Harassed in More Ways than One!

[fresher]

What is the name of your state?AZ

First...I saw a new job opening at the hospital where I work, but because I was not in my position for more than six months...I had to get my boss to sign a paper saying she would allow me to transfer if I was offered the job. She said.."Yes I will sign, I don't want anyone working in this department that doesn't want to be here." I told her it wasn't because I didn't want to be there...I just saw the other job as a step forward for me and very interesting.

Second...right after the above signing...I got hurt at work and put on light duty...which I still am.

Third...The hospital has a program called Focus where they invite employees to fill out a report and share any ideas they have where the hospital can save money...if they take your idea...your then payed something based on what you saved or earned the hospital. I filled out a report that brought forward a problem that not only effects the patients...but costs the hospital potentially alot of money. My co-workers laughed at me because they said I would never make a difference and would probably get fired over it. Sure enough, my boss told me that the report was all wrong and it was not an appropriate forum to bring up that kind of problem anyway...and that all I was going to do was to get people in trouble. A few days later, I saw the CEO at the cafeteria and sat down and talked to him. Told him about the report, which I had turned a copy into him...he never saw it....and told him that I was upset because of the way it was handled and that making a difference was so hard...he assured me he was all for making a difference and that he would look into it and get back to me. He hasn't.

Fourth...during this same time....when my boss was telling me about what a bad idea it was to turn in that report....I told her that I officially wanted to report to her that a supervisor was sexually harrassing. She told me that it was my job to point blank tell him that I did not like how he was speaking and ask him to stop. Since that day...this guy has completely stopped his bad language/stories.

Fifth...now they are telling me I have to work in medical records until we know what is going on with my arm...and that I will probably have to travel to the closest town to get more specialist to look at it. Which means I will probably have to be on light duty for a long time......hello....we don't even know whats wrong yet!!! Plus she says I have to work days...my job is nites!

I think they are now trying to make it so I cant get the new job I want and creating a hostile enviroment for me...just because I speak out.....am I right in my thinking???? It's all brewing...but I have a feeling this is not going in a good direction. One major concern I have is that I live in a very small town...there are not alot of jobs out there....if I get booted out of here or they make it so miserable....I will have nowhere to turn.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

And your legal question is???

 

[fresher]

My Legal question is: Is what is going on here the makings of job discrimination or them creating a hostile work enviroment or some legal name for some behavior that I can keep record of the this whole story and do something about it? When I looked in the phone book for employment attorney's, I saw "Whistleblowing", in thier ads. I think that alot of this is because of the report I filed, that they are changing my job to records department. And also, to follow workmans comp laws, if the light duty they give me, switches me to days, do I have to do that????

 

[BelizeBreeze]

My Legal question is: Is what is going on here the makings of job discrimination or them creating a hostile work enviroment or some legal name for some behavior that I can keep record of the this whole story and do something about it?

How do you expect anyone to give you a valid opinion on this?

When I looked in the phone book for employment attorney's, I saw "Whistleblowing", in thier ads. I think that alot of this is because of the report I filed, that they are changing my job to records department.

Sounds like you are 'fishing'.

And also, to follow workmans comp laws, if the light duty they give me, switches me to days, do I have to do that????

yes.

 

[fresher]

I am fishing!!! This has been going on now for a month. I feel that I am not being treated fairly and something is wrong about all this...but I'm not sure what. I want my job, escpecially the new one, and I want my shoulder taken care of...I also want to be able to make a difference, positively, at work, and don't think I should be penalized for it. If in fact, this company is one that says they want employee input, but really don't, then I guess I could quit. But I don't think, its right that I feel penalized because they didn't like my opinions. You can call it fishing...or you can call it finding out what rights I have, if any. I certainly did not get hurt on purpose and I certainly did not file the report to start something so I could sue someone or get fired.

I see that you say yes, I would have to change to days....where can I read what the rules are for light duty...what my employer has to do and what I have to do????

Thank you for your help!

 

[fresher]

More jerking around....

Now...on Saturday...my boss calls me from work and asks me if I can come in (bonus time) and work a few hours. I told him he had to call the Infection Control Nurse...she had just put me on lighter duty the day before. He did that and she told him I could work plus I could work my regular schedule the rest of the week! Then @ 8:30 pm////she calls me at home to tell me the same. I can work...just be careful! This is getting more and more rediculous.

 

[Katy W.]

I agree with you there, this is getting more and more ridiculous.

 

[sharibellaire]

Hostility in the workplace is a real issue for over 50's

At 51 I was harrassed and treated like an enemy. When our company sold to a big public company, the new regime worked overtime to get rid of
the senior sales people . Their tactics included banning me from the office that I occupied for 13 very successful years. The manager was lying to
management and they said basically do what they have to do to get me to resign. They forbid me to contact anyone in the office directly and only to
go thru this manager to get emails to the administrators to complete sales issues. They wanted me to work from home, and knowing that isolation would not be healthy for me, they even sent me a Fed Ex repeating the
charges...which were not based on my production.. #1 in the company that year and in the top ten out of 500 sellers for over 10 years.

I have had three jobs in two years. I cannot seem to even relate to people and do not trust anyone. My confidence was destroyed and I cannot cope any longer. I was a loyal employee for 13 years and because these new
folks knew of my alliegence to my former employer, they continue to
do things, to clients, and to my book of business to get me over the top.
I resigned three months after my exile and have been recently diagnosed
as having Post Traumatic Stress disorder. My health has suffered, and my
family is suffering from losing that fun loving mom I once was. Now I cannot
support my family, and I find making sales pitches futile. I was left an
empty shell of the vivacious woman I once was.

My dr. said I should consider suit.... I have been reluctant to do so, but I wanted to know if there is a statute of limitations on filing such a claim.
Please, in Texas being an At Will state that can do what they want and fire
you for no reason... they didn't want to fire me, they wanted to create such
an unstable environment and attack my earnings so I would quit. I had no
choice.

Any advice on this would be extremely helpful.. I am in pain, and cannot seem to relate to people......,. depressed, yes. But there is so much more to it than that.

What can I do or has the time run out to do anything. I resigned on Jan. 1, 2003/

SG

 

[Beth3]

My dr. said I should consider suit A suit for what? Your doctor may be an exert in his field but I have yet to come across one that knows much if anything about employment law.

When a company is acquired, it's quite common for restructuring to occur and jobs to be eliminated as there inevitably are duplicate positions. They don't need two controllers, two purchasing managers, as big a sales force, and so on. Unless you were targeted for adverse action because of your age, then nothing unlawful occured.

In any event, it's too late. Even if your age was a factor (and you have not provided any information to show that is the case) then you had 180 days to file an age discrimination complaint. Based on the information in your post, it's been 2+ years since you resigned.