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maria104 · Mar 22, 2011, 05:21 AM

THREADS MERGED

I currently work for a gp surgery, a family member of mine has just recently registered. We had some family problems and I wrote to my brother an angry letter out of office hours (about 1pm in the morning), his partner then decided to to send the letter to my employers & I then received a discplinary hearing even though the letter had nothing to do with my place of employment. I have been given a final written warning & was told that my duties have been taken from me. My question to you is can I actually sue my family memember & his partner for slander. Even though at my hearing I brought in the evidence that they needed?

maria104 · Mar 22, 2011, 05:31 AM

I had a diclpinary meeting about the letter I sent to my brother. After the hearing I was told the outcome of the meeting on the following day, my employers then told me that my duties has now been taken from me because of the outcome of the letter even though I had an apprasial at the beginning of the year & was told nothing about my duties there & was even offered more hours as they we quite pleased with my work. My question is can they actually do that as I went in for the results of the hearing not about my job?

smoothy · Mar 22, 2011, 06:40 AM

Slander only applies when someone says something that's not true. And you will have to prove its not true.

If they repeated exactly what was contained in that letter, then its not slander to do so.

But short answer... you can sue almost anyone for almost anything... but the burden of proof is going to be on you to make to the courts satisfaction if you expect to win. And Winning isn't guaranteed by any means.

As an At-Will employee (assuming you aren't a member of a union)... your employers really don't need a reason to toss you out. And if you give them one, then its even more likely.

JudyKayTee · Mar 22, 2011, 06:42 AM

Where? Normally, yes. You can be fired for cause and it appears your employer believes you violated the rules, which give the employer cause.

How did a letter to your brother get into the hands of your employer?

I don't think I have the whole story.

J_9 · Mar 22, 2011, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by maria104

his partner then decided to to send the letter to my employers

That's how the letter got into the hands of the employer Judy. There were two threads that have now been merged. ;)

JudyKayTee · Mar 22, 2011, 06:49 AM

Thanks, J9 -

I see no slander here. Your brother and his partner didn't make anything up about you. I still don't understand why you were fired for a personal letter, written on personal time, which said nothing about your work AND why your employer cares about angry letters you write your brother.

Maybe your letter showed bias (you refer to a "partner") against a group of people.

What was in the letter?