Please help, my employer will not let me work, leave or pay me sick pay I am stuck

[Pinkpal]

I have been a teacher for 6 years, at the end of 2009 my marriage broke down resulting in a divorce, my employer is a strict Muslim and disagreed with my divorce, this has lead to constant bullying. I have had my union supporting me, I was told not to have any meetings with the headteacher without union support. In February 2011 I relayed this information to the headteacher, he responded by barging into my classroom shouting at me, I asked him to leave and he wouldn't, so I tried to leave and he held the classroom door shut, when I tried to pull the door handle, the headteacher pushed me back across the room. I contacted the police and have not been back to work since. In August all of my pay stopped, I lodged a grievance against my headteacher but to no avail as he was very cleaver and asked all of the other staff and children to leave before he assaulted me. The outcome was that communication had broken down and mediation was required to move forward, I agreed to this as ultimately I love my job. The headteacher declined mediation. Due to this I was told by the governors I could not return. I am still under contract so I cannot seek employment elsewhere and yet at the same time I am being refused to go back to my job as they have hired another teacher. I have no financial support from the government or my employer. I have been offered a compromise deal, where they will allow me to leave with a reference, but the reference states how many days off I have had, as I would have to sign a confidentiality order I would not be able to explain my reason for the sustained absence. Please could someone help and offer me some advise, I really want to continue with my profession and put this painful experience behind me.

 

[shrinkmaster]

You need to talk with your Union rep on this

 

[Proserpina]

(Yes, I'm from the UK)

And if your union isn't helping, you absolutely need to speak with a solicitor - urgently. There are many things that simply don't sound right.

It's a LOT more difficult to fire/get rid of an employee (and even more difficult if they're union!) in the UK than it is here in the US; I can't help but feel that this OP is being bullied, perhaps illegally.