C
CreativeHat
Guest
I accepted a Technical Writing position to move from Texas to California in January. The employment agreeement included $13,000 relocation expenses, which I have to pay back prorated if I elect to leave the first 2 years.
The problem is that the CEO has made our small office (30 employees) a hostile working environment. Derogatory comments about homosexuals, ethnic groups, overweight individuals, and sexually inappropriate sneers occur on a daily basis. He also makes a practice on eavesdropping outside people's offices, snooping through people's desks, etc. The last four people to leave the company were women, all of whom were pushed out the door and forced into quitting. The last was a marketing VP who was put on probation for threatening to file charges of sexual harassment (she is willing to assist me if I need her). Also, he has made comments to my supervisor that I should be pressured into working over 40 hours per week (despite the fact that I am not late on any assignments), citing the current recession and job security as a reason for my supervisor to push me. The latest issue has been my using an empty office to make a personal phone call (the CEO asked my supervisor to put an end to this).
When I was offered the job, I was told (not in writing) that the office had a generous flex hour/telecommuting policy, and that I could expect to telecommute one day per week, and work 4 10 hour days (making it only 3 days per week in the office). That turned out to be bogus, and the official policy in the office is that everyone is to work a 8+hour day, written up if arriving later than 10 am, an absolutely no telecommuting.
How can I get out of this job without having to repay the relocation. I want to return to Texas (and will pay to move back out of pocket), but feel I shouldn't have to repay if the work environment is so hostile.
The problem is that the CEO has made our small office (30 employees) a hostile working environment. Derogatory comments about homosexuals, ethnic groups, overweight individuals, and sexually inappropriate sneers occur on a daily basis. He also makes a practice on eavesdropping outside people's offices, snooping through people's desks, etc. The last four people to leave the company were women, all of whom were pushed out the door and forced into quitting. The last was a marketing VP who was put on probation for threatening to file charges of sexual harassment (she is willing to assist me if I need her). Also, he has made comments to my supervisor that I should be pressured into working over 40 hours per week (despite the fact that I am not late on any assignments), citing the current recession and job security as a reason for my supervisor to push me. The latest issue has been my using an empty office to make a personal phone call (the CEO asked my supervisor to put an end to this).
When I was offered the job, I was told (not in writing) that the office had a generous flex hour/telecommuting policy, and that I could expect to telecommute one day per week, and work 4 10 hour days (making it only 3 days per week in the office). That turned out to be bogus, and the official policy in the office is that everyone is to work a 8+hour day, written up if arriving later than 10 am, an absolutely no telecommuting.
How can I get out of this job without having to repay the relocation. I want to return to Texas (and will pay to move back out of pocket), but feel I shouldn't have to repay if the work environment is so hostile.