My CEO raised a disciplinary action against me unfairly I believe

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/feb/02/ceo-disciplinary-action-interview

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Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy’s own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?

I have worked in my present job for nine years and my work has been highly praised by my line manager and the committee I work for. Sadly the CEO of the society (consisting of five staff including the CEO) is a very difficult person and I have had several quarrels with her over minor issues. She was my line manager for the first five years, after which I asked to be transferred to my present line manager. Three years ago one of my colleagues raised grievances with her and I did the same 20 months ago.

My grievance was never dealt with and five months ago the CEO raised a disciplinary action against me, which was actioned by the trustees with a first written warning for gross insubordination. The trustees also said they wanted to arrange mediation for the CEO and me. I took legal advice and appealed. When the appeal’s hearing was to be arranged I heard that the person holding it had asked for clarification from the trustees and since then everything has been put on ice.

My line manager supports me and is very keen to keep me, but he is a busy hospital consultant and remote from the office. The atmosphere since the incident which led to the disciplinary action was initially awful, the CEO did not communicate with me at all for eight weeks. It then became slightly more normal, but there is still a lot of tension. I do not want to continue working in this environment and have started looking around for a new job. Do I (have to) mention the disciplinary action when I go for interviews? At what point and how can I do this, without raising the suspicion that I may be a difficult employee? I am 55 years old and had four different jobs before the present position, each between five and seven years. I have never had a disciplinary action raised against me before.

Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or to reply personally.