My boss emailed our entire department about me

[sbever]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IN
I have worked for this company for a little over a year. My boss manages with double standards and has told other co-workers she does not like me. My performance review was the absolute worst I have received and I have worked for over 12 years and had very good performance reviews. My boss would not let me see my performance review, I did not get to sign any documentation about my performance review. My boss has said when she doesn't like someone she does not fire them but makes them so miserable they quit. Last week my boss made slipped up and sent an email out to our entire department saying how she didn't like me and since we were short staffed she couldn't get rid of me yet. HR called me down about 10 days after the email was sent and they said they tried to pull the email out of everyone's mailboxes but it was not pulled from mine. HR didn't offer much other than maybe I should work perfect or find another job or both but didn't offer any other advice. My husband tells me this is a hostile workplace claim and I should go above HR. I'm not sure what the laws are or what actions I can take. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Sockeye]

Unpleasant work environment, but not "hostile" as meets the legal definition.

 

[Eekamouse]

Have you taken the initiative and tried to find out what it is she doesn't like about you and tried to improve to meet her standards?

 

[commentator]

It is not legally necessary for a supervisor to like you. As long as you have brought this situation to the attention of HR, and have made it clear to them that you are doing your job to the best of your abilities, you have done pretty much all you can. If they allow it, and if she wants to, your supervisor could call you out and tell everyone in your department she does not like you in front of you and everyone else. She could put up balloons with the message on them. Your response? "Gee, I'm sorry you feel that way! I'm doing my best, and I'm really sorry that doesn't satisfy you. Shall we get back to work now?"

Of course if your supervisor were singling you out because you were the only woman, old person, Hispanic, Mormon, wheelchair riding staffer, you might have a "hostile work environment" or other issue to address with the EEOC, but just plain old "I don't like you!" where there is no persistent and pervasive pattern of discrmination against a protected category of worker isn't a hostile work environment.

Whatever you do, DO NOT QUIT your job, unless you have another good one to replace it with and you are ready to move on. What your supervisor said was first very stupid, and second, very true. That's what employers do. If they fire you, without your giving them a good job related reason to do so, you would be able to file for and possibly be approved for unemployment insurance benefits, which would produce costs for them. They don't want to have to do this. So they try to make the workplace unpleasant for you, in hopes that you will quit of your own volition. At this time, it will be much harder to get unemployment benefits approved.

It is an "at-will" situation, and you can be fired for any reason at any time, legally. But if they do not have a valid reason, you can be approved for unemployment benefits while you are looking for another job. I suggest you begin looking for another job before you quit this one. I also suggested you grit your teeth and re-think your work situation. Stop discussing your relationship with this supervisor and how she treats you with your co workers. If you got a poor evaluation, forget about it. How is it bothering you if you never saw it, never got to protest or sign off on it? If they fire you for poor performance you'd be a shoo-in for unemployment benefits, as they provided you with no feedback about how to do your job better.

Most people assume that if they work hard and do a good job, it is mandatory for the supervisor to treat them fairly, to give them approval and to say nice things about them. But this isn't so. What this woman is trying to do is make you so unhappy you quit your job. Do not allow her to do this to you. Do your best, be polite, quiet and professional. If she yells at you about job performance or any issues, be pleasant, but don't take it to heart. Nothing is achieved by arguing and whining because she does not like you.

It sounds as though this is less than good supervisor in this job, You have been there a year, and you have been in the work force for quite a while. You know your work is good and that you are a competent person. Keep in mind that she may not last, especially given her less than professional goof ups like putting out email that detailed her plans for your future. Win this game, and keep in mind that it is a game. Good luck to you.

 

[eerelations]

A hostile work environment (HWE) as defined by law means an environment where an employee is receiving negative treatment specifically and directly because of characteristics like his/her race, religion, age (40+ only), and/or disability.

If you have evidence that what you're experiencing is specifically and directly a result of one or more of the above-noted characteristics, then you may have a valid HWE claim. You should file said claim with the EEOC.

However, if you don't have evidence that what you're experiencing is specifically and directly a result of one or more of the above-noted characteristics, then you don't have a valid HWE claim.

 

[parkersharon32]

Same kind of thing is going on with me, not so severe but yeah its leading to my mental turmoil. I’m trying hard to face everything and change the job in some time.

 

[eerelations]

Same kind of thing is going on with me, not so severe but yeah its leading to my mental turmoil. I’m trying hard to face everything and change the job in some time.

Unless what's happening to you constitutes an illegal HWE as defined above, you don't have any legal recourse.

 

[swalsh411]

Try not to let it get to you. Go to work and do the best you can to avoid the drama. Whether or not your boss likes you does not define your worth as a human being or change anything about the people in your life that you love and love you back. You won't work there forever. Keep looking for a new job. When you walk out of work at the end of the day, find a quiet place for a few moments and take some deep breaths and then don't take any of the mental burdens home with you.

 

[commentator]

That's a great thought, swalsh! No one ever died wishing they'd spent more time at the office. If we can compartmentalize our lives so that the bad stuff from our less than perfect work environment doesn't pollute our home life, then we have won. Jobs come, jobs go. Sometimes, no matter what you do, the job ends, maybe ends badly. But that has nothing to do with your self worth. Do your best always, move forward and do not take it out on those you love.