NEED HELP PLEASE

[BSU]

I need your advice. Since I have worked for the agency I work for, there has been a high turn around rate (23) employees in the 3 yrs quit. Employees have said that they still have nightmares about this place. My boss has totally humiliated me in front of co-workers, by yelling at me. For example, I sined out for break, and our receptionist and I went over to the next door jewerly shop to collect a $300.00 pair of ear rings, for an upcoming event, and when I retuned to the office, a client that had previosly called me to cancel his appointment, came in unannouced. She screamed at me saying, "You will never, ever leave when you have a client coming in!" I had the guy crossed out in my appointment book, she saw that it was marked, but yelled at me anyway. I felt so belittled. The client had been in prison on several occassions, not very trust worthy!! She has told me and another co-worker we are not allowed to talk to each other. She had a atty threaten me about a client he was representing as a PD, and a client I was supervising, my boss did not like this client, therefore, wanted the client to spend some time in the DOC. The atty said that there was once, a black man who wrote a book who was very honest about his race, many who were of color, hated the guy for writing the book, so they killed him. This atty did not want my/his client to be set free. I wanted to give the client a 2nd chance, I was never called into court to testify, on his behalf. I took this as a threat, because I too was going to be honest!!! I was sent home the other day, without pay, because she said I leaned over in a provacative manner, in a coworkers office!!! It was on casual day, I had jeans on. I often talk to this coworker, because we are both treated the sameway!! He is a black man, and I'm a white female. I'm scared of her, nothing will ever happen locally. She is a part of the 'good ole boy system.' Where, its not what you know but who you know. I am degreed and others are not. Another incedent, an x-coworker had some baskets inside her car, when our receptionist wanted her baskets back from this x-coworker. The boss got into the x-coworker's purse and got her car keys, without her knowledge. They unlocked her(Tonya's) door and removed the baskets. Tonya was later fired. Tonya filed a police report and the prosecuter laughed and assured my boss nothing would come of it, and nothing did! The prosecuter has a diversion program within our agency, so he makes money from our program, what a conflict!!!!! I know she is powerful, I need my job, I have been in deferment(STUDENT LOANS), and have to have a job!!! I'm scared but what they have done to me and others is so so wrong!!! I don't want others to be treated this way!!! Its horrible. These are just a few things that she has done to me. Tell me, do I have a case, and what is this called? Harrassment?????? Is it ok for her to yell at me in front of coworkers and clients???? Is it ok for her to tell me I can't talk to another coworker???? Can I tape record conversations without their knowledge, so I can establish whats going on? If not, I don't think I have a chance. She is so so powerful, and no one has stopped her yet!!!!PLEASE HELP ME>>>>>>>> PLEASE HELP ME"""""""""""""""" Thank You

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[This message has been edited by BSU (edited November 12, 1999).]

 

[Attorney_Replogle]

Cheer up BSU for there is hope! What you need to do is to contact a labor lawyer near you by looking at this web site's attorney listings. I can only advise based on California law or laws of general applicability. To begin, as a probation officer I'm sure you work for a public agency, thus you are a public employee. So this means that you have certain rights and privileges that an employee of a private company does not. So in general your employer is limited in how they can treat you (whether we are talking about screaming at you, humiliating you in front of co-workers, or discipline such as sending you home without pay for one day). These limitations will be found in the company's "policies and procedures manual", and possibly general governmental codes. For the best advice, you need to immediately consult with a local labor lawyer. Make sure that you consult with an attorney that represents public employees exclusively or at least on a regular basis. Anyhow, when your employer sent you home without pay for one day, that was likely not proper for her to do so. With regards to the incident concerning Tonya, if you reported that incident, or supported those who did, and then within a relatively short time thereafter you experienced harsh treatment from your employer, you have probably been illegally discriminated against. This would also apply if you had objected to the diversion program run by the prosecutor's office because of the conflict of interest. Without citing various cases, what may be happening is that you and other employees objected to or reported illegal conduct of the employer. Consequently you were all subjected to various forms of conduct, some legal and others not legal, that was intended as retribution for your actions. Under California and federal law illegal conduct or discrimination by the employer. So I hope you speak soon with an attorney near you and can resolve this matter quickly and to your satisfaction.

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Mark B. Replogle