Harassment/Bullying in the workplace

Yes, I know it's against the ADA but my office manager didn't think that applied and she made me see a doctor under the threat of losing my job. She said she didn't want others to get what I had.
 
deafskeptic said:
Yes, I know it's against the ADA but my office manager didn't think that applied and she made me see a doctor under the threat of losing my job. She said she didn't want others to get what I had.
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Who gives a flying frick what the manager thinks?????

Shoulda took this up to EEOC on the spot!! Walmart got into a king size trouble for that with EEOC for violating medical confidentiality laws.

Yiz
 
You're right, I should have done that at the time.

At the time, i tried to tell the Department of Rehabitative Services (DRS) about my problems but they seemed to think this was my fault and that I was just complaining as it was they who helped me get my job in the first place.
 
I don't regret leaving that job though I do regret not having a job lined up for me when I left it.
 
deafskeptic said:
You're right, I should have done that at the time.

At the time, i tried to tell the Department of Rehabitative Services (DRS) about my problems but they seemed to think this was my fault and that I was just complaining as it was they who helped me get my job in the first place.
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ugh. They would not tell to people who don't have any disabilities if they were discriminated.
 
My supervisor is trying to cover up the harrassment by making it appear he was "bugging me because I wasn't doing my job" :roll:

Ok ... now I am pissed.
 
Curious:

Those of you who have supervisors that are assholes: How many have college degrees?

I noticed a pattern in my 24 years of working: Those that have college degrees were less likely to be dickheads to me than those without.

Most of the dickheads started out as blue-collar types, and got promoted to supervisory positions for various reasons. Some were promoted out of nepotism.

Union blue-collar workers were the worst; very confrontational and verbally cruel.
 
green427 said:
Curious:

Those of you who have supervisors that are assholes: How many have college degrees?

I noticed a pattern in my 24 years of working: Those that have college degrees were less likely to be dickheads to me than those without.

Most of the dickheads started out as blue-collar types, and got promoted to supervisory positions for various reasons. Some were promoted out of nepotism.

Union blue-collar workers were the worst; very confrontational and verbally cruel.
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I've had to deal with dickheads from all kinds of backgrounds. Now about my freight company, you needed a college education to get promoted to supervisor or office manager and I would imagine that's true for most companies.

Where I live, unions are as dead as dinosaurs. They aren't popular in the South.
 
deafskeptic said:
I've had to deal with dickheads from all kinds of backgrounds. Now about my freight company, you needed a college education to get promoted to supervisor or office manager and I would imagine that's true for most companies.

Where I live, unions are as dead as dinosaurs. They aren't popular in the South.
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Ok, I'm wrong. You don't need college degree to be office manger. She wasn't the worst. The auditor turned supervisor was the worst and if i'm not mistaken you need a college degree for that.
 
When I worked for Farmer's Insurance back in the early 90s, I was never taken seriously by my supervisors. Whenever we had department meetings, I would struggle to keep up but if I knew what the topic was about, I could figure out what was being discussed so one time I had an idea of how to solve an issue the dept was having since we were all brainstorming. When I raised my hand which nobody else did, it was because I couldnt tell if someone was still talking or not so I couldnt be able to jump in at the right time, everyone started laughing and one co-worker asked me if I forgot that I was no longer in elementary school. I ignored that comment and shared my ideas. My supervisor looked at my one of my co-workers sitting next to her with a smirk. My face turned red because people were giving me weird looks. I asked if it was not a good idea, let me know and my supervisor said,"That's ok because you are deaf and dont know anything about this company." I felt so sick to my stomach and wanted to quit right there. I quit a few months later. I wish I knew how to advocate for myself back then but I was raised orally with no understanding of deaf rights or the laws.
 
shel90 said:
When I worked for Farmer's Insurance back in the early 90s, I was never taken seriously by my supervisors. Whenever we had department meetings, I would struggle to keep up but if I knew what the topic was about, I could figure out what was being discussed so one time I had an idea of how to solve an issue the dept was having since we were all brainstorming. When I raised my hand which nobody else did, it was because I couldnt tell if someone was still talking or not so I couldnt be able to jump in at the right time, everyone started laughing and one co-worker asked me if I forgot that I was no longer in elementary school. I ignored that comment and shared my ideas. My supervisor looked at my one of my co-workers sitting next to her with a smirk. My face turned red because people were giving me weird looks. I asked if it was not a good idea, let me know and my supervisor said,"That's ok because you are deaf and dont know anything about this company." I felt so sick to my stomach and wanted to quit right there. I quit a few months later. I wish I knew how to advocate for myself back then but I was raised orally with no understanding of deaf rights or the laws.
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I have been there before .... I used to sell new cars (Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Honda, Jeep) and the meetings were the worst.
 
All of this is making me wonder if any other HoH/Deaf feel that harrassment is just normal everyday life and have gotten "used" to it.
 
Hi--

Bottom line, don't put up with crap. If you have to, let it slide over. Deal with the problem people. I know it's easier said than done. It usually helps when you are a valuable employee and work hard. The bosses want to hold on the ones who do their jobs than to deal with problem people. They usually don't care but at the same time care. You just figure out what they really care about. And do the best you are capable of.

I've had my share of problems but I've gone head to head with these people.

Like going after the guy who threw a knife into my station! I got really nasty with that guy, and encountered a Mgr who favored that person (she didn't like me much) so I went after that Mgr. The Mgr went into the office, trying to throw the problem under the rug. The GM was in the office. I kicked the door and ripped the Mgr a good one in front of the GM saying, you do not listen to only one side and that guy THREW a knife in my direction, WTF! The Mgr admitted that she didn't know how to handle that problem but the GM then took over and handled it. I went back to work. No more knife throwing incidents.

When working in autopsy, I'd get yelled now and then at by a techicnian just because.....so one day I YELLED right back! I found out that the technican was a M.D. in Cuba and has had to work in a lowly autopsy job here in the U.S.A to pay the bills. He was not a happy man and took it out on me whenever he could. Never had a problem with the guy after I yelled at him, and he was super nice every time after that. Just because I'm deaf does not mean I can get dumped on.

I had to deal with a very vindictive VP of Finance just because she didn't understand everything about me. She didn't like me much. Still I did everything she asked, ordered me to do. She tried to fire me twice, demoted me (but forgot to reduce my pay--ha!) two weeks after her father (the president) praised me to high heaven. She had me replaced with her new daughter-in-law who did everything she was told to. I was doing my old job the day the Feds showed up and rounded up everyone. It looked like I called the Feds on the illegals but it wasn't me. I happened to be at the gate when they all swooped in. Unfortunately for the company, I also knew everything the Feds needed to know. So I had access to the files only upper management had access and handed whatever the Feds needed. They hit the jackpot. Arrested 8 employees. Of course......they think I called the Feds. The President chewed me out in front of everyone in Spanish---I have no idea what he said but nothing personal....he's being creamed, not me. Poor man. The day after I got fired in the conference room after reducing all the charges by the VP down to just one "misconduct" charge, enough to get me bounced, I went to find the Feds and told them that their search warrant didn't cover four secret companies under the corporate umbrella. You could hear a pin drop. They wanted me to do the paper and pen thing. No. I didn't come over here to do all that. Just that you need to do your jobs better than you did two weeks ago and here's the smoking gun......and walked out of the conference room. That night FAA agents came looking for me. I had a criminal lawyer by the time I got home. I was cleared of all wrong doing but the company went down the tubes forever because my smoking gun paper gave the FAA a strong cause to keep the company shut forever. This was before the federal whistleblowers' laws went into effect. I lost in federal court fighting the misconduct charge but the family who ran the company lost so much more. My ex-boss told me that they were paying for what they did to me. I never understood that until years later.

I've taught my five year old daughter to deal with boys who liked to bother her on the bus. No ammuntion for them. Ignore them. It worked.

Life is very good right now, I do not work for anyone (except a job that I do a couple hours a week). I can relate to many people on here that had problems at their jobs. I've also dealt with bullies in the kitchen, dickhead mgrs, co-workers who wanted to cause trouble, employees under me who didn't want to do their jobs. Be the best you can be and steer clear of people who don't care about you.
 
AmeriplanMama said:
Hi--

Bottom line, don't put up with crap. If you have to, let it slide over. Deal with the problem people. I know it's easier said than done. It usually helps when you are a valuable employee and work hard. The bosses want to hold on the ones who do their jobs than to deal with problem people. They usually don't care but at the same time care. You just figure out what they really care about. And do the best you are capable of.

...... Be the best you can be and steer clear of people who don't care about you.
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Wow, what a story. Thanks for sharing. You are right about the statement highlighted above. That is pretty much the only reason I still have a job. I get more work done than the others, yet, I get paid the same.

Interesting story for me to share:

I came on board about 11 years ago as a programmer. 3 months later, they made a dickhead the "lead programmer". He told me in my face that I should not be working as a programmer since everyone uses Nextels, but I cannot. I was discreetly 'moved' over to designing under the pretense of it being a 'temporary' thing. I am still here in designing.

Anyway, that dickhead quit 3 years ago, and we are still cleaning up his mess. One of the project managers, who has been making fun of me and badmouthing me for years, was promoted to dickhead status (dep't manager), making him my new supervisor. Oh no.

Surprisingly, after a few months of me putting him in his place, he stopped making fun of me and is now royally kissing my ass. Why? Because he needs me to make him look good. :roll:

I think, by making him responsible for his own team, he has grown up a little bit and realizes that we are not as stupid as we look. I've saved his ass a few times, and he knows it. When the others are falling behind or screwing up, guess who comes to the rescue? Yep, me. It makes me feel good that he 'needs' me now, but I don't rub it in his face; I just act as a team player.

Some co-workers are puzzled, since the new supervisor has been badmouthing me for years, now he praises me.

Sucks that it had to take 11 years for that. We still have a few co-workers that are still stuck in the Caveman-era behavior. I doubt they will ever evolve, though.

Bottom line is, yes, it is easy to sue and get a little bit of money, but turning the tables is priceless.
 
I called the EEOC today and have an appointment for Monday. I feel better already. They seem to take this very seriously.
 
Try California. You got kids and teens that just mess/fucks around for no reason. I tell them to piss off, but they ALL don't know I'm deaf, but still. Sometimes I regret that I never tell them I'm deaf, but wonder if it would even make a difference or would still have to put up with them.

That's school for ya, but very good socialization. Move from somewhere to California and you'll appreciate that you moved back. Stupid "Bro and Hoes"... luckily not all are washed up and are cool/chill... :)
 
maybe is harassment to report to violent of law. because boss is very certificate prove, if boss supposed discriminated is not good! that is wrong! order to chief inspector boss!! difficult! my experience my boss is very swearing call temper! he is attitude not proper on behavior grow up.I don`t like call swearing or regret to you kick out me! fault his very misunderstand! that is why
 
I don't like talking about this much but I thought I should.

I used to work for Tax Office, which was under the auspice of Federal Govt.

Anyway, at first things were going well. Good team and nice team leader. Then when I started to develop RSI. I became an target, so to speak. Therefore I was subjected to emotional form of bullying by old and new group leaders.

The result I was forced to resign or face firing. I chose to resign.

I complained to Human Rights and they investigated. Tried to contact lawyers. Human Rights found there was no cause behind my complaint. Lawyers didn't want to hear my case.

I was very emotionally devastated after I left the tax office.

I filed formal complaints against those two team leaders. So I have to be satisfied that it'll be on their permanent record. Well,what comes around will go around.

Later on I found out it was one of the upper management leader who were indirectly behind the bullying because she wanted to get rid of me as I'm a liability due to RSI, and it was she who told the team leader to do the dirty job.

I realised as I type this; I still don't like speaking about it.
 
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