Fear in the Workplace

[jjohnson2]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oklahoma
We have a few parking spots closed to our large office building. We also have additional parking spaces that are further away. We have a policy that states no assigned spaces.
I was in a space since I arrive early. Later in the day a female approached me quickly with a very upset look. She commented that I was in her spot. I said there are no assigned spots. She said the "men in here let me take a close spot so I don't get raped. How will you sleep with yourself if I get raped?" I commented that this was not a fair argument, and how would she feel if my car was keyed. (best response I could come up since she was so angry)

Now I feel very uncomfortable due to her extremely angry confrontation and accusing me of not being a man and letting her have the front space. Now I feel very uncomfortable at work and in fear that she will try to accuse me of things and get me in trouble. Since then she has refused to speak with me and leaves the room when I am nearby. I am afraid she is trying something.

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oklahoma
We have a few parking spots closed to our large office building. We also have additional parking spaces that are further away. We have a policy that states no assigned spaces.
I was in a space since I arrive early. Later in the day a female approached me quickly with a very upset look. She commented that I was in her spot. I said there are no assigned spots. She said the "men in here let me take a close spot so I don't get raped. How will you sleep with yourself if I get raped?" I commented that this was not a fair argument, and how would she feel if my car was keyed. (best response I could come up since she was so angry)

Now I feel very uncomfortable due to her extremely angry confrontation and accusing me of not being a man and letting her have the front space. Now I feel very uncomfortable at work and in fear that she will try to accuse me of things and get me in trouble. Since then she has refused to speak with me and leaves the room when I am nearby. I am afraid she is trying something.

You are kidding right?

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

You didn't really ask a question, but if you're looking for some protection under the law for a co-worker "setting you up" based on a personal issue, you won't find it.

 

[CSO286]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oklahoma
We have a few parking spots closed to our large office building. We also have additional parking spaces that are further away. We have a policy that states no assigned spaces.
I was in a space since I arrive early. Later in the day a female approached me quickly with a very upset look. She commented that I was in her spot. I said there are no assigned spots. She said the "men in here let me take a close spot so I don't get raped. How will you sleep with yourself if I get raped?" I commented that this was not a fair argument, and how would she feel if my car was keyed. (best response I could come up since she was so angry)

Now I feel very uncomfortable due to her extremely angry confrontation and accusing me of not being a man and letting her have the front space. Now I feel very uncomfortable at work and in fear that she will try to accuse me of things and get me in trouble. Since then she has refused to speak with me and leaves the room when I am nearby. I am afraid she is trying something.

While I take umbrage at your comparison, "no assigned spaces" does mean "no assigned spaces".

What is your legal question?

 

[cbg]

You have not asked a legal question. However, you also do not have a legal issue at this time.

 

[swalsh411]

Is this your first job ever? Did you work are the Care Bear factory before now? Dealing with mean/unreasonable/b*tchy/jerk co-workers is a part of life unless you are lucky enough to win the mega millions jackpot.

 

[commentator]

If this is the first time you've had any issues with this particular person, you really should have nothing much to fear. But the "how would you feel if my car got keyed?" comment is so off base that it makes me wonder if You're a little off base in general. If I were you, I'd probably discuss this incident that has happened with my supervisor, ask him if he/she thinks it would be reasonable for this particular person to request a particular parking place, and if so, how would they like to designate it, where would you be expected to park, etc. And stay as far away from this woman in the worksite as you reasonably can in the future. I doubt if she will object.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Advise your co-worker if she feels she might get raped in the parking lot, perhaps she needs a safer job elsewhere.

 

[jjohnson2]

Honestly she is a creepy person for attacking out of the gate. If she feels unsafe she can ask all the men and security guard to walk her wherever she needs. No one should use a fake argument so personal to others (my sister was raped and has a baby from it) to get what she wants. She sets all feminists back. In reality it was quite a funny scene, except for the fact she is making a very hostile and unwelcome place for all people trying to work.
Should I do anything to protect myself or just stay away like one commenter said.
Also her rape comment is far off, and that was why I commented with the key comment.

 

[jjohnson2]

We can all just say we are men and ignore this foolishness, which it is or we can realize that this person is causing a very hostile workplace. I am now being harassed out of fear that she caused, but referring that I wasn't a man since she didn't have the front spot that day. I am in fear of being accused by this person of things that are not true because hse has proven that she will do whatever and say whatever to get what she wants.

 

[justin1]

I would say you should discuss the issue the issue with your colleagues and guards in the parking space and find out whether she has a habit of doing/ saying whatever she likes to or something else. You could also consult with the supervisors to avoid any workplace problems.

 

[Proserpina]

We can all just say we are men and ignore this foolishness, which it is or we can realize that this person is causing a very hostile workplace. I am now being harassed out of fear that she caused, but referring that I wasn't a man since she didn't have the front spot that day. I am in fear of being accused by this person of things that are not true because hse has proven that she will do whatever and say whatever to get what she wants.

Please Google the term "hostile work environment".

You'll see quite clearly that it does NOT apply here.

 

[eerelations]

You may feel like you're being harassed, but you're not being harassed in the unlawful sense. You may feel like she's creating a hostile work environment, but she isn't, not in the unlawful sense.

What's going on is this:

You had a verbal altercation with a coworker in the parking lot and now she's not speaking to you. Period. There is nothing illegal about this, and you have no legal recourse whatsoever.

I don't know how to say it any plainer than this.

 

[swalsh411]

Advise your co-worker if she feels she might get raped in the parking lot, perhaps she needs a safer job elsewhere.

You're kidding right? That's a horrible suggestion. The person could go straight to HR and say the OP threatened to rape her.

 

[davew128]

You're kidding right? That's a horrible suggestion. The person could go straight to HR and say the OP threatened to rape her.

She sounds fully capable of doing that now, I fail to see the problem. This woman sounds like someone who would twist anything said, so the options are either ignore the crazy person or humiliate her verbally.