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Ex Employee Harrassing Boss through me

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

Ok, I took a new job over the past few months for a person who can be viewed as "prominent" in politics. My boss does not do emails so all of his emails get directed to me so when a person from the public sends him an email, it comes to my email address. I have to filter through them all and give them to him and he gets mad at me, because the employee that I replaced sends numerous emails up to a few per week and rambles on an on about past treatment, making changes in the legislature etc.... She thinks she is a citizen lobbyist or something. This girl has been gone for nearly 4 years but thinks they have a special bond. It's insane.

I talked to my boss about sending her a cease and desist letter in order to get her to stop sending emails but he said No, now I have to deal with a volumnious amount of emails that is impacting my work. I told him that if he never told her to stop he is essentially condoning her constant badgering and that if she continues to send these emails after I tell her to stop then we can file a harrassment charge and get a restraining order against her, but he said that he would have to produce all the emails to the prosecutor because the employee would demand a jury trial. I told him to just send a few of the emails and not all of them. He said you don't know this girl and that she will voluntarily produce documents.

I feel like I am being harrassed indirectly. It is stressing me out. Can I send her a cease and desist letter even if my boss says no? If he fails to file harrassment, can I do so as a third party?
 


justalayman

Senior Member
You are not being harassed either directly nor indirectly. You have no business inserting yourself into your bosses issues. They are his issues and if doesn't care to change the status quo, then it is what it is. If you don't believe you can not involve yourself in the issues of your boss you see simply acting as a secretary or administrative
Assistant, maybe you should look for a different type of work.

Especially since you state your boss is in a political position and the emails sent seem to involve issues a constituent would see as relevant and address the issue with those in position to deal with them, the letters seem entirely appropriate.
 
sorry I was not clear, he is not a politician, he is just associated with them like a lobbyist, I have suggested blocking the emails but he said he tried that before and then she started emailing other people. He just treats me like **** everytime she sends an email and I'm tired of it. What kind of grown ass man is afraid to address these issues. She hasn't worked here in over 4 years. I spoke to another person in the office and they told me that she used to copy them on all the emails but they politely asked her to stop and she listened when they asked. My boss said that she will stop sending emails for everyone except him even if he said to stop and that she wants him to file harrassment charges against her. Just last week she said she was going to picket our office and he still refuses to call the police. I dont' understand. Is this good cause to quit.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
sorry I was not clear, he is not a politician, he is just associated with them like a lobbyist, I have suggested blocking the emails but he said he tried that before and then she started emailing other people. He just treats me like **** everytime she sends an email and I'm tired of it. What kind of grown ass man is afraid to address these issues. She hasn't worked here in over 4 years. I spoke to another person in the office and they told me that she used to copy them on all the emails but they politely asked her to stop and she listened when they asked. My boss said that she will stop sending emails for everyone except him even if he said to stop and that she wants him to file harrassment charges against her. Just last week she said she was going to picket our office and he still refuses to call the police. I dont' understand. Is this good cause to quit.
No, it is NOT good cause to quit. Why not just delete the emails unread? If she pickets the office that is your bosses problem, not yours.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Your boss reacting negatively is not just cause to quit. Bosses can be jerks. If the employee doesn't like their boss, unless the boss is planning on moving on, the employee needs to consider finding a suitable job elsewhere.

The lobbyist position doesn't really change my answer though. A lobbyist lobbies on behalf of others. Input on an issue is very important for a lobbyist. It allows them to adjust their approach to their target to reflect the position of the "man on the street".


Why don't you ask if you can simply delete the emails from her or
at least list them as spam so they get sent to the junk files. That was the sender will never know her mails aren't being read.
 
Thank you I no it sounds frustrating but I am not allowed to delete them or block them because If i do then she will embarrass him further by sending emails to his freinds. Office rumor is that she grabbed an old address book out of the trash and has over 200 names, addresses and phone numbers for a bunch of legislators, lobbyists and political donors. A part of me wants to laugh at this whole situation but a part of me doesn't understand why he won't put an end to it and he allows us both to suffer indirectly. Perhaps I am looking at this wrong. Perhaps I should join the girl and encourage her since he is now treating me like ****. On Tuesday I think I will respond to one and say that sounds like a great idea, please send more. Tahnk you for your inputs though.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Thank you I no it sounds frustrating but I am not allowed to delete them or block them because If i do then she will embarrass him further by sending emails to his freinds. Office rumor is that she grabbed an old address book out of the trash and has over 200 names, addresses and phone numbers for a bunch of legislators, lobbyists and political donors. A part of me wants to laugh at this whole situation but a part of me doesn't understand why he won't put an end to it and he allows us both to suffer indirectly. Perhaps I am looking at this wrong. Perhaps I should join the girl and encourage her since he is now treating me like ****. On Tuesday I think I will respond to one and say that sounds like a great idea, please send more. Tahnk you for your inputs though.
Unless the boss is communicating with this person she would never know if the emails go directly to the junk file. Now you are being outright stupid with your "I'll reply to one..." statement. You work for your boss. If he wants you to reply, reply. If he doesn't, then don't or risk being fired.
 

CTU

Meddlesome Priestess
Yes, this was me. I guess Karma is biting me now huh. I seem to attract weird weird situations. I was dropped as a party from that lawsuit so I had to tesify as a witness but I am no longer a defendant.
It would seem the common denominator is ... well, you.

(Which is very telling - and not in a good way)

:cool:
 

justalayman

Senior Member
I also noticed there is a common problem with the op in both situations as well. She wants to control everybody and gets extremely upset if she can't.

Maybe op should start her own business where she can control everything about it. When it fails because nobody wants to deal with her maybe she will start to understand the problems surrounding her aren't following her; they are within her.
 

AdjunctFL

Member
I have to filter through them all and give them to him and he gets mad at me, because the employee that I replaced sends numerous emails up to a few per week
Why not just avoid the confrontation? Print the e-mails, put them on his/her desk with other work, and leave his office. Let him stew about the former employee in private.
 
I also noticed there is a common problem with the op in both situations as well. She wants to control everybody and gets extremely upset if she can't.

Maybe op should start her own business where she can control everything about it. When it fails because nobody wants to deal with her maybe she will start to understand the problems surrounding her aren't following her; they are within her.
I am not perfect but come on you don't think there is something wrong with a girl who has been sending harrassing emails to her ex boss for years. If the girl herself came on here and told you what she was doing to her ex boss, you would tell her to move on or risk being charged with harrassment.


I recognize tht I have made mistakes. But just because I have made mistakes it does not mean that everyone else gets a free pass either.
 
Why not just avoid the confrontation? Print the e-mails, put them on his/her desk with other work, and leave his office. Let him stew about the former employee in private.
I am stationed right outside this man's office. Just 5 feet away. He literally includes me in his tirades. I cannot just go to another area. I was trying to help him by just suggesting we send her a cease and desist notice. I suspect something deeper is going on. I do thank you.
 

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