful it is, it helps to know that this maltreatment is so broadly spread throughout workplaces everywhere. Or is it part of the Australian idiom? The Narcissistic comment continues to intrude - Fit in or F.... Off. How deeply wrong ths all is. Just because people need to earn an income, is putting up with a whopping great detioration in MS, thinking and confidence actually OK? 

Today I feel better, whereas yesterday was pretty well ghastly. My phone rang - however I got up feeling afraid. That led to a really charming round of shaking, palpitations, tears, full scale disater brain movies and fear. It is pretty ordinary, I know to need 3+ hours to even check a message, let alone phone back. However I did manage to "fake it" - a much needed skill sometimes.

I now have a decision to make and your advice will be sincerely appreciated. After yesterday and the damage this has done - I am considering escape from Alcatraz, resign and run. I can do this be email and I am certain my GP will suport me wit leave for the 4 weeks notice period. Do I cut it clean or briefly turn up? I do know that being anywhere near work turns my mind into a pretty nasty bomb site. Shake rattle and roll. I am just a little concerned that continued avoidance will 'fester' and potentially add to the detrimental effects. 

Regards and so many thanks Bast

[girl99]

@Bast

I feel for you and you are in a tough place.  Based on the horrific time I have had, I would say resign and run.  I was treated terribly - threatened, bullied and, years later, I still have ongoing issues from the whole thing.  So try to move forward, if you can, would be my advice.  BUT (and it's a big but!) before you make any big decisions like this - can you get some one off legal advice?  Legal Aid I think still does give one free appointment for legal advice (sometimes they even do phone advice I think) or can you contact your union or a disability support service?  I would also ask them about accessing your IME report too as you should be entitled to that.  If you want to tell us what state/area you are in, some of us on here may be able to suggest some services?

Also, speak to your doctor about what he/she thinks.  You want to have the BEST information you can about making this big decision - so good legal and medical advice is needed.  Even if it's just a one-off appointment.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I had just resigned and RUN - but I was principled and tried to keep sticking up for myself and for my rights.  Wasn't worth it for me in the end as the employer had too many resources and the system is stacked against me.  BUT that is just me and my situation.   Although it seems it happens regularly to others.  I am still very bitter and angry about it and that no one helped me and there are supposed to be laws to help vulnerable people, but it seems employers can just do this.  And I WON my workers compensation claim but it has destroyed me doing it and the system (which took years) is designed to exploit and worsen the vulnerable employee.  I am far worse off now than before.

A major decision, like resigning from your job, can have big ramifications for the future and should be done with the BEST possible information you have.  So I do suggest it is worthwhile chatting to someone about your rights.  Just so you are confident with your decision and you don't ever look back with any regrets.   

[Mee1955]

I fully understand  just remember you are worthy and beautiful. Love yoursekf and take care

[Former-Member]

Hi @Bast - I don't know if you've read the thread I started a few months that is still ongoing. This treatment of mentally ill staff especially in healthcare is like a plague. WTF is going on with these people? HR in my case just automatically sided with the sociopathic manager from day one even though this person has a history. Then did an absolute sham of an internal investigation that didn't even take into account the evidence I gave them. The worse thing is the time this has taken - the incident that started all this was months ago and every tiny action they do takes weeks, I'm guessing so they can run things past their own lawyers so they can cover themselves. Get yourself a lawyer who can advocate for you - it's the only way to stop them smashing you. That's what I did - believe me it's worth it. Take care and look after yourself.

[Bast]

Hi girl99

Many thanks for your advice and willingness to disclose the horror you have been through. I have already gone through this before. I was severely bullied in 2014, this lead to a pretty nasty relapse and ongoing issues including 3 months of being unable to work and pretty well hiding in my house. I returned to work in 2015 and had the best Union rep in exisitance he stood up to the Narcissitic Manager and threatened a Fair Work claim regarding the Narcissit's responsibility. 

From there, I had repeated phone calls (personal mobile) and an ambush where I was yelled at for 1 hour+. From there ongoing inappropriate interrogation (from an untrained/qualified) T/L and a fictitious performance plan regardin my communication. 

I had requested a relocation to be safe from the bully. All was Ok for a while - until the departmental re-structure commenced -6 people were pushed out. I was able to compare notes with some and exactly the same bullying format in supervison had been used.

This is again being repeated - I have been directed to attend supervison with the bully. No way can I sustain this again.

However, I have been able to negotiate 4 hours per week to undertake private therapeutic practice. I am certain that the previous T/L has received a major '"talking to" in regards to this.

Ther are multiple other factors - whatever.

I now have pressure from my medical clinic to extend my hours - working there has pretty well kept my going throughout the majority of this. Unfortunately now the prolonged stress has adversely affected this. 

I have finally established therpeutic work that I did find energising, as of today I have committed to undertake 14 sessions per week. My husband has fluctuated in his opinions and this is understandable. In 2016 I required acute admissions due to returning to the stressors at this dreadful workplace. 

I am certain that I cannot ever return there for more abuse - the thought sends me straight into the horror movies I experience.

Finacially this will be very difficult - however what price my mind?

Resignation does need formal advice - I agree, however is the potential limited gain actually worth the consequences? I simply do not know ad I want to run

Regards Bast

[Former-Member]

Hi @Bast - I think my manager went to the same school of management as yours. Sorry you had to go through that sort of treatment. I'm not in a union so I had to get a lawyer. It was the only way I could make them realise that I was serious that I wouldn't put up with their crap. They still seem to think they've gotten away with it so it will play out in court. Issues like these never get resolved internally - the same bullies just get shuffled sideways or worse - promoted... and meanwhile people just stay and take the abuse or leave and go elsewhere and the cycle just perpetuates.