Did I open a can of worms?
#129316 - 12/09/04 06:00 PM
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I had a full day of harassment in the workplace training today. By the afternoon I had heard enough to realize that my co-worker has been personally harassing me for years and it was time to speak up!
I have approached my boss about this a few times. She always told me to get a thicker skin and that he's just joking.
He did something else to pick on me last week. That was the last straw! I wrote a formal complaint letter to my boss and cc'd her boss as well in my email. She wrote back basically telling me to forget about it. I talked to her boss the next day and he told me to be the bigger person and just ignore him. Huh? No punishment for his lousy behaviour? they just blame me for bringing it up? What the @#$%???  
So I told this Human Rights lawyer (the one doing the workshop) all this at today's workshop. She was appalled and told me that she HAD to start an investigation based on the fact that my two bosses were basically ignoring my real complaints about a genuine lack of respect from this co-worker.
So she will start the process of finding out what's going on. I have to get as much paper work as possible to back up my story. That's no problem because I always keep paper work. What I am worried about is whether or not any of this is even worth it. I don't want to get anyone fired but I also don't feel like my two head bosses should have ignored and down played my complaints about my co-workers very disrespectful behaviour towards me.
All I can think of is the three people involved hating me for this and trying to somehow get me fired for this. I hate my job but do not have a new one to go to. I can't afford to get fired but to me THEY are in the wrong and need to be told to smarten up. NOT ME!
What do you guys think. What a day I've had! OY! 
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I don't know about Canadian law, but if it's anything like the law in NY (and in the US in general), retaliatory firing for complaints about harrassment is illegal.
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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Well, I think Canadian law is similar in that she can't get fired. They make look for other unrelated reasons to fire her. Don't give them any. (Not that you would!) 
Seems to be more a problem of how comfortable you'll be there after. I don't know how comfortable I would be in that situation but Good For You for going ahead and making things right. THAT is the bigger person. THAT shows you have tough skin.
Maybe you could look for another job while this is going on? Do some research and see what your options are?
I don't know.
Good luck though
Saje
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Way to go for sticking up for yourself!!! I think you did the right thing....let us know how it all plays out.
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Nope! You did the right thing! There's no place for bullies and harrasment in the work place. You have to work there too and why should you put up with rudeness all day? Good on you for sticking up for yourself!
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Amy
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I agree. To me, they are all wrong and I don't deserve this!
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Yeah, I told my BF what I did when he got home and he seemed to think it was a huge mistake and that it's going to cause more grief than make things better. Nobody will get fired. I just want the bosses to get some b*lls and stand up to this huge jerk at work. Come on!
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That's just it. They'll put me under a magnifying glass and it will be awful. While I give all of my coworkers tons of respect, I have had this almost constant "feud" with the designer since year one. But I have been anangel for the past year as I was told I could get canned if I didn't improve my behaviour with him. Ha!
I am looking for new work. Let's hope.
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that stinks SS!
I know about coworker abuse, it is so horrible when someone you HAVE to see almost everyday treats you like crap. I know you have been looking for a job, hopefully you will find one, you do not deserve to be treated like that, and once this investigation gets out, they will hound you into quitting.
Hope everything turns out for the better, remember... New Year, new job!
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-Sheri
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...at least they couldn't over here. Don't you have unfair dismissal laws?
Good for you for getting something done. People staying quiet is what allows this horrible behaviour to keep going.
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