runninouttaops
New Member
I have been working for a family owned company for the last year. I was hired in to set up and open a new division of the company at a different locale from the corporate office (although only a short distance away). From the start I felt that people for some reason or another had formed a dislike for me. The original person who hired me was found to be of questionable character and was let go. One of the executives was looking for a replacement and my husband spoke with him about a friend of ours who would work out perfectly for that position with 16 plus years of experience in the field. He was hired but during the transition I handled the affairs of the shop until he started. I set up the operating procedures, filing system, record keeping and verifying payroll to pass on to the proper department. Things have gone from bad to worse in no time flat. I have found that I am repeatedly being questioned by my boss (who is also my friend) regarding accusations that are being made against me and my character by someone from our corporate office. He is called to the executive VP's office on a regular basis to field complaints. I have asked who my accusers are to give me an opportunity to respond to their complaints in the presence of management, I am never given an answer and neither is my boss. He is told that it not the point. Now just two days ago an employee at our facility (who happens to married in to the family who owns the company) was let go by my boss. I went into our breakroom for my afternoon break to have a cigarette and he was up there. He told me that he had just been fired. I sympathized with him, said I was sorry, which I really was in some way. I know that he was let go for lack of experience in the industry and that he had made several mistakes that had cost our division a good chunk of money to correct. I know that there is a lot of information that I am leaving out like the fact that this guy is extremely prejudice and my husband also works for the company who happens to be from another country, he has experienced this guys funny jokes with racial inuendos directed to him ( they don't like each other) but we never reported this to HR. i may be getting a little off track so let me get back on-during my conversation with this may my cell phone rang, I transfer my office calls to my cell when I am away from my desk, and it was an extension from within the company. I answered the phone and it was this guys wife!! She asked me if I was in my office, I told her I was in the breakroom, she asked if I heard what happened to her husband, I told her that I was talking to him at that very moment. Immediately she became attacking-she said it was BULL---- and that "it was on!" I asked her what she meant by that and she said that I knew, that there were things going on in the company that I knew about and because my boss, my husband, myself and another co-worker were all friends that we had plotted against this guy to get him fired. She also told me that I better watch my back because she was going to watch every move I made. I hung up the phone and told this guy what his wife had said. No real response from him (I always believed that he was a trouble maker anyway but I never treated him any different that any other employee). I immediately went to my boss and told him what had happened and let him know that I was reporting this incident to HR-wait this gets even better-our HR director is also part of the family! I sent an e-mail to my boss describing what had happened and noted that if she had an issue it should have been taken up with him. I believe that she threatened me and insulted my integrity to be a professional in the workplace. I then copied that e-mail to the HR administrator. I did not receive a response but it was at the end of the day so I thought it would be addressed the next. All day passed with no one even acknowledging receipt of my complaint. I then requested to the HR director that I be allowed to remove myself from the weight watchers program that the company graciously offers to pay for their employees if they meet certain criteria as I no longer felt comfortable in attending the meetings under the circumstances.(as the woman that threatened me also attends with several other members of the family including the HR director). She replied with a question-I am not sure what "circumstances" you are talking about-did something happen in a weight watchers meeting? I replied to her stating that nothing happened in a meeting but that I was sure that she had received a copy of the e-mail I had sent the day before issuing a complaint. I had also requested that I not be penalized for withdrawing from the program and have to pay the fees. Again she replied that I would have to pay-she did receive a copy of my complaint and that when the woman that threatened me returned to work she would begin an investigation.
Here are my questions as I am confused on what is my next step; 1)shouldn't the director of HR speak with me, the filing complainant first? Why would she have to wait for the return of the other employee? Would it be because she is family and her side of the story gets told first? I feel that I am all the way in the corner and I don't see a way out. I like my job, my boss and most of my co-workers. I pride myself on being professional, getting the job done, tackling any situation but this one I think I may be out numbered. Is there another option for me if I am not comfortable that the HR director will be an impartial investigator? If any one has some solid legal advise I would deeply appreciate it. I am tired of being walked on.
Here are my questions as I am confused on what is my next step; 1)shouldn't the director of HR speak with me, the filing complainant first? Why would she have to wait for the return of the other employee? Would it be because she is family and her side of the story gets told first? I feel that I am all the way in the corner and I don't see a way out. I like my job, my boss and most of my co-workers. I pride myself on being professional, getting the job done, tackling any situation but this one I think I may be out numbered. Is there another option for me if I am not comfortable that the HR director will be an impartial investigator? If any one has some solid legal advise I would deeply appreciate it. I am tired of being walked on.
