Snowingamanda
New Member
- Jurisdiction
- North Carolina
Hi, asking for my elderly Latina mother-in-law with limited English. I helped her write a complaint about workplace harassment at Harris Teeter. Now she has an interview with HR and asked for help to prepare, and I'd like to know what the legal repercussions may be for everyone.
She experienced workplace conflict and management always took a stand against her without investigation. She was labeled a troublemaker. Example: store hired students in summer. Her supervisor chatted up one girl while mother-in-law got swamped with customers so she strictly told her to stop talking and take out trash. The girl cried and mother-in-law said "poor baby, someone asked her to do work instead of talking. Boo-hoo." The girl complained and store manager wrote mother in law up even tho she asked him to check camera and see what happened. Store manager asked other employees who confirmed that mother-in-law was "mean" even though she wasn't. Later supervisor apologized. So, with a written complaint, should she try to explain this, or only if asked?
This happened in a context for which she filed this complaint. Like, store manager starting young people with a higher salary than she had after 5 years, even though she does good work and recently got a praise letter after positive customer feedback. Or giving a raise to everyone but her until she repeatedly asked. Or giving her closing and opening shifts back to back. When there was a conflict with another employee (he wanted to buy 4 last items - she asked for - he refused - she took 2 items and paid, which started the conflict), - verbal arguments followed over weeks, but mother in law did not cuss, while that employee called her poor, mocked her English, and used F* word but was not stopped by the supervisor watching.
Supervisor was rude to her often and she complained to store manager yet he never took her seriously. When she decided to quit, he moved her to another store dept.
Recently, this English-speaking supervisor came to the dept. where she works, offered help, and when she declined, called her offensive Spanish names, dared her to complain with her poor English, and saying nothing will be done about it anyways. Next day her lunchbox disappeared with prescription drops needed after her eye surgery, and she spent the night in pain. Next morning she discovered supervisor had it.
She now shared that this supervisor asked her for loans and sometimes she declined (so she wasn't afraid he'd fire her) but also loaned him $500 and $2,000 (with a signed note, and he paid back). She helped as he has 6 kids but 2nd time she also asked for and received an extra week of vacation. Once she complained about rude behavior to store
manager and mentioned loans but was told that it's a personal matter. Sounds like quid pro quo (the 2nd time) and sheds light why that supervisor was helpful and apologetic but also rude and harassing. Should she mention this at HR interview?
Thank you!
Maria
She experienced workplace conflict and management always took a stand against her without investigation. She was labeled a troublemaker. Example: store hired students in summer. Her supervisor chatted up one girl while mother-in-law got swamped with customers so she strictly told her to stop talking and take out trash. The girl cried and mother-in-law said "poor baby, someone asked her to do work instead of talking. Boo-hoo." The girl complained and store manager wrote mother in law up even tho she asked him to check camera and see what happened. Store manager asked other employees who confirmed that mother-in-law was "mean" even though she wasn't. Later supervisor apologized. So, with a written complaint, should she try to explain this, or only if asked?
This happened in a context for which she filed this complaint. Like, store manager starting young people with a higher salary than she had after 5 years, even though she does good work and recently got a praise letter after positive customer feedback. Or giving a raise to everyone but her until she repeatedly asked. Or giving her closing and opening shifts back to back. When there was a conflict with another employee (he wanted to buy 4 last items - she asked for - he refused - she took 2 items and paid, which started the conflict), - verbal arguments followed over weeks, but mother in law did not cuss, while that employee called her poor, mocked her English, and used F* word but was not stopped by the supervisor watching.
Supervisor was rude to her often and she complained to store manager yet he never took her seriously. When she decided to quit, he moved her to another store dept.
Recently, this English-speaking supervisor came to the dept. where she works, offered help, and when she declined, called her offensive Spanish names, dared her to complain with her poor English, and saying nothing will be done about it anyways. Next day her lunchbox disappeared with prescription drops needed after her eye surgery, and she spent the night in pain. Next morning she discovered supervisor had it.
She now shared that this supervisor asked her for loans and sometimes she declined (so she wasn't afraid he'd fire her) but also loaned him $500 and $2,000 (with a signed note, and he paid back). She helped as he has 6 kids but 2nd time she also asked for and received an extra week of vacation. Once she complained about rude behavior to store
manager and mentioned loans but was told that it's a personal matter. Sounds like quid pro quo (the 2nd time) and sheds light why that supervisor was helpful and apologetic but also rude and harassing. Should she mention this at HR interview?
Thank you!
Maria
