cAN YOU SUE THE COMPANY THAT FIRED YOU FOR HARRASSMENT, IF FELLOW EMPLOYEES MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO WORK?

Question

i DID NOT GET ALONG WITH THE OFFICE MANAGER AND HE CONSTANTLY STARTED TROUBLE FOR ME ACUSSING ME OF THEFT AND GOT SEVERAL OTHER MANAGERS TO TRY TO SET ME UP. HE SCRUTINIED ALL I DID AND CONSTANTLY TLKED BAD THINGS ABOUT ME TO OTHER EMPLOYEES, CAUSING BAD FEELINGS AND DIFFICULT TIMES FOR ME AND MANY EMPLOYEES. I WAS PRODUCTION MANAGER AND IT HURT MY STANDING AND I BECAME THE TARGET OF SCORN AND RIDICULE TIL I DID NOT GET ALONG WITH ANY OF THEM.HE WAS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR ANYTHING I DID WRONG, AND I USED A COMPANY GAS CARD ON VACATION AND FORGOT TO PAY FOR THE USE WHEN I CAME BACK, SO I WAS FIRED, ATLEAST THAT IS WHAT I THINK IT WAS. THEY WILL NOT TELL ME EVRYTHING AND WOULD NOT GIVE ME A REASON EXCEPT TO SAY NOBODY LIKED ME AND THEY COULD NOT FIRE EVERYBODY ELSE... I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE GM HIRED AND HE IS WHO FIRED ME, SAYING THAT HE TOO DID NOT AND NEVER DID LIKE ME. THOUGHT HE WAS A FRIEND YOU KNOW..

Answer 1

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Answer 2

As long as they can prove that they fired you for violating any company policy (like using the gas card on vacation) there is nothing you can do. However, if you can prove it to be a hostile environment you may be able to get unemployment benefits, but that is a long shot. Speaking from a managers point of view though, I never fire someone until I have solid proof that they violated company policy. Honestly they had probably been looking for a reason to get ride of you for a long time. I would say let it go and just worry about them trying to black ball you out of future jobs. And lay off the caps that is rude and there is no reason to shout at us.

Answer 3

I'm not a lawyer but have been fired. I was fired to to an incompetent boss - he got fired 3 months after me. I did not sue as I was not aware I could -this was many years ago. I do not want to say yes you can as I do not know. My advice is speak to the citizens advice berau. Did you keep a log of the incidents? Did you have witnesses? Had you been there for two years or more? I think if you have been there for two years you have more gounds....but don't quote me on that. Take advice from everyone on here but please talk to CB tomorrow! Good Luck.

Answer 4

I think you need to get in touch with equal opportunity and voice your situation to them first. They will make an investigation and help you get solutions either to re-instate your employment or etc. etc. Take the time to know your rights and get all that is necessary before you go in a battle against the whole department. Document all the situation from the beginning and keep records of anything that will protect you from all accusations. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Count your blessings and move on. Just remember even though you think they're a friend don't trust ANYBODY unless you're absolutely certain. Even then you never know. It'll probably cost you a whole lot more to sue them than you have. Remember you're out of work. And if you did sue and win would you go back? I sure wouldn't think so unless you're a glutton for punishment.

Answer 6

I am NOT a lawyer, but . . .

Yes, you can sue under Title 7 of the United States Code, under the subsection of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which states in part that it is a violation of your civil rights to be mistreated on the job; i.e., having a boss or coworker create a "hostile working environment." However . . . it is very difficult to sue for this without proof.

Did you ever make a formal complaint to your HR department that the boss was treating you poorly and scrutinizing your work in such a way that you were uncomfortable doing your job?

Do you have a diary of events that you kept during your tenure at your job in which bad comments, or even good comments, with surrounding circumstances were written down including a date?

Do you have performance reviews which state you did a good job, even though your boss was telling everyone you did a bad job? It is not consistent to have a bad employee who consistently gets raises and good reviews every year.

Do you have any personal notes, emails, etc., that the boss, or others wrote to you that you still have in your possession that were hostile in nature?

Did you ever complain to a boss higher in the chain of command that your boss was treating you this way?

These are all things that are considered as evidence to a lawyer who first must decide if it is a viable case to go to court over. Without this kind of evidence, it really is not worth your time pursuing. You could probably find a lawyer to take your case, but any lawyer who would take a case without at least some of the aforementioned evidence is more than likely just taking your money.

The fact that you used a company credit card on vacation is a good enough reason to fire you without all of the other stuff going on in the background. It's embezzlement, even if they gave you the credit card to use for company business. Not to be contrary or anything, but knowing they were looking to get rid of you, why would you use it?

My sincere advice, having been there myself, is that unless you have hard evidence, let it go, get yourself a new job and put this behind you. I know it is difficult, but I've been in your shoes, and the far worse abuse that will come is the abuse that you give yourself in reviewing these events over and over and over again.

When you go to your new job, EVERY TIME someone in your direct line of supervision or an executive gives you kudos, keep it in a diary, including the date, time, circumstances, etc., something like,

"My supervisor Mary asked me to create a database of company contacts on the computer. I completed this assignment ahead of schedule and she was very happy and told me that I had done an excellent job." May 15, 2006.

Likewise, if the boss is giving you trouble . . .

"Mary came to my desk and began scolding me in front of my coworkers for a mistake I had made in the copy room. I was terribly embarrassed and did not feel it was right to scold me in front of other employees as this directly affects my working relationship with them." May 15, 2006.

And realize the difference in someone exercising a pattern of abuse or someone just having a bad day.

This kind of evidence is crucial to not only getting a raise at the end of the year, but protecting your butt should you ever have to file a complaint in HR.

Don't go running to HR every time someone is rude to you; wait till you have several entries in your diary against the same supervisor so that you can show an absolute pattern of abuse. If you've got 55 complaints about 30 different employees, the one with the problem is you, not them. If you do have to go to HR, do it in writing and ask for a formal meeting. After your meeting with HR, email your HR rep a recap of your meeting and get her to respond. Anything that he/she does not dispute in your recap email is evidence that it is true.

If you go to HR and HR does not immediately fix the problem to your liking, you then go up the chain of command, even to the president of the company. If HR, or the company as a whole does nothing to assist you, THEN you hire a lawyer. Of course, make sure you keep copies of your diary, notes, copies of your year-end reviews, complaints, etc., at home.

I hope this helps, and I sure hope it works out for you,

Rebecca

Answer 7

i grew to become into fired f/ a dream activity after a a million month Probation (a million month in the past) as a results of fact they reported i did not slot in ... no particular character conflicts. fact grew to become into, I on no account slot in greater perfect for a job. I labored by lunches and breaks, did way greater advantageous than my activity description and won a good sort of love f/ the purchasers. i grew to become into fired via a supervisor that grew to become into in elementary terms there for 0.5 of my shifts. I found out later that the buddy that counseled me for the situation stood to benefit a $200- finders bonus had I labored one greater day. a minimum of they are actually contributing to my unemployment examine.

Answer 8

Just reading your rant, made me sort of not like you too. You need to work on your image and try to imagine how other people perceive you. Ask someone who really knows you. Ask them if you are abrasive, selfish, inconsiderate. Make them tell you the truth. Forget the lawsuit, work on yourself.

Good Luck!

Answer 9

If you have no documentation of things that happened its going to be really hard to build a case. Sometimes it sucks but seems like employers can do whatever they want. With the 'he said, she said' stuff its hard to make a case to sue

Answer 10

main problem is if you took it to a court/tribunal you would need evidence to prove what you are saying really happened or a reliable witness. otherwise sometimes you win some you loose some. dont let it eat you up you dont want to work somewhere your not happy anyway so move on to somewhere happier.