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A

antionette

Guest
I had a job for 5 years with a company. During my last year of employment, I had two very close deaths in my family and I wanted to be at home more with my young daughter. I also always wanted to go back to college. So in May of 2000 I submited my resignation letter give a one month notice as it stated that I should have done in the employee handbook. Also, for the last year, I had told my supervisor about the problems that I had since the deaths in my family by the forms of private conversations with her in a closed office. So as I worked toward my last day, I started having more and more problems out of my supervisor. She all of a sudden like how my work was being performed and started to call me into her office on a daily basis to tell me that I was not performing my job. She also went as far as to do my last performance review in the week before I was to leave and included negative comments about me (surely becaue I was leaving. I ignored these comments because I was leaving the company anyway and did the best that I could, but one week before I was due to leave, I was asked to get my things and leave one week earlier because I was "disturbing the office". (Many people were congratulating me on my choice to leave.) The company paid me for the next week as well and I thought these events were just my supervisor's childish way of have controll over me. I went back to the company the next week for my going away party despite the circumstances and it was great. Of course, my supervisor didn't show up, but many others did to wish me farewell. I was told by a co-worker at the party that my supervisor had hinted that she fired me because of my work. I also thought this was just petty gosip without merit and went on with my life. Another co-worker told me that my supervisor told several people about my private life having to do with the deaths in my family. She even went so far as to say that my young daughter needed professional counseling and I needed help as well. Now it's 6 months later and I'm trying to find work close to my home to add some income to my household while I attend school. But I have found that I have many interviews but no employment offers. I would hate to think that my old supervisor, who even at her worse offered to give me a reference which I never tried to use, is somehow black listing me as a bad employee. What can I do? Can I sue the company for defamation of character? Is is leagal for her to destroy my 5 good years of work experience with a couple of worthless sentenses in a performance evaluation? Also, is there any thing that I can do to make her stop talking about my personal life to other people? Any help you can give will be appreciated. Thanks.
 


ALawyer

Senior Member
It is VERY difficult to overcome personality problems, and suing for defamation (VERY HARD) is usually futile if not counter-productive. And it is expensive. It may harden attitudes and turn the whole company against you.

Discussing the matter with the supervisor's boss, and giving as references others above and below the supervisor could be helpful. Or try getting someone to intercede on your behalf.

Also disclosing in the next interview why you decided to take a "time out" from your last job and when you decided to leave the supervisor was upset and turned negative but others in the firm would confirm your excellent work and dedication, attendance, honesty, etc. for 5 years may solve the problem.

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To retain a lawyer, I suggest you go to http://AttorneyPages.com which is endorsed by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. This response is intended as general information only and NOT LEGAL ADVICE. As you are not my client I have no obligation of any kind to you.
 

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