Is punishing employees legal?

[missjakky]

I used to work at a childrens toy store so to say for a year and a half in Texas. During the time that I have worked there I have seen MANY employees come and GO and I could never really understand why.


We have TWO MAIN stations in the store, the register, and the place where you make the toy.. The place where you make the toy is the LEAST FAVORITABLE amongst most of the staff at the job, so many try to avoid going to that station unless they are asked by a manager to go over there.

Here is where the question comes in.... When an employee is doing an unfavoritable trait the managers have them go to the toy production area as their punishment. Now they do not LET US KNOW that we are being punished, but overhearing their comments about an continuosly late employee, " since she is late so much, she can be over there in the toy production area as her punishment" we know that we are being punished.

Now from what I understand of the store, they should talk to us first as a warning, and then write us up and go from there. With the late employee they NEVER had a formal sit down with her, but instead was punishing her with extra work.

Is it legal to punish an employee that way? And what should be done about this?

Also is it legal for a manager to be verbally abusive towards employees?

 

[cbg]

There is no law requiring that your employer warn you first, either verbally or in writing. There is no law prohibiting them from "punishing" you by assigning you to duties you do not like. Nothing in your post is illegal. The employer is 100% legal in the actions you describe.

What do you mean by, verbal abuse? A lot of what people assume is abuse is, in fact, legal, so without any idea of what's being said we can't answer your question.

 

[missjakky]

There is no law requiring that your employer warn you first, either verbally or in writing. There is no law prohibiting them from "punishing" you by assigning you to duties you do not like. Nothing in your post is illegal. The employer is 100% legal in the actions you describe.

What do you mean by, verbal abuse? A lot of what people assume is abuse is, in fact, legal, so without any idea of what's being said we can't answer your question.

Verbal abuse as in calling employees fat, drama queens with problematic lifestyles,etc. Harrassing them because they smoke, and putting them down for whatever other reasons. While i was there for the year, I have seen 3 co workers crying from things the head chief would say to them. Granted she WOULD NEVER DARE to say these things to me, it just doesnt seem ethical or professional like to put someone down outside of their "work" duties. Calling someone fat and criticizing them about parts in their lives that they have no control over isnt cool at all.

 

[cbg]

You're describing someone being a jerk. It is not a illegal to be a jerk. What you describe is not illegal, just jerkiness.