Boss is singling me out at work!

[Shawns31]

Wisconsin

My employer is wrongly accusing me of tinkering with the computers to speed them up. These computers are old and I got accused of tinkering with the computers when all I did was make a suggestion of adding RAM to speed up the computers so they don't crash all the time. He then came to me with a write up for tinkering with the computers and I disagreed with it and refused to sign it. The next day I came in and said I will sign the paperwork, I just want to write down what I agree with and what I dont. I was told no, and now after working there 14months and worked all over the shop he singled me out and told me I am restricted to a small confined work area. He said he want to get the best production out of his team yet any time I need to get something to complete the job I have to try and find someone within my restricted area to go get the item/tool for me, making it even more counter productive. No one else has these restrictions and he would not give me a reason why I am restricted to almost 80% of the shop. I was also very intimidated and forced to sign the write up telling me I had no choice, I have to sign it, I just can't not sign it each time I replied no he got more and more demanding for me to sign it. I must have said no 5 to 6 times. The next day I came in and said I would sign the write up as long as I can put what I agree with and what I dont agree with. So now I got the highest up Boss and the 2nd shift boss accusing me of something I did not do to the point where my 2nd shift supervisor was getting very angry and pointing her finger at me in a angry way several times getting closer and closer until John the highest up Boss pulled her hands back so she would stop pointing at me. There is a lot more suspicious activity going on and has been for months and months and I have most of it documented. Such as after my first 90 days they gave me a dollar raise and holiday pay but not insurance. I asked why I wasn't getting health insurance, and PTO and brought up the 2005 handbook that was in place when I started to verify what type of employee I was. Was told full time employees don't get benefits even though I was working full time and overtime and receiving holiday pay. I was told I am a temporary employee and they don't receive benefits. So my employement just flip-flopped. He told me that the handbook is being revised all of a sudden and the next day everyone had to sign a piece of paper saying they were revising the handbook. Coincidence. Also I had to ask 3 times to get my personal files, given an excuse I wouldnt be able to read his writing, and the 2nd time I asked Billy was asking for his health paperwork and after I asked if I could get or see my personal files. Was told that was just for Billy from an incident he had, no reason why I cant get my personal files. The third time I asked they finally gave me my files. Also they were copies and it looks more or less obvious that extra writing was added in to try and cover themselves before they made the copies of my files. Is there a way to tell when copying something if something was wrote in after the fact I signed it or the paperwork was already done. Its obvious to me that extra items were wrote in before copying and handing me my files. Those are just a few things that happened to me there. Now there singling me out and restricting my work area, after I have been there a year, worked in all the areas and know where I can get all the tools needed to do my job. Now I have to get someone else that's working to stop working to go ten steps up to all the way across the shop to get me a tool. What should I do? BTW I have kept records since the day I started because I have been treated like a nobody since I started.

 

[sandyclaus]

Wisconsin

My employer is wrongly accusing me of tinkering with the computers to speed them up. These computers are old and I got accused of tinkering with the computers when all I did was make a suggestion of adding RAM to speed up the computers so they don't crash all the time. He then came to me with a write up for tinkering with the computers and I disagreed with it and refused to sign it. The next day I came in and said I will sign the paperwork, I just want to write down what I agree with and what I dont. I was told no, and now after working there 14months and worked all over the shop he singled me out and told me I am restricted to a small confined work area. He said he want to get the best production out of his team yet any time I need to get something to complete the job I have to try and find someone within my restricted area to go get the item/tool for me, making it even more counter productive. No one else has these restrictions and he would not give me a reason why I am restricted to almost 80% of the shop. I was also very intimidated and forced to sign the write up telling me I had no choice, I have to sign it, I just can't not sign it each time I replied no he got more and more demanding for me to sign it. I must have said no 5 to 6 times. The next day I came in and said I would sign the write up as long as I can put what I agree with and what I dont agree with. So now I got the highest up Boss and the 2nd shift boss accusing me of something I did not do to the point where my 2nd shift supervisor was getting very angry and pointing her finger at me in a angry way several times getting closer and closer until John the highest up Boss pulled her hands back so she would stop pointing at me. There is a lot more suspicious activity going on and has been for months and months and I have most of it documented. Such as after my first 90 days they gave me a dollar raise and holiday pay but not insurance. I asked why I wasn't getting health insurance, and PTO and brought up the 2005 handbook that was in place when I started to verify what type of employee I was. Was told full time employees don't get benefits even though I was working full time and overtime and receiving holiday pay. I was told I am a temporary employee and they don't receive benefits. So my employement just flip-flopped. He told me that the handbook is being revised all of a sudden and the next day everyone had to sign a piece of paper saying they were revising the handbook. Coincidence. Also I had to ask 3 times to get my personal files, given an excuse I wouldnt be able to read his writing, and the 2nd time I asked Billy was asking for his health paperwork and after I asked if I could get or see my personal files. Was told that was just for Billy from an incident he had, no reason why I cant get my personal files. The third time I asked they finally gave me my files. Also they were copies and it looks more or less obvious that extra writing was added in to try and cover themselves before they made the copies of my files. Is there a way to tell when copying something if something was wrote in after the fact I signed it or the paperwork was already done. Its obvious to me that extra items were wrote in before copying and handing me my files. Those are just a few things that happened to me there. Now there singling me out and restricting my work area, after I have been there a year, worked in all the areas and know where I can get all the tools needed to do my job. Now I have to get someone else that's working to stop working to go ten steps up to all the way across the shop to get me a tool. What should I do? BTW I have kept records since the day I started because I have been treated like a nobody since I started.

So, if you weren't tinkering with the computers, how do you know that they are "so old" and that all they need is extra RAM? Short answer, you probably HAVE been tinkering with them - and you got caught.

I know that if I were the employer, and I had an employee messing around with my computer equipment, I might treat them differently too. I'd restrict their access to the computers and limit their access to tools they might use to potentially damage the equipment I had.

 

[Shawns31]

First off I don't need to tinker with a computer to tell its old. Also if a computer freezes up a lot to me indicates that most likely there is not enough Random-access memory (RAM) to run all the programs they keep running all day. Its common sense, no tinkering was done, no tinkering needs to be done if you know ANYTHING about computers. Also I don't have a reason to tinker with there computers, I do however get upset when every time you have to punch in and out of a job the computer is froze up for mins on end so you go try other computer to find out its frozen to. There is like a 50/50 chance when I go to the computer to punch in and out of jobs that the computer wont be froze up.

On the other side of things I don't like being called a liar!

 

[Silverplum]

First off I don't need to tinker with a computer to tell its old. Also if a computer freezes up a lot to me indicates that most likely there is not enough Random-access memory (RAM) to run all the programs they keep running all day. Its common sense, no tinkering was done, no tinkering needs to be done if you know ANYTHING about computers. Also I don't have a reason to tinker with there computers, I do however get upset when every time you have to punch in and out of a job the computer is froze up for mins on end so you go try other computer to find out its frozen to. There is like a 50/50 chance when I go to the computer to punch in and out of jobs that the computer wont be froze up.

On the other side of things I don't like being called a liar!

Seems like you don't like a lot of things.

 

[Zigner]

If I had an employee who refused to sign for receipt of a disciplinary write-up...well, she'd be a former employee.

 

[Shawns31]

That's the replies I get for joining this forum seeking help. No wonder why the bottom of your message says You;ll post your problems, we''ll answer and/or explain and then log off without saying thanks. Maybe thats not such a good thin to say if you want people to stay in your forums. Forums are a wonderful thing when there helpful and you dont get instantly judged hence my first reply I was called a liar. Also would you sign a form accusing you of something you didn't do? So you would sign all your documents accusing you of something you didn't do?

 

[Zigner]

Also would you sign a form accusing you of something you didn't do? So you would sign all your documents accusing you of something you didn't do?

Boss: Here is a write-up. Please sign to acknowledge receipt of it.

Me: I am only signing to acknowledge receipt.



I guess the answer is YES.

 

[Silverplum]

That's the replies I get for joining this forum seeking help.

Yes.

No wonder why the bottom of your message says You;ll post your problems, we''ll answer and/or explain and then log off without saying thanks.

You missed a word: "YOU'LL," as in, "YOU'LL log off without saying thanks."

That changes it back to YOU.

Maybe thats not such a good thin to say if you want people to stay in your forums. Forums are a wonderful thing when there helpful and you dont get instantly judged hence my first reply I was called a liar.

This whole "Don't judge me, bro" thing is just boring and unworkable. You're judging ME in your post: defend THAT.

 

[Shawns31]

Well thanks for all of your advice. BTW coincidence or not I brought up and asked what my employment here was using there rules in there handbook bc I received $1 raise and holiday pay and worked full time and overtime but didn't get health insurance or PTO. , to be told oh were in the process of revising that, so that doesn't count for you. The next day everyone had to sign a form saying there revising the employee handbook. Also stated I was a temporary employee and they don't receive benefits but yet they were giving me holiday pay. All I did was suggest that I thought if they invested in RAM for the computers so time wouldn't be wasted waiting on these computers. Its all about productivity, efficiency and quality. I was trying to help decrease wasted time by adding RAM to there computers to prevent so many freeze ups. Just was trying to help. Guess these days you get wrote up for trying to suggest a fact (common sense) that would help indirect time and increase productivity and efficiency. No "tinkering" needs to be done to come to that conclussion. Also this is a factory and the amount

 

[Zigner]

Well thanks for all of your advice. BTW coincidence or not I brought up and asked what my employment here was using there rules in there handbook bc I received $1 raise and holiday pay and worked full time and overtime but didn't get health insurance or PTO. , to be told oh were in the process of revising that, so that doesn't count for you. The next day everyone had to sign a form saying there revising the employee handbook. Also stated I was a temporary employee and they don't receive benefits but yet they were giving me holiday pay. All I did was suggest that I thought if they invested in RAM for the computers so time wouldn't be wasted waiting on these computers. Its all about productivity, efficiency and quality. I was trying to help decrease wasted time by adding RAM to there computers to prevent so many freeze ups. Just was trying to help. Guess these days you get wrote up for trying to suggest a fact (common sense) that would help indirect time and increase productivity and efficiency. No "tinkering" needs to be done to come to that conclussion. Also this is a factory and the amount

Perhaps you ought to stop making suggestions.

 

[jiggy78]

You come across as somebody who thinks they have a lot more "rights" than they really do. People like that usually end up either shaping up or shipping out. Here's a hint for you. Life will go on without you. You are not a unique snowflake and your employer doesn't need you. Somebody else would be very glad to have your job.

You are frankly very lucky to still have a job.

If you are fired, file for unemployment and hope they don't challange.

 

[commentator]

The helpful advice we can provide here is some sharp reality orientation counseling. You are obviously deeply and hopelessly mired in an employment situation where they did this and you did this and they said this and they're doing this and they told you this and yada yada yada.

What it all boils down to, and what you really need to remember is that you are in an at will state. The employer has the right to fire you at will, any time they want to for any reason. If they tell you to do something, do it, or don't, but expect and understand that they can treat you unfairly, pay you less, put you in a different work area, threaten and yell at you, shake their finger at you, lie to you, give you an old handbook, refuse to give you your personnel files, in short, whatever they want to do to you.

If you complain and try to demand the rights you think you should have, they can fire you. For anything or nothing, or any of these issues you've brought up, or saying that you've messed with the computers when they haven't.

Then when you file for unemployment insurance, which is your only recourse, there is no "wrongful termination" or mistreatment on the job lawsuit here, they'll say you were fired for......one of these issues, we hope. The more they bring in different issues, the less strong their case against you it. They have to show that they had a good misconduct reason to terminate you, or you will be eligible for unemployment insurance. If they say they fired you for speeding up the computers, and they have records of times they warned you not to do things to the computer, and then copies of warnings they gave you, even though you refused to sign them, they'll probably keep you from receiving unempoyent benefits. This is a pretty strong case, whether it's a total lie or not. The employer has most of the power in this case.

What I'd be doing if I were you is backing away from all the workplace drama and fighting and fussing and going around and around iwth your employer. If you quit arguing with them, maybe they'll let up on how badly they are treating you.

If not, you need to be looking for another job while you still have this one, like yesterday. Don't quit until you have another job to go to, as everything you have described on your post would very likely not amount to a good work related reason to quit the job for unemployment insurance benefit purposes. The system has heard many cases, and believe me, what all you are telling us that your employer is doing to you doesn't rise much above what many employers think is standard operating procedure. You are wrong if you think they can't do this to you because you have your 'rights' You do not.

 

[xylene]

OP, you are being whiny and it makes it hard (impossible) to be sympathetic towards you

So, if you weren't tinkering with the computers, how do you know that they are "so old" and that all they need is extra RAM? Short answer, you probably HAVE been tinkering with them - and you got caught.

This line of reasoning is comically bad, but it doesn't stop your equally misguided employer from making these fallacies of presumption. There is no employee protection from circular reasoning.

lastly -

If the the timeclock computer is chronically failing, that is extremely suspicious.