I have been working at a small law firm for over four years now. It's a law firm that works for a bigger corporation. The supervisor (Chris) from said corporation has gone out of his way to show his utter hatred and anger towards me. My supervisor (Terre) has little to no control over him and his actions. She has even a few times accused me of ridiculous things, including stealing microwave popcorn and dollar store bulk candy from a co-worker who I shared a desk with at the time. She also has treated me unfairly compared to the rest of my co-workers in other cases, including not asking my view when disputes arise and has given me severe lectures and embarrassed me. Several times she's accused me of stinking up the office. Another time she was mad and gave me a scathing lecture when I stood up for myself in a meeting when Chris bullied me into it when I was in a dispute with a co-worker about her doing my work when I really needed the work.Which I could hear the co-worker and Chris making jokes and laughing on the other side of the thin wall that separates our office while listening in. The worst is Chris, he has basically verbally abused, harassed, sworn at and threatened me since I started working there. He has sent disparaging e-mails about me which I saved, told really nasty things to the co-workers behind my back, started rumors about me, I think he's the one who started the one about me stealing, called me a: "Waste of space" several times, has told me that if I ever make another mistake, he'd happily "rub it in my face", ripped me a new one about things when my supervisor who has final say said it was fine, and told me at least twice he can't stand the mere sight of me. One time I even LOOKED AT him too long when leaving which his office is right across the back door and he said: "What the **** are you looking at?" I haven't said two words towards him and generally avoid him. I have even tried to avoid him and honest to God am terrified of him. My supervisor is now gone for two weeks and he has, when she left to drop her dog at the kennel, insulted and criticized me for what I was doing. One part he was telling me to do is illegal in my type of work. I have contacted WOW, Americans with Disabilities association, Human Rights Commission, and the Civil Liberties Union. WOW has contacted me twice with looking into it, the rest haven't. Does anyone have any help?
Honestly, seeing how long this has been going on, I would get law enforcement involved and jail both of their asses. I'm sorry, but that's really all I can say. You don't deserve to be treated like this.
If WOW looking into it doesn' t solve anything I' d go for legal action as well, or at the very least make it crystal clear to him I wouldn' t mind going there (once I have all the evidence I need). You work for a law firm, surely there' s someone there who can explain how to go about those things to you. You already have some e-mails, though I don' t know whether they clearly cross the line or not. If you own one of those tiny tape recorders keep it on yourself in case he goes ballistic again, I' d love to see his face once you start recording him (don' t know how it is in the US but we can' t use such a tape as evidence here unless the person knew he/she was recorded). Could you repeat that again please ? I' m afraid I missed an insult or two. *angelic face* My previous bosses tried to play me for a sucker when they fired me. I almost got proof of it out of him, but in that instant she suddenly realized I was just playing dumb and they both backpedalled like crazy.
Most of the e-mails are pretty derogatory. I won't mention it here because well, I don't want people to see the abuse of what he's said to me. In one when I told a new co-worker that they made a mistake in two files politely, (I saved what I said also.) HE said I made plenty of mistakes myself and he would happily rub it in my face. Amongst others. Another I just went to the bathroom and he sent a scathing e-mail about how I should have used air freshener or the fan afterwards. That was the first incident other than the second week I worked there. The exact words were: "Do you not know the purpose of the fan and air freshener in the bathroom??? USE IT PLEASE!" I have several of these, including the one where I slammed my foot down about standing up for myself. I don't know if it's enough, but I will try the tape recorder, thank you.
Unless you have unisex bathrooms.... How would it be even possible for him to know the female ones smell bad no matter who did it? But anyway, I'm sure you can get him done for this.
It's unisex, and I think if nothing else... He blames me for everything else in the office so he could've just nailed me for it just because he wanted too. I'm the only one in the office who he bullies. Like... Ever.
That is so terrible D: you do not deserve this treatment in any way. It's good that you went to WOW and other places. I suggest that if nothing happens then do the tape recorder thing (actually, do that anyway) and take legal action. You do not deserve to be bullied in this way, I doubt anyone does really. You shouldn't have to fear going into work, you should be able to feel safe, so don't back down whatever you do. Some people can just smell out people who have been bullied before, deem them weak and pick on them forever more. Also, if you can't use the tape recorder as evidence unless he knows you are recording, you should tell him that you are constantly recording and hopefully he will either be nice to you or will continue the abuse in which case you can use it against him.
Last time I checked this is illegal in more ways than one, you gotta get help, like law enforcement help
I'm afraid of turning to the law enforcement, last time I had a stalker following girls home and a dozen witnesses see him watching me through the store window where I worked and the cops made it sound like it was my fault it happened. A "culture issue" they put it. But I don't see anything else... I can't leave my office now, and I hear him cussing me out every day now.
I really feel you on your situation. I was in kind of a same situation with my last job, but I quit after about four weeks of it. I couldn't take the stress and the frustration. Anyway, I think you should look for another job, elsewhere. I'm sure there are plenty of other friendly law firms that you can work at in your town, and working at the same place for four years really shows commitment. I think you'd have a really high chance of finding something, if you just take the time to apply and follow up with phone calls.
