Well, I started a new job 3 weeks ago as a support technician and was fired tonight. My job description is to provide technical support for our commercial customers over the phone and via our ticketing system (sitting in a cublicle with phone and computer and reference materials). It is a nice change from my job in technology sales and I really enjoy it.
Since I began I have been heckled by a co-worker constantly from picking at my clothing (in comparison I look like a GQ model next to this slob), jokes about my job performance (which has been considered excellent at 2 full weeks), etc. This isn't too far from the norm, I guess. but he also tells me where to take station at night. We have no assigned desks or areas and are instructed to sit wherever we feel most comfortable. He's told me 3 days now to move out of "his" (non-manger, non-reserved, communal) area. Today I was very frustrated as I was in the middle of a support issue when he began demanding that I get out. My direct supervisor told me before I did not need to heed his requests, but I felt intimidated and moved. My direct supervisor was at lunch so I went to the next rung in the managerial ladder and just relayed my concerns very politely and professionally. She said that this the co-worker was being completely unreasonable and would advise my supervisor of the issue when he arrived.
Supervisor came back, stayed in his boss's office about 20 mins discussing the issue, came back and nothing was said or talked of out loud or in private. As the night went on, he became increasingly rude to me. By the time management had left he would no longer speak to me. At roughly 9:30 nothing was going on, my supervisor was still there (hours past the end of his shift) and instructed me to go up into this attic of sorts to look at some equipment I have nothing do with (in-house phone, internet connections, etc). Now the attic is only accessible by a VERY flimsy drop down ladder that bends under the weight of even the smallest employees (I'm over 6"1 nearly 275lbs) and the ladder goes at a very steep angle with ~1.5' rungs. Now I've had a bad knee since I was about 11 and was involved in a serious accident which caused permanent damage to it at 15. I said I couldn't go up the ladder because of my knee not being able to bend that far and I was afraid about the strength of this ladder. He became irate and told me that I didn't have a choice. I asked if they could tell me what was there so I would know what to do in some instance I would have to go up there (NOT a SINGLE instance I could imagine, even within emergency situation). He said "You don't have a choice about what you're going to f---ing learn" and began mocking me. I reiterated kindly that I was just not physically able to cliimb the ladder and asked again if I could just take some notes or draw a diagram of the layout. He screamed more about me doing what I'm told to do, said he "jumped out of planes for years" and that "your knees aren't nearly as bad as his." "You're going up there now" he said. I said "I can't" and he told me that "Then you no longer have this job." At this point he was screaming in a threatening manner. I, red-faced and upset, swallowed hard, grabbed my coat and walked out the door (~1 hr before the end of my shift.)
I have tried calling his boss's home number that she gave us in case of emergencies and asked that she call me back. I do still want to work for this company as I need a job and really do enjoy it. If they were to tell me I can come back my next scheduled day I would with my head held high because I did not do anything wrong in my eyes by respectually stating I was not able to perform a hazardous task far outside the scope of my job description. If my firing is upheld do I have any possible recourse? (EEOC?)
Sorry for such a long post but I think it is necessary to fully asses my situation. Any advice/suggestions are extremely appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Since I began I have been heckled by a co-worker constantly from picking at my clothing (in comparison I look like a GQ model next to this slob), jokes about my job performance (which has been considered excellent at 2 full weeks), etc. This isn't too far from the norm, I guess. but he also tells me where to take station at night. We have no assigned desks or areas and are instructed to sit wherever we feel most comfortable. He's told me 3 days now to move out of "his" (non-manger, non-reserved, communal) area. Today I was very frustrated as I was in the middle of a support issue when he began demanding that I get out. My direct supervisor told me before I did not need to heed his requests, but I felt intimidated and moved. My direct supervisor was at lunch so I went to the next rung in the managerial ladder and just relayed my concerns very politely and professionally. She said that this the co-worker was being completely unreasonable and would advise my supervisor of the issue when he arrived.
Supervisor came back, stayed in his boss's office about 20 mins discussing the issue, came back and nothing was said or talked of out loud or in private. As the night went on, he became increasingly rude to me. By the time management had left he would no longer speak to me. At roughly 9:30 nothing was going on, my supervisor was still there (hours past the end of his shift) and instructed me to go up into this attic of sorts to look at some equipment I have nothing do with (in-house phone, internet connections, etc). Now the attic is only accessible by a VERY flimsy drop down ladder that bends under the weight of even the smallest employees (I'm over 6"1 nearly 275lbs) and the ladder goes at a very steep angle with ~1.5' rungs. Now I've had a bad knee since I was about 11 and was involved in a serious accident which caused permanent damage to it at 15. I said I couldn't go up the ladder because of my knee not being able to bend that far and I was afraid about the strength of this ladder. He became irate and told me that I didn't have a choice. I asked if they could tell me what was there so I would know what to do in some instance I would have to go up there (NOT a SINGLE instance I could imagine, even within emergency situation). He said "You don't have a choice about what you're going to f---ing learn" and began mocking me. I reiterated kindly that I was just not physically able to cliimb the ladder and asked again if I could just take some notes or draw a diagram of the layout. He screamed more about me doing what I'm told to do, said he "jumped out of planes for years" and that "your knees aren't nearly as bad as his." "You're going up there now" he said. I said "I can't" and he told me that "Then you no longer have this job." At this point he was screaming in a threatening manner. I, red-faced and upset, swallowed hard, grabbed my coat and walked out the door (~1 hr before the end of my shift.)
I have tried calling his boss's home number that she gave us in case of emergencies and asked that she call me back. I do still want to work for this company as I need a job and really do enjoy it. If they were to tell me I can come back my next scheduled day I would with my head held high because I did not do anything wrong in my eyes by respectually stating I was not able to perform a hazardous task far outside the scope of my job description. If my firing is upheld do I have any possible recourse? (EEOC?)
Sorry for such a long post but I think it is necessary to fully asses my situation. Any advice/suggestions are extremely appreciated. Thanks in advance.
