My boss has threatened to fire me if I don't have relations with him, what should I do?

Question

I'm currently employeed at a locally owned insurance agency where I have been working for 8 months now. Lately, my boss (who also owns the business) has been coming on to me. Yesterday, he asked if I would sleep with him, I politely told him that I was not interested. He then threatened if I didn't, I could kiss my job goodbye. I really don't know what to do. I need this job. I have a mortgage and a car payment to think about. I cannot afford to be fired. I can't complain to anyone else because he owns the place of busniess. I'm in a hard situtation. What should I do?

Answer 1

This is blatantly against the law and he is committing sexual harrasment. You can tell him politely that it is completely illegal for him to force you to do this by threatening your job. If you do not continue to choose to work there, and if you can document it, you have a pretty hefty lawsuit you can throw at him.

Answer 2

Great, you have almost two dozen over reactions that could jeopardize your finances or personal safety and possibly both. Apparently, he has not been so totally foolish that stopping now wouldn't reinstate your normal business only relationship. As it stands now, this can be defended as a simple misunderstanding and he has the money to do it. If he hasn't touched you, there's no foundation for an assault complaint. Obviously, professionalism is not a factor and doing the right thing is even less of a consideration.

If his statutory licensing agency does not have a standing ethics committee, they should have an "ad hoc" procedure.
Write a short letter summarizing your situation and close it with a statement that any more improprieties will be reported to these authorities. Make two copies and mail them separately to yourself at home. Do not open either one. The postmark will confirm the continuing harrassment. Keep the original in your purse and hope, as we all do, that his common sense will prevail.

If he does anything else, tell him he is making it very difficult for you to work there and hand him your note. Say, don't ask, you are taking a coffee break and where you will be if he would like to talk. After fifteen minutes, call and tell him you will not return without a fully informed escort unless he comes to talk it out. The most difficult part, for you, will be to respond without including emotion. You are there to renegotiate your original interview.

Also, a merit raise, for enduring the additional stress he has caused, is absolutely the least he can do. Write it out, on a napkin if necessary, have him sign it and tell him you will make a fresh start in the morning; then, give your waitress a nice tip and visit a spa. Hopefully, his new attraction will be your exceptional sense of fairness. Lose the job on your terms, don't stay there under his. Good Luck.

Answer 3

First, write down exactly what happened and when. Names, dates, anything you can remember for all of the times he's hit on you. Make sure to include the part where you told him you weren't interested.

Now - go straight to ww.dol.gov and file a sexual harassment complaint. They will have a link to a local office. What your boss is doing is illegal and the only way to stop creeps like this is for victims like you to file a complaint. This is called "quid pro quo" harassment ("this for that", meaning if you sleep with him, you have a job and if not, you're fired.) It is the most serious sort of harassment.

Tell the Department of Labor that you feel threatened by this creep. They will advise you as to whether or not you should get law enforcement involved.

If you have any vacation time saved up, you may want to take a few days off while this is all being dealt with.

And please don't feel badly or think that you shouldn't tell. This is NOT your fault, you do NOT deserve this, and you do NOT have to sleep with him.

Please feel free to e-mail directly if I can help in any other way. I've investigated more harassment claims than I can count. Best of luck to you.

Answer 4

This is quid pro quo harassment. Document each instance your boss harrasses you and consult an attorney. Your local career center may be able to help you find a good attorney who does pro bono work if you are low on cash.

Start looking for a new job. This job leads to nowhere good.

Answer 5

First of all, always smile naturally and be nice, relaxed and self confident.
Then get an attorney to state the fact that you are a victim of sexual abuse.

Next, you have to need to be very effective in your work, because he will look for a motive to fire you anyway.

Answer 6

Find a new job, you shouldnt have to sleep with him, to keep your job. I personally wouldnt work at an insurance agency owned by that kind of person.

Answer 7

I would quit the job you never know what he might do next.
You shouldn't receive any calls from him or if he comes to your house you should call the police. I think you should quit and get another job you shouldn't take the chances. You should apply for other jobs while your working at this one then if u get accepted to another job quit the other one.

Answer 8

Remind him there are laws against that and if you are harassed or fired over this, he could find himself involved in a messy lawsuit. Document every future conversation with him. Start looking for another job.

Answer 9

go talk to a lawyer!
Don't do anything till you talk to a lawyer.

you could then tell your boss that he can kiss his business goodbye. Because you'll probably be able to get a large settlement from it....and ruin his name at the same time.

Answer 10

Sue his butt. Asking you to sleep with him is one thing, telling you to kiss your job goodbye will cost him. Get him where it hurts, in his pocket book!