I would apreciate any advise coming my way on this. I am not an HR manager but rather a unit manager and I feel I am being undermined by my superiors / HR department.

I have been employed by my company for four years without ever having to deal with an employee grievance or complaint about me previously. Aproximately 11 months ago I have employed a member of staff. Once she completed the trial period there were a number of incidents between her and almost all other members of my team spanning the last 7 months. I have dealt with all of them informally as I did not feel they warranted a disciplinary action. It was always a case of personality clashes, rather then work performance.

Last week there was another more serious incident which again I initially tried to reslove informally only to be accused of bullying, harassment and victimazation by the employee after I told her that I might take disciplinary action. I offered to invite my immediate superior to the meeting and asked the employee to wait. When i came back the employee told me that she is resigning and will be contacting her lawers. I told her that this is her right, gave her the staff handbook and showed her the disciplinary and grievance procedures and told her that I will do a disciplinary.

When I contacted my HR department in HQ the next day, 12 hours after the incident I was told that they heard different things and that she has raised a formal grievance about me. No adivse was offered in regards to the disciplinary and in general I feel I was prejudged immediately. I was als informed that they had a chat with the director responsible for my unit about my behaviour and they assumed that he has already contacted me. I also know that a personal friend of the employee is working at HQ and is good friends with the HR department.

I then aproached my direct manager. I told him that I was very concerned about the situation and that I would still like to follow the disciplinary process. He advised me to hold my horses prior to the grievance procedure being completed.

I requested to be shown the allegations made against me, however this has not happened. I was given a vague verbal description by my line manager. From what i understood the allegations were of bullying and spanned her whole employement period with me rather then the last incident only. I know that I can call a number of witnesses to back me up, however I was told not to do so.

At this stage I am happy to leave the company, however I would not like to leave with my reputation tarnished.

What would be my best plan of action?
Dimitrios Neo