frustratdfarmer
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio
First of all I understand I can be fired for no reason, but I've worked for a "big box" store for going on three years now, there is one employee that is a huge problem, not just for me but she's intimidated the rest of them, honestly they duck their heads to keep their jobs in this economy. I tend to be one to stick up for others, and honestly if I do get fired, I'll call corporate and more than let my opinions known. I might have really stuck my foot in it this time and have to go out "quite loudly", but will stick to my guns.
This young woman has worked there for 10 years, she's 26 now. On the day I was hired I was even "warned" about her, told "she's foul mouthed, she's opininated, she's immature" etc. But was then told her whole "sad family story", she's the store "pet". I went in prepared, working night stock, usually a supervisor there, but one night, no supervisor she turned on me. On lunch break she went to the tables, grabbed my coat and lunch box and threw them out of the way saying "we need more ******* ROOM". Only two other hourly employees there, they ducked their heads and we came face to face. My comment was "I don't know what the **LL your problem is, I've TRIED to be nice to you". The rest of the night was silence, finished our work. I know she feels "threatened" that I've "invaded" her space.
I went to HR and the GM, it was handled and she was warned off of me, but she's a managers pet. They soon put on a night manager (her buddy) and I went through two years of heck, but ducked and did my job. Her vocabulary mainly consists of 3 words, none of them acceptable, but I ignore her.
We're now on an early morning shift. She bullies her three "friends" on this shift. (No skin off my nose, I'm fine now). But drags them on 25 minute breaks when the rules say 15. Sneaks out the dock to smoke. Swears constantly at many other employees and smirks. (I/E get the **ck out of my way). I know they are intimidated, they NEED their jobs, one manager lets her get away with this, turns a blind eye. Again, not effecting me but frustrating.
Yesterday it came to a head, I'd had enough.
Scenario:
I was working in one aisle, another employee about 50 feet across from me. She came through with our supervisor (who she bullies no end) riding on a pallet of freight(completely against OSHA rules). The employee across from me looked up and joked "Hey ***, you got a heavy load there". Nothing malicious, typical stock worker humor, in fact I've made this comment to them before (I'm a skinny middle aged white woman) no harm, no foul, they laugh when I say it. She turned around and said FU, you F**** AH. I looked at the employee across from me and said Ohhh, you P'd her off, and laughed.
A few minutes later the problem employee and the "supervisor" (He's a sweet guy, but she bullies him) came up to me and she said "did you F'n hear that, he F'n called me fat" I told her " no he didn't, he was joking". She said "how would you like it if people said "you're F'n skinny, You're F'n scrawny" all the time". I told her, "he was joking, we all joke, he didn't call you fat", but the supervisor was on her side, saying "why did he say that". I tried to chill them out.
About an hour later another supervisor ask me to follow her, took me to the managers office to talk to the "pets" friend. She had a diciplinary write up on the desk for the commenter on the desk. Mind you, this woman HATES me, will not even look me in the face, this was living heck for me, I initially thought she wanted ME for something. She ask me the facts about the "discussion", I told her first of all that my husband deals with rules/regulations and situations like this every day and that I don't want to be in the middle, but would tell her exactly what happened. She told me I'd be kept out of it. So I told her exactly what was said, and then added that "her pet" (by name, no insinuations that she WAS her pet) has said 100 times worse, and that he was JOKING, that he meant NOTHING negative in it, that he NEVER called her FAT! She then said "ok, we'll handle this verbally then and dismissed me, picking up the filled out write up form.
She then called in the "offender" and told him to watch what he says to people.
I've seen to much of this, I'm tired of it, and I went home and could not sleep, I'd had enough.
This is the second time this young man has been singled out for his comments when they are probably the least offensive made there. Funny, he's also the only minority working there. He's a hard working, quiet family man just trying to work his way through college.
So this morning I talked to the second in command at the store. I told her everything that happened the day before. I told her (and it's true) I don't care if she does anything or not, but that she has a ticking time bomb on her hands with that employee, that she bullies, she breaks rules left and right, that she steals time, and that she's going to cause them a lawsuit if they're not careful. This manager told me "it's more than time for her to grow up, I'll handle it".
So now it's up to management, but I just know that the "pets" friend is going to go gunning for me, it's just a matter of time until she gets me fired.
So, my question, even though I can be fired for no reason, how can I fight it, corporate? Lawyer? I believe it or not don't really need the job but like most aspects of the job and would like to stay. I know I should have just kept my head down, but I'd had enough of her bullying. She can dish it out but she can't take it. Trust me, for some strange reason she has them ALL bullied.
And as for the other employee, as he's a minority, IS this a hostile work enviroment situation for him, even though his race hasn't specifically been brought up? I won't fight his war for him on that, but if he's fired he needs to know what his rights are.
Sorry for the novel, but interested in thoughts/comments
First of all I understand I can be fired for no reason, but I've worked for a "big box" store for going on three years now, there is one employee that is a huge problem, not just for me but she's intimidated the rest of them, honestly they duck their heads to keep their jobs in this economy. I tend to be one to stick up for others, and honestly if I do get fired, I'll call corporate and more than let my opinions known. I might have really stuck my foot in it this time and have to go out "quite loudly", but will stick to my guns.
This young woman has worked there for 10 years, she's 26 now. On the day I was hired I was even "warned" about her, told "she's foul mouthed, she's opininated, she's immature" etc. But was then told her whole "sad family story", she's the store "pet". I went in prepared, working night stock, usually a supervisor there, but one night, no supervisor she turned on me. On lunch break she went to the tables, grabbed my coat and lunch box and threw them out of the way saying "we need more ******* ROOM". Only two other hourly employees there, they ducked their heads and we came face to face. My comment was "I don't know what the **LL your problem is, I've TRIED to be nice to you". The rest of the night was silence, finished our work. I know she feels "threatened" that I've "invaded" her space.
I went to HR and the GM, it was handled and she was warned off of me, but she's a managers pet. They soon put on a night manager (her buddy) and I went through two years of heck, but ducked and did my job. Her vocabulary mainly consists of 3 words, none of them acceptable, but I ignore her.
We're now on an early morning shift. She bullies her three "friends" on this shift. (No skin off my nose, I'm fine now). But drags them on 25 minute breaks when the rules say 15. Sneaks out the dock to smoke. Swears constantly at many other employees and smirks. (I/E get the **ck out of my way). I know they are intimidated, they NEED their jobs, one manager lets her get away with this, turns a blind eye. Again, not effecting me but frustrating.
Yesterday it came to a head, I'd had enough.
Scenario:
I was working in one aisle, another employee about 50 feet across from me. She came through with our supervisor (who she bullies no end) riding on a pallet of freight(completely against OSHA rules). The employee across from me looked up and joked "Hey ***, you got a heavy load there". Nothing malicious, typical stock worker humor, in fact I've made this comment to them before (I'm a skinny middle aged white woman) no harm, no foul, they laugh when I say it. She turned around and said FU, you F**** AH. I looked at the employee across from me and said Ohhh, you P'd her off, and laughed.
A few minutes later the problem employee and the "supervisor" (He's a sweet guy, but she bullies him) came up to me and she said "did you F'n hear that, he F'n called me fat" I told her " no he didn't, he was joking". She said "how would you like it if people said "you're F'n skinny, You're F'n scrawny" all the time". I told her, "he was joking, we all joke, he didn't call you fat", but the supervisor was on her side, saying "why did he say that". I tried to chill them out.
About an hour later another supervisor ask me to follow her, took me to the managers office to talk to the "pets" friend. She had a diciplinary write up on the desk for the commenter on the desk. Mind you, this woman HATES me, will not even look me in the face, this was living heck for me, I initially thought she wanted ME for something. She ask me the facts about the "discussion", I told her first of all that my husband deals with rules/regulations and situations like this every day and that I don't want to be in the middle, but would tell her exactly what happened. She told me I'd be kept out of it. So I told her exactly what was said, and then added that "her pet" (by name, no insinuations that she WAS her pet) has said 100 times worse, and that he was JOKING, that he meant NOTHING negative in it, that he NEVER called her FAT! She then said "ok, we'll handle this verbally then and dismissed me, picking up the filled out write up form.
She then called in the "offender" and told him to watch what he says to people.
I've seen to much of this, I'm tired of it, and I went home and could not sleep, I'd had enough.
This is the second time this young man has been singled out for his comments when they are probably the least offensive made there. Funny, he's also the only minority working there. He's a hard working, quiet family man just trying to work his way through college.
So this morning I talked to the second in command at the store. I told her everything that happened the day before. I told her (and it's true) I don't care if she does anything or not, but that she has a ticking time bomb on her hands with that employee, that she bullies, she breaks rules left and right, that she steals time, and that she's going to cause them a lawsuit if they're not careful. This manager told me "it's more than time for her to grow up, I'll handle it".
So now it's up to management, but I just know that the "pets" friend is going to go gunning for me, it's just a matter of time until she gets me fired.
So, my question, even though I can be fired for no reason, how can I fight it, corporate? Lawyer? I believe it or not don't really need the job but like most aspects of the job and would like to stay. I know I should have just kept my head down, but I'd had enough of her bullying. She can dish it out but she can't take it. Trust me, for some strange reason she has them ALL bullied.
And as for the other employee, as he's a minority, IS this a hostile work enviroment situation for him, even though his race hasn't specifically been brought up? I won't fight his war for him on that, but if he's fired he needs to know what his rights are.
Sorry for the novel, but interested in thoughts/comments
