A Boss CTO Whom is Related and Abuses Power

[HelpPleaseLaw]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia


My CTO is also my relative and an abusive one. In the personal side: Uses the private family matters to do harmful emotional effects onto my own family. In the professional side: Uses personal privacy information to attack on an emotional level in the workplace. Also, falsifying work and intimidation tactics to control and abuse employee such as myself. Forming a workplace atmosphere that is toxic to the point that makes me very uncomfortable to work and trying to lie about my job integrity to get me fired. Please let me know there are any free resource out there to help me deal with these matters? Thank you.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia


My CTO is also my relative and an abusive one. In the personal side: Uses the private family matters to do harmful emotional effects onto my own family. In the professional side: Uses personal privacy information to attack on an emotional level in the workplace. Also, falsifying work and intimidation tactics to control and abuse employee such as myself. Forming a workplace atmosphere that is toxic to the point that makes me very uncomfortable to work and trying to lie about my job integrity to get me fired. Please let me know there are any free resource out there to help me deal with these matters? Thank you.

It sounds to me like its time to look for a new job.

 

[HelpPleaseLaw]

It sounds to me like its time to look for a new job.

I appreciate your forwardness honesty. I don't intend to work here forever either, but while I am still working I am trying to see if there are any legal action I can take against this person to stop it from happening to others in the future.

 

[Zigner]

I appreciate your forwardness honesty. I don't intend to work here forever either, but while I am still working I am trying to see if there are any legal action I can take against this person to stop it from happening to others in the future.

Unfortunately, it's not illegal to be a jerk. Complain to HR.

 

[cbg]

I appreciate your forwardness honesty. I don't intend to work here forever either, but while I am still working I am trying to see if there are any legal action I can take against this person to stop it from happening to others in the future.

Based on the information you have provided, there is not.

 

[commentator]

You see, there's not a whole lot of difference in how the person treats you in the family and how he/she treats you in the workplace as far as the law is concerned, they don't get involved. And legally, there's no more protection for you. Pretty much a person can be treated pretty awful in the workplace, provided they are not being bullied or harassed or singled out solely because they are a member of an EEOC protected group, such as on the basis of race, sex, religious affiliation,etc. There's nothing in the labor laws that says you cannot be picked on, lied about and treated badly.

Just because this person is treating you poorly, is being mean to you emotionally, is lying about your work, is unfair in his treatment of you as compared to other workers, whether or not you are related to him, that's just not illegal. There's nothing in the law that says your CTO has to be nice to you or fair to you whether you are a relative or not.

I would try very hard to resolve the situation through talking to him directly. This person is a bully. Tell him to stop treating you this way. Threatening to get you fired isn't such a big deal. If he has the power to fire you without anyone else's input, then he can do it, legally.
If he would have to lie or do dirty things through your employer to get you fired, you desperately need to get this to someone's attention who is above him, or who is in HR, so that your side of the situation should be presented to them BEFORE this person lies about you and manages to get you to get it fixed so he can fire you. Be self protective. Be professional. But don't be wimpy. If you are doing the job to the best of your ability, what he says and does shouldn't matter. You're doing all you can do.

But really, what you can do, and need to do is move on. If you quit, without trying to resolve the situation, and apply for unemployment benefits while looking for another job, you probably wouldn't have much chance of being approved. But if you look for and find a new job while you are still working there, and then move on when you find that next job, that's the best you can possibly do.