An article appeared a National Newspaper regarding my place of work in September 2007. No ‘source or sources’ of which the information came from appeared in the said article.

However, on my return from annual leave i was interrogated by a Company Director, who works within another contract, of the same Company. A total of 12 times he asked me if ‘I had written a letter to the newspaper?’ (showing this letter to me at the time). ‘Contacted anyone from this paper?’, or made any telephone calls to a certain reporter?’. At all times under the interrogation I stated no to all of the allegations. He then took my USB stick off me and went through it. He clarified that there was ‘no evidence’ on the stick to back up the allegation.

Subsequently I was suspended on the suspicion that i had ‘breached confidentially’.

The reasons he stated at this time for my suspension was that the letter that was sent to the newspaper (typed) was ‘in my style of writing’.

I was then called to another meeting over a week later where at that time I had a trade union representative with me. The style of the interview was in contrast to the previous and his manner was that of ‘civilized’. The interviewee (the same Company Director) showed me records of three telephone calls that were made from my area of responsibility (not my office), and times that I had logged on to the internet accessing the Herald.

I admitted to accessing the internet newspaper – as I did this on a regular basis. I denied having anything to do with the telephone calls made from the said areas. No mention of any witnesses to these telephone calls were made.

I was then informed that I would still continue to be under suspension and that he would get in contact with the Depute Director of the contract I am employed with and that I would hear something by early the next week.

I heard nothing for two weeks and was then asked to attend a disciplinary hearing. I attending this hearing with my Trade Union representative on the day requested – prior to this I was given copies of witness statements where none of then stated that I was responsible for the ‘breach of confidentiality’. In fact none of them sated who had sent the letter to the newspaper; neither were there any hints on accusations from the witnesses that I was responsible.

One of the witness statements was based on and around who had written the witnesses grievance letters. Another witness statement was based on, and inquired into, if he had written the letter to the newspaper. The third was based on if I had given the witness my log on details to my internet account at work, which I stated that I had at the second meeting with the Company Director.

The hearing went ahead on the Friday and I was informed that I would have a decision by the Monday. I am still awaiting an outcome.

Can I resign over this and claim for Constructive Dismissal?
Should I go for a compromise agreement?
Can I claim victimization?

I have worked in the same place for over six years and in a management position. Now, and of which I stated at the disciplinary hearing, I have lost all confidence and trust in the company and obviously they had lost all trust in me.

Please help as I am now into my fifth week of suspension and on the verge of taking my own life over this due to the stress of being falsely accused. All I want to try and do is to try and move on with my life and get my name cleared.

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Nancy Loughran