Harrassment or Slander?

[starr1212]

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

I have worked for a company for 4 years. The most recent 2 years, I was the manager of a 15 person team. We were very successful and (dare I say) almost drama free. There were some changes in corporate structure where I was now reporting to someone new. For some reason (I think because before her promotion she did not like/understand my "Group's function) she started a path of getting me "out".
The harrassment was unbearable and I am not sure if innappropriate, let alone illegal- High School stuff like telling my reports that I was not doing my best for them, that I was a negative influence, etc....stuff that is not based in fact (and not true).
It got so bad that I resigned my position and took another one within the company, in order to get the "Target" off my back. My Team was devasted and upset- like I had let them down.
Anyway, it has now been 3 months and her latest is that I was a "Cancer" to the office so they are forbidden to speak with me- or they will be terminated.
And, today I just learned that everyone in the company is being told that I fabricated production statistics which led not only to "praise" for my department but also to financial incentives for my team and I. **This is concerning because I feel that, not only is a slander to my character to a company I still work for (it is NOT true, I have proof) but it insinuates in no uncertain terms that I have STOLEN thousands of dollars by these fabrications.

Is there anything I can do???

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee
I have worked for a company for 4 years. The most recent 2 years, I was the manager of a 15 person team. We were very successful and (dare I say) almost drama free. There were some changes in corporate structure where I was now reporting to someone new. For some reason (I think because before her promotion she did not like/understand my "Group's function) she started a path of getting me "out".
The harrassment was unbearable and I am not sure if innappropriate, let alone illegal- High School stuff like telling my reports that I was not doing my best for them, that I was a negative influence, etc....stuff that is not based in fact (and not true).
It got so bad that I resigned my position and took another one within the company, in order to get the "Target" off my back. My Team was devasted and upset- like I had let them down.
Anyway, it has now been 3 months and her latest is that I was a "Cancer" to the office so they are forbidden to speak with me- or they will be terminated.

None of the above would be considered slanderous. They are opinions. Mean opinions, yes. Defamatory statements, no. The employment law experts here can address all of what you have posted here about your experiences before your transfer to another position within the company, and they can provide you with some advice on how you can handle the woman making these remarks.

And, today I just learned that everyone in the company is being told that I fabricated production statistics which led not only to "praise" for my department but also to financial incentives for my team and I. **This is concerning because I feel that, not only is a slander to my character to a company I still work for (it is NOT true, I have proof) but it insinuates in no uncertain terms that I have STOLEN thousands of dollars by these fabrications.
Is there anything I can do???

These above statements made by the woman who has "targeted" you, unlike the other ones, could be seen as defamatory if false. For statements like these, you may have some legal recourse.

That said, there is probably a better and less expensive way to handle the slanderous statements made about you than pursuing a defamation claim against this woman - one that would not affect your current employment in the way filing a lawsuit might.

The employment experts can give you some avenues to explore and, if all else fails, you can review with an attorney in your area the facts of your situation, the reputational injury you have suffered as a result of the lies being told, and the pros and cons of filing suit.

For libelous (written) statements made in the state of Tennessee, you have one year to file suit against your defamer but, for slanderous (spoken) statements in Tennessee, you have only six months to file a claim. This six month period, however, should give you adequate time to assess the injury to your reputation, consult with an attorney, and decide what your best course of action will be.

Good luck.

 

[commentator]

How have you found all this out? Is she producing evidence, telling your supervisors, trying to get them to fire you? What do you mean, "everyone in the company is being told..."? Is it in the company newsletter this month? or is all this information coming to you from the still unhappy poor people who are working in your old department?

My best advice to you right now is that you sever your connections with the people you used to work with. They may want to call you up daily and keep you appraised of what is going on, of her newest and latest form of harrassment of them. But you left, remember? Is your new position working out well? Is your new supervisor happy with you? Okay, so this person called you a cancer. Anyone with a working mouth can say negative things about you. "Mommy, Joey said I was a do-do! Spank him!" So what? Take a deep breath. Move forward here.

Is the department doing as well, since you left, or is it struggling? Never mind. She may, in her effort to make herself look good, put all fault for everything that has ever gone wrong on you. This will only work for so long, and then eventually the truth will come out.

If she tried to produce evidence and get your employers to prosecute you, that would be the time to move forward with a lawsuit, if you were going to. But I would like to remind you that no matter how loyal your old co workers may seem to be, they are probably playing the game when they're with her, and telling her what she wants to hear. If they are your only source of information about what this terrible person is saying about you, then you just have to ignore it and move forward with your own new position.

 

[starr1212]

Thank you for your replies. It does help a little. The "mean" words were horrible, but I knew they were not Slander. I tried to let this all go, BUT when someone accuses (to upper management, as well as any of my past employees who will listen) me of what amounts to Theft of company funds (by lying about production and receiving incentives), I figure I might have something there. It was my "Choice" to leave the position- after I heard through the very thin wall that I was to be fired (because we are in a Right to work state, they dont need a reason). But, I still feel I was forcedd out of the position-- as well as the $16,000 per year decrease that such a move involved. Yes, I am taking comments I hear from past employees with a grain of salt. But, now she seems to be "targeting" me in my new position...contacting new department management to even try to get them to change my position again to something less attractive...
Again, thanks for your replies. looks like I have some decisions to make.

 

[cbg]

FYI: Right to work means that you do not have to join a union to get work. What you mean is that you are in an employment at will state. There is no relationship between the two; they are neither synonyms nor antonyms.

Just because I think it's interesting: 49 out of 50 states are employment at will states. The sole state that is not (at least most of the time - even the 50th state recognizes the employment at will doctrine in some circumstances) is not a right to work state. Therefore it can truthfully be said that every right to work state is also an employment at will state.

(However, just because I think it's interesting doesn't mean you should infer that there is any connection between the two concepts; they each stand on their own without any effect upon each other.)