Possible wrongful termination due to family member

[Michael2005]

What is the name of your state? TEXAS

Hello, this is my first time posting and I am not really sure where to put this as it involves some issues with my employer, an emotionally abusive family member, and some defamation of my character.

A family member of mine (no blood relation, relation by marriage to my mother) got me an interview where I currently work. I have had the job off and on for three years while I go to school to finish my degree (I'm in my early 20s). I have never had a bad review where I work, and my services are always requested as there is much for me to do on school breaks and while at school. The family member that got me this job has tremendous pull with this company, and he always holds it over my head...threatening me with the job in their own sort of way, while never coming right out and saying it. The employer has an arbitration agreement and an at-will-employment agreement that employees "must" sign upon employment. Every time I go back I have to resign these papers. This family member does not want me to go back to work with this employer, and my employers are trying to convince the family member otherwise but they would please him ultimately as it is more beneficial for their business.

This family member continuously abuses me in emails, belittling my acheivements and making me feel worthless. It has been going on for well over 5 years, even before this job. Once, at the place where I work, the family member came in for a meeting with my bosses and myself and exposed to them very private information about my personal life which extremely embarassed me and damaged my character with my employer...I think we all can agree that an employer knowing any kind of personal information about you changes the way they look at you, and it is no ones place but your own to share that information with them. That is what happened here.

The family member goes behind my back to sabotage my success at my place of employment, controlling how much money I make, the jobs I get assigned, etc. I might as well be working for him.

Right now I am concerned that I might not get this job back because of what he is doing. He is married to my mother, and during the breaks I stay in their house. I'm afraid of taking any legal action against him (even to stop the emotional abuse) or any other form of action because I am afraid I'll no longer have a place to live on these breaks. This job is what is enabling me to go to school without taking out massive loans, and I really need it. I want them to be able to hire me back because THEY need me, not because my family member says it is ok.

What are my options? I'm a poor college student trying to make good grades and get a very tough degree...this is pushing me to the edge of my sanity. Please help guide me in the right direction.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Find another job and tell the 'family member' to go screw himself.

 

[Michael2005]

I've tried doing that, and the job market is pretty bad right now. I can't find anything near my school that will pay me enough to live off of and continue my education. I've interviewed with probably a dozen companies over the last year. I've only got a year of school left and would lose a ton of hours transferring to anywhere else...I'd probably be in school several more years if I did that.

I know for a fact that my employer needs me, and the only reason they're not able to bring my back at this point is because of him.

The option I'm leaning closest to at this point is biting the bullet and taking out enough money in loans to keep me up at school for another year and telling him to get out of my life. But if there's a legal option out there that I can put into play to prevent him from doing what he's doing then I want to explore it, I'm just afraid anything I do will hurt my employer, or my mom...or even a legal option to just keep him from emotionally assaulting me all the time.

 

[cbg]

Michael, even if the company did refuse to bring you back because of this, that does not meet the legal definition of a wrongful termination.

Unlike what so many people appear to think, a wrongful term does not mean one that is unfair, unjust, unexpected, based on incorrect or inaccurate information, because the employer thinks you did something you didn't actually do, or even, in most cases, one that violates company policy. To meet the standard of a wrongful termination, it has to have been illegal (not unjust, not unethical, not unfair, but a violation of the law) for the employer to term you for the reason that they did.

No law prohibits an employer from firing, or refusing to rehire, an employee because of input from a family member.

As far as the job is concerned, you really have no options. If the employer hires you back, great. If they don't, that is up to them. Because they have hired you before does not obligate them to continue to do so.

Is your mother aware of what your stepfather is doing?

 

[Beth3]

Your step-father being a jerk is not illegal. Nor did he defame your character by revealing personal information about you to your employer. You have no legal recourse here but you do have a choice - whether you want to suck it up and keep working there until you finish school (assuming they hire you back), find another job (even if it's fast food), and/or take out a student loan so you don't have to work while you finish school.

But if there's a legal option out there that I can put into play to prevent him from doing what he's doing then I want to explore it, I'm just afraid anything I do will hurt my employer, or my mom...or even a legal option to just keep him from emotionally assaulting me all the time. Sorry but there are no legal options. Your personal option is to stay as far away from him as possible. Maybe your mother will realize what a jerk she married and get rid of him but until then, I'm afraid you're going to have to find a way to have a relationship with your mother while keeping him at the greatest possible distance. Good luck.