I work for a small company were the owner is actually on site. He constantly is bugging me about how fat i am and i weight 175 pounds when i don't clearly weight that. Then i find out i am am pregnant and now i am 12 Weeks pregnant and then the fat jokes keep on coming. Not only that he wants to fire me on the basis of i miss to much work because i am single mother and i have dr apointments to go to and a sick child to take care of. My human resourse officer told me i cant do anything bc he will keep me tied up in court till my kid is in college. I need help i live in florida and need to know what me rights are.
2006-11-03 03:46:44 · 22 answers · asked by cryczek84 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I dont know where some of these people dont understand were i am 5'7 and weight 135 pounds i am not fat at all so that answers all the one that are telling me to get on a treadmill. Another thing is my boss thinks all women belong at home behind the stove and provide for him. I take care of my daughter and i dont take a lot of time off. I take time when my daycare wont take her and her deadbeat father wont either. I dont know were some people get off telling me i need to loose weight. another thing i go to work and dress profesional i am a young mother with a lot of REAL world exsperence. I dont dress sleazy or anything of that nature. I go to work i do my job above and beyond and i just wanted to know what my options are. I know i have a baby and it is not my emplyers fault but they are not totaly blind when they hired me that they knew i had a kid. But as far as anyone hearing him call me fat yes he would tell me when i am eting lunch in the break room in front of everyone.
2006-11-03 06:23:06 · update #1
You should have filed a complaint with the Labor Board when your boss was harrassing you about your weight. Because you have missed so much work, he does have the basis to fire you. I'm sorry, I too was a single mother and lost a job due to my children being sick. You will find that the next job you get will be better and you won't have the headaches of a jerk for a boss. I would look for something else while you are still there. When you do get another job, you need to make it clear to your boss now that he is very unprofessional and you are still going to report him. He has no business being in a postition where he looks over people, especially if he is so judgemental. Good luck and GOD bless you.
2006-11-03 03:52:28 · answer #1 · answered by cookie 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
First off i don't know how you became a single mom so i'm not going to make a judgement call on that i mean if your husband or boyfriend left you then i'm sorry but if these kids are unplanned from one night stands then you need to get birth control because you're just digging a hole. Trust me dear i know a girl who has 3 kids from 3 different dads and she has trouble holding a job and finding a man to stick with.
You should have consulted a lawyer a long time ago because in some states making any type of comment on a coworker's appearance in a negative way could be seen as sexual harrassment (it's definately discrimination and very unprofessional).
The tied up in court comment is pure nonsense here's how to proceed.
1.)Consult a lawyer who specializes in such cases and consult the Labor Board in your state. Do NOT discuss the matter with ANYONE at work.
2.)In most states when you file a complaint the employer cannot take any action against you. Find out from HR if your abscences or tardiness is covered under company policy don't give them a reason to terminate you.
3.)If your company has a set policy regarding tardiness or absences and you have not violated it enough to warrant termination under those guidelines then be on your best behavior.
Forget tape recorded conversations in some states you need to have a warrant to do such and in the majority of states you have to get someone's permission to record a phone conversation if you don't have one.
2006-11-03 13:05:21 · answer #2 · answered by sprydle 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I hope you have been keeping records of every time your boss harassed you. If you are going to a pursue a harassment claim you will need that information. If you can get a coworker collaborate your story that would be great but good luck with that.
Unless you have some kind of contract or are in a union your boss can fire your for any reason like missing too many days, poor job performance, dissolving your position, laid off for financial reasons, etc.
Your best bet is to do whatever it takes to find a new job with a company that respects you .
2006-11-03 12:02:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your human resource officer is NOT going to work on your side - he works on the side of the company, so of course he is going to tell you that.
I found this great place for you to discuss this with others who know the laws - here's the site for it - http://www.laborlawtalk.com/.
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This place should help you the most - http://www.workplacefairness.org/harassment
Otherwise, while filing, I would do as the others suggested and get your resume together. Sad thing is, you are unlikely to find another job while you are still pregnant - some companies see that as a liability. BUT, on the good side, you may find one that will hire you to start after your maternity leave.
Oh, and if your boss fires you for looking for another job, you file for unemployment immediately. And you get a lawyer.
2006-11-03 12:06:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sounds to me as the company has a yes, man as a human resource officer. You need to speak with someone who is above the HR rep's level. Follow your chain of command to try and resolve this. His remarks about your weight is a form of harassment and he cannot do that.
As far as how much work you are missing, that is another thing. You probably don't have much leeway regarding that. Is there any way you can schedule the dr. appts. before or after work?
2006-11-03 12:01:26 · answer #5 · answered by rosey 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
first and formost this excuse for a human being is breaking the law-he simply cannot treat an employee in this way and should not be allowed to get away with it-as a single mom life is tough enough without him having a go at you as well-i live in the UK and i know this kind of behavior would not be tolerated. try to find out if any organizations exist in the US that can deal with this-i only wish you lived in the UK then i would be only too pleased to point you in the right direction. best of luck and i hope your kiddie gets better.
2006-11-03 13:08:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is a clear sound of harassment get you a few liable and trustworthy witnesses and maybe a tape recorder and get it on record and go to a lawyer and call HR from a secure line at the firm of course and once you have crossed all you T's and dotted all your i's you have a heavy lawsuit against your company.
2006-11-03 12:30:55 · answer #7 · answered by jaime_0302 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First off Your situation is something you created. The boss and company did not make you a single mother. That was Your bad choices so live with it. Use your family for chores that take away from work. As long as the harassment is not sexual in nature you have no case. Perhaps You need to improve your appearance and I do not mean go on a crash diet but just dress more appropriately. You can also be proud of yourself and rebut the criticism by pointing out flaws of others but that is getting low like them. Do not waste your time trying to sue the firm because You will lose. Any law er that offers to take the case is just wasting your time and could get you blackballed. Change jobs nd try controlling your urges so the tribe does not get even larger.
2006-11-03 11:55:17 · answer #8 · answered by old codger 5 · 1⤊ 4⤋
The "fat jokes" amount to DISCRIMINATION---see a lawyer. His HR officer will NATURALLY discourage you from pursuing legal action for obvious reasons. If you can find a lawyer willing to take your case "on contingency" (you don't pay unless you WIN), you should be in good shape.
If you're in Florida, WATCH OUT. Some of the most fraudulent behavior in the country seems to occur there a lot.
2006-11-03 12:10:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
How large is the company? depending on the size the company may or may not have to follow the family leave act, if they do not have to follow the leave act be prepared to be let go
as to harassment by the owner, talk to a lawyer to see if he has created a hostile work environment
2006-11-03 12:41:16 · answer #10 · answered by goz1111 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋