Illegal accusations in the office

[Ray5]

I work in an office with about half a dozen other employees. The office manager is not my boss. The regional manager is but he's in a different office.

This office manager is rude and crude and not above yelling at employees in front of everyone.

Upon two separate occasions at quitting time she yelled at the top of her lungs at me .."Why are you staying late? You're looking for another job and you're stealing clients!"

On the second occasion she added in her rant .." I'm going to get a camera and record you and hide it so you just better watch out!"

Two of her employees walked over to me and utter shock and disbelief that she actually said that to me.

All of her accusations are false and have no basis, as it was just working late to finish up on some work. I feel very uncomfortable working with her.

What should I do? Do I have any legal recourse?

 

[quincy]

I work in an office with about half a dozen other employees. The office manager is not my boss. The regional manager is but he's in a different office.

This office manager is rude and crude and not above yelling at employees in front of everyone.

Upon two separate occasions at quitting time she yelled at the top of her lungs at me .."Why are you staying late? You're looking for another job and you're stealing clients!"

On the second occasion she added in her rant .." I'm going to get a camera and record you and hide it so you just better watch out!"

Two of her employees walked over to me and utter shock and disbelief that she actually said that to me.

All of her accusations are false and have no basis, as it was just working late to finish up on some work. I feel very uncomfortable working with her.

What should I do? Do I have any legal recourse?

What is the name of your state, Ray5?

 

[Proserpina]

I work in an office with about half a dozen other employees. The office manager is not my boss. The regional manager is but he's in a different office.

This office manager is rude and crude and not above yelling at employees in front of everyone.

Upon two separate occasions at quitting time she yelled at the top of her lungs at me .."Why are you staying late? You're looking for another job and you're stealing clients!"

On the second occasion she added in her rant .." I'm going to get a camera and record you and hide it so you just better watch out!"

Two of her employees walked over to me and utter shock and disbelief that she actually said that to me.

All of her accusations are false and have no basis, as it was just working late to finish up on some work. I feel very uncomfortable working with her.

What should I do? Do I have any legal recourse?

Sometimes people you work with/for are jerks. For the most part, there's very little you can do about it.

But first, please tell us where you're located.

 

[xylene]

That's not illegal to say.

It is in fact quite likely legal for her to actually record you in the workplace (except in like the bathroom)

 

[Ray5]

WA

I'm sure the company has procedures for proper ways of managers to handle such accusations. Especially when it's not your employee. Like make an HR report, talk to my boss and have him talk to me.

I feel like its slander, harassment, public humiliation with an intent to cause distress. Her claims are totally baseless and unsubstantiated.

So you think I have no recourse? I have to suffer the abuse like her employees do?

I don't think so.

 

[Ray5]

... One of the thing I want to mention.

I'm afraid that if the company finds her guilty they would be afraid of being sued from me so they would try to terminate me (for some other reason) in order to save themselves.

This is why I'm somewhat hesitant to say anything. Even though I really, really want to.

 

[Ray5]

I did find that one can sue for Intentional infliction of emotional distress.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentional_infliction_of_emotional_distress

It also says..

A reckless disregard for the likelihood of causing emotional distress is sufficient.

So if I tell my boss about her behavior and document it and she continues then he is guilty of reckless disregard.

 

[Proserpina]

I did find that one can sue for Intentional infliction of emotional distress.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentional_infliction_of_emotional_distress

It also says..

A reckless disregard for the likelihood of causing emotional distress is sufficient.

So if I tell my boss about her behavior and document it and she continues then he is guilty of reckless disregard.

If I may be so bold ...

You're kidding, right?

No. Just no. Either put up with her, or find another job.

 

[Proserpina]

WA

I'm sure the company has procedures for proper ways of managers to handle such accusations. Especially when it's not your employee. Like make an HR report, talk to my boss and have him talk to me.

I feel like its slander, harassment, public humiliation with an intent to cause distress. Her claims are totally baseless and unsubstantiated.

So you think I have no recourse? I have to suffer the abuse like her employees do?

I don't think so.

You're just not thinking. Sorry and all.

 

[Sockeye]

This is an employment law forum, your situation cannot be addressed legally since rudeness is not illegal.

I can agree the Office Manager may be rude but I'm surprised on how much affect it has with you. This is a better question for a Carolyn Hax type column or forum. On that note your best defense is your choice to respond, or not.

Some suggestions.

Respond with a simple "Wow!" and walk away (A Carolyn Hax go-to)

In your best Robert DeNiro, "You talkin' to me?"

Roll you eyes accompanied with "whatever"

Bow and slowly shake your head while sighing heavily.

"Roger that, Eagle Eye!" (I'd add a strong thumbs-up gesture)

 

[cbg]

Rudeness is not illegal and what you have described does not give you any legal recourse. Not at all. Not even close.

Feel free to complain to her manager or to HR. It may or may not do any good. Since no laws are being violated, no one HAS to do anything about it at all.

 

[commentator]

I worked for years with some managers whose level of rudeness was governed only by how much ugliness and insulting an employee would stand and take before walking away. If you punch her out or scream vile curses and threats at her, of course, you'll be the one who is prosecuted. But there are no labor laws anywhere which say that a manager has to speak respectfully to their employees, cannot yell at them, threaten them or insult them. If she hits you, or otherwise physically assaults you, call the police and press charges. Otherwise, just blow her off in some manner and continue with your work.

If you attempted to file some sort of silly suit against her, all your "higher ups" would have to say is that they were totally unaware of the problem. I suggest you tell her, very quietly and clearly, that you would like her to stop speaking to you this way and to leave you alone. If of course, she doesn't comply, pay no attention to it, (see above post about possible responses) but do speak to your and her management and tell them about the behavior she is demonstrating. Tell them that this is not creating a friendly or productive atmosphere for you to work in and you would like it to stop, or you would like to be placed elsewhere.

They may ignore your complaints. They may actually have been encouraging her to give you a hard time so that you will quit the job (those comments about your stealing clients are interesting). Many managers of this bullying type are considered very successful, as they browbeat their employees into working hard and doing a good job. In the end this is what they will be judged on, not how nice they were to everyone or how much everyone liked working for them.

Or they may decide to let the two of you have some sort of little "come to Jesus" meeting with them present. If this happens, be prepared to state, and have it be the truth, that you have never responded to her childish rudeness in kind, that you have always tried to behave in a professional way, and that she has, on this and this and this occasion, done this and this and this (be very specific about dates and times and what was done and said.) Keep careful records of her behavior, without discussing anything with your co workers or doing any sort of verbal threats directly to her. Do not be surprised if you find that this woman's direct supervisees, though they appeared sympathetic to you at the time, have developed total amnesia about what was said and done. After all they have to keep working with her.

And meantime, be preparing to move on and find another job. You are right in one thing, though not in all that garbage about being able to sue her, but you are right that if you begin threatening and complaining you may find yourself fired from the job for any reason they chose, and it will be perfectly legal for them to do so. Wikipedia is truly worth what it costs you when it comes to obtaining legal advice.

 

[LdiJ]

I work in an office with about half a dozen other employees. The office manager is not my boss. The regional manager is but he's in a different office.

This office manager is rude and crude and not above yelling at employees in front of everyone.

Upon two separate occasions at quitting time she yelled at the top of her lungs at me .."Why are you staying late? You're looking for another job and you're stealing clients!"

On the second occasion she added in her rant .." I'm going to get a camera and record you and hide it so you just better watch out!"

Two of her employees walked over to me and utter shock and disbelief that she actually said that to me.

All of her accusations are false and have no basis, as it was just working late to finish up on some work. I feel very uncomfortable working with her.

What should I do? Do I have any legal recourse?

You might try responding with "I will certainly ask my boss if he has an objection to me working late".

 

[eerelations]

I don't think so.

So please tell us your background and qualifications in employment law as they compare to, say, ours.

 

[cbg]

WA

I'm sure the company has procedures for proper ways of managers to handle such accusations. Especially when it's not your employee. Like make an HR report, talk to my boss and have him talk to me.

I feel like its slander, harassment, public humiliation with an intent to cause distress. Her claims are totally baseless and unsubstantiated.

So you think I have no recourse? I have to suffer the abuse like her employees do?

I don't think so.

You can feel it is anything you like. The law does not agree with you.

Your recourse is to find other employment. There is no law that is going to force her to be polite to you.