I work in the medical field in. I've been accused of pilfering narcotics (taking them from the med cart for my own personal use). There has been absolutely no proof of the accusations made by my employer. All narcotic counts have been accurate on all shifts and they have never witnessed me taking any narcotics from any med cart. My co-workers banned together (less than 10 of them *I cannot give precise numbers* ) and were "watching me" very closely at work in order to "catch me". I've was informed of their scheme by an honest co-worker who was asked to be in on it. She refused and came straight to me....Thank Goodness. I have been to my unit manager who has been contacted by staff members regarding their "concerns". My manager told me that they have abosultely no proof or reason to suspect I have done anything of the sort and that she is not taking this matter any further.
So, I got a phone call from the organization that issues me my medical license to practice. One of the nurses that has suspected me of trying to take narcotics has reported me to them because my manager refused to take it any further for fear of discrimination. I phoned my union (I am covered and protected very heavily by my union) and told them what was going on. They said that it is all heresay, but an investigation HAS to be done now that it has been reported to the licensing body.
The investigation has been completed now (9 months later) and they have questioned me (with my union rep present) regarding the charges against me. I denied everything (of course) because I have never taken narcotics from work., niether have I ever taken narcotics from anywhere but from a prescription from a doctor (ie: T 3's, etc). These co-workers of mine have had months to prepare their stories and get in-kahoots with each other in their accusations. They have all been interviewed and it has been decided by my licensing body to take it to a hearing in order to try and discipline me. I have just recieved a copy of the "Investigations Report" and all hearings are public. In it are all the letters of accusation, my responses to them when I was interviewed and the charges against me. There are less than 10 charges against me, all similar in nature. They range from taking narcotics, to spending "too much time in the bathroom" during a break. They have absolutely no concrete evidence, just rumours and these nurses's speculations. I am so stressed about the hearing and what is going to happen. I know they have the burden of proof, but they are going on the fact that, "a thousand ants on a pile of honey can't be wrong". Meaning that if a number of my coworkers (some of them being very well respected with 20+ years of experience) think I"m doing something wrong, then it must be true. I know they don't have any concrete evidence or proof, but I am being judged at the hearing by chosen health care workers that don't know me (like a jury). So the prosecution may be able to convince them that I have done something when they don't have any proof anyways. Even if I deny it and there aren't any pictures, witnesses or medical testing stating that I took narcotics, can they still convict me of taking narcotics? I don't see how they can. I asked my licencing body if they planned on trying to take my licence to practice from me and they said, "no", just maybe some "supervised work or essay writing or courses". They know they don't have any proof of it and from the sounds of it they are trying to get me to "admit" to wrong doing. My union said that "supervised work detail" is a huge insult and if that happened, then others would know that I was convicted of not being "up to snuff" with my job. They said that it would be almost impossible to prove wrong doing in this instance because there are no immediate witnesses, just people's "hunches".
If you ask me, this whole thing is full of hooey and it's all caused so much stress on myself and my family. I am not supposed to be telling anyone about this and thus I have left out important identifying details here for that reason.
This has ruined my chances at ever working at this place of employment ever again. I have not quit my job, but have taken a stress leave due to it all. I am currently taking courses to better my communication and such. Just a personal choice and one that will benefit me in the end. So what do you all think? Should I get a lawyer or stick with the rep that my union gives me? I have reviewed the evidence they sent me and have found mistakes and holes in their statements EVERYWHERE! Even contradicting statements made by more than one nurse about same incidents, etc. I have mentioned about doing a drug test and a lie detector, but my union rep told me that it isn't a court of law or a criminal hearing, so these things would be "over kill" and unneccesary. When he put it that way, I realized that lie detector results cannot be submited anyways as evidence
So, I got a phone call from the organization that issues me my medical license to practice. One of the nurses that has suspected me of trying to take narcotics has reported me to them because my manager refused to take it any further for fear of discrimination. I phoned my union (I am covered and protected very heavily by my union) and told them what was going on. They said that it is all heresay, but an investigation HAS to be done now that it has been reported to the licensing body.
The investigation has been completed now (9 months later) and they have questioned me (with my union rep present) regarding the charges against me. I denied everything (of course) because I have never taken narcotics from work., niether have I ever taken narcotics from anywhere but from a prescription from a doctor (ie: T 3's, etc). These co-workers of mine have had months to prepare their stories and get in-kahoots with each other in their accusations. They have all been interviewed and it has been decided by my licensing body to take it to a hearing in order to try and discipline me. I have just recieved a copy of the "Investigations Report" and all hearings are public. In it are all the letters of accusation, my responses to them when I was interviewed and the charges against me. There are less than 10 charges against me, all similar in nature. They range from taking narcotics, to spending "too much time in the bathroom" during a break. They have absolutely no concrete evidence, just rumours and these nurses's speculations. I am so stressed about the hearing and what is going to happen. I know they have the burden of proof, but they are going on the fact that, "a thousand ants on a pile of honey can't be wrong". Meaning that if a number of my coworkers (some of them being very well respected with 20+ years of experience) think I"m doing something wrong, then it must be true. I know they don't have any concrete evidence or proof, but I am being judged at the hearing by chosen health care workers that don't know me (like a jury). So the prosecution may be able to convince them that I have done something when they don't have any proof anyways. Even if I deny it and there aren't any pictures, witnesses or medical testing stating that I took narcotics, can they still convict me of taking narcotics? I don't see how they can. I asked my licencing body if they planned on trying to take my licence to practice from me and they said, "no", just maybe some "supervised work or essay writing or courses". They know they don't have any proof of it and from the sounds of it they are trying to get me to "admit" to wrong doing. My union said that "supervised work detail" is a huge insult and if that happened, then others would know that I was convicted of not being "up to snuff" with my job. They said that it would be almost impossible to prove wrong doing in this instance because there are no immediate witnesses, just people's "hunches".
If you ask me, this whole thing is full of hooey and it's all caused so much stress on myself and my family. I am not supposed to be telling anyone about this and thus I have left out important identifying details here for that reason.
This has ruined my chances at ever working at this place of employment ever again. I have not quit my job, but have taken a stress leave due to it all. I am currently taking courses to better my communication and such. Just a personal choice and one that will benefit me in the end. So what do you all think? Should I get a lawyer or stick with the rep that my union gives me? I have reviewed the evidence they sent me and have found mistakes and holes in their statements EVERYWHERE! Even contradicting statements made by more than one nurse about same incidents, etc. I have mentioned about doing a drug test and a lie detector, but my union rep told me that it isn't a court of law or a criminal hearing, so these things would be "over kill" and unneccesary. When he put it that way, I realized that lie detector results cannot be submited anyways as evidence