Supervisor Trying to get Me Fired

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TombRaiderShan

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Hello everyone, I am new here and I could use some advice. I work at a popular retailer part-time and I am very well loved by my manager and everyone else (there are only about 10 employees total) except for one supervisor. I believe she may have a mental illness of some sort because she is really nice one minute and unfairly cruel another minute. She tells everyone she is the assistant manager when in fact, she is only a keyholder. Anyway, after abusing me verbally a few times, I finally decided to lodge a formal complaint with my manager. That complaint included embarassing me and being unfairly cruel to me as well as her taking an excessively long smoke break (upwards of 30 minutes) in order to talk about rumors she heard about another employee with that employee who was on a legitimate break. She left me alone in the store to watch the register and put freight away (by the way, just prior to this unauthorized break, she told me that we had numerous carts of freight that we HAD to get put away before closing).

Anyway, after the manager spoke to her about this complaint, she was even colder to me, and even though she was told not to retaliate against me, all of a sudden, on a night where she counts the register drawers, I am magically $42 short. I have never been written up for a shortage (one must be short over $2.00 to be written up). My manager does not believe for a second I stole money (I worked at the FBI for 4 1/2 years for goodness sake!), but she had to write me up. She then told me that I would be fired if my drawer is short again this high amount one more time. Interestingly enough, there has been at least two additional instances where a $40 amount was mysteriously missing from other folks drawers, including the manager's! This always occurs when she is supervisor and always after someone lodges a complaint against her. It is almost like she is sending a message..."I can get you fired!"

I feel as though this woman has the power to get me fired as well as defaming my good name. It cannot be proven that she stole the money, nor can it ever be proven. My manager has a hefty stack of complaints against this woman, but supposedly her hands are tied to fire her (the company requires many hoops be jumped through before allowing someone to be fired.) But now I have a real fear that she can get me fired just because I got her into trouble.

My manager's advice is to never let anyone use my drawer and then sit in the office and watch her count my drawer (how comfortable!). When I do this, mind you, I won't be able to do my actual job sweeping and cleaning up the store, restocking pop, etc. My manager told me not to worry about it. I want to be mature and deal with her and hope she does not cause my drawer to be severely short again, but I am terrified now to work with her. We are supposed to be able to trust our supervisors, but she has me nailed to the wall.

What can I do? I plan to call the employee help line to express my concerns on Monday. This woman at one point was just a pain to work with, but now she is a real threat. I am flabbergasted that I can get fired from a job where I am completely honest, trustworthy and well-liked. Thank you!
 
This is completely an internal matter. There is no law prohibiting people from being jerks.

How your employer chooses to handle this employee is up to them. If they want to give her the power to have you fired, they may, no matter how unfair that may be. The law does not prohibit unfairness. Likewise, even if they choose to support you, they are not obligated to take any action against her. They can allow her to be a jerk if so desired.

The only potential for legal action I can see involves a lot of ifs; IF you are fired AND IF you are fired for a drawer shortage AND IF they eventually tell a potential employer THAT YOU STOLE (as opposed to being suspected of theft, or as opposed to having a short drawer, either of which would be a true statement) AND IF as a direct result of that comment you lost out on an opportunity for employment, THEN (and not before) you would have legal recourse.
 
So, what you are saying is that if she is the direct result of my being fired for a huge drawer shortage, thereby ruining any chances of moving up in the company, thus defaming my good name, I have absolutely no recourse unless it affects a future job? If that is true, then she is a very clever crazy woman.
 
I am saying that if you have a drawer shortage, you can be fired whether she has anything to do with it or not.
 
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