• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

SLANDER

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

R

Rott14

Guest
I have been with the same company for 14 yrs.A few months ago there was a new girl hired that nobody seemed to care for because of the way she undressed every other female with her eyes.I like a nice work environment, and continued to be friendly to her. She obvioulsly misunderstood this as me "flirting with her" and said several suggestive things to me, I ignored them, and went about my buisiness only because I feel very secure in my sexuality, and know that she was probably just joking with me in the first place. On one particular day I heard someone call her by a different name that I have always called her, I approached her and said exactly this to her. "Liz, do you want to be called Liz, or Elizabeth, or what do you preffer?" and she said this to me."Well, most people call me Beth, but alot of people call me LEZ" SHE laughed about this and in a friendly way smacked my arm, as to gesture her having fun with me. And I said "Oh, well o.k" a moment later she came to me and handed me some papers and said "Here you go Cheryl, I forgot to give these to you" I took the papers from her and said "Thank's LEZ" and smacked her in the arm as she had done to me just moments earlier. She did not seem to be bothered by this, but went straight to the Human Resource Director the next day and filed a complaint against me saying that I attacked her verbally, and now made it public knowledge to everyone else that she was a lesbian. I was talked to about this with 2 of my superiors, when I told them the whole story, they still said that in Liz's eyes what I did was out of line so therfore they needed to do something about it. Well then I got angry and told them this "I don't think it would be in Liz' best interest to pursue this because of the many things she has done and said to me, she gave me a birthday card that was very discriptive, on how delicious she thought I was, and the suggestive comments she has made to me, and the disgusting gestures she has done to me" with that being said they asked why I never reported any of it, I told them that nobody cared for Liz very well, and I was trying to make her feel at ease in the work place and brushed these comments and gestures off as her just being silly, and that I feel very confident in my sexuality being married with 3 children, and that I don't have a problem with other peoples sexual orientation.But that if she wanted to have me fired or have a permanent scar placed in my file then I would tell them everything she has ever done or said to me.They both agreed with me that they would speak to her about these things before doing anything with me, and I also told them that I had many witnesses on every occasion she had said or done something to me, including the time that I had called her a LEZ, and that everyone over heard her telling me that some people call her that. The only reason I said it to her in the first place was to let her know that I personally did not care what her sexual orientation was, and that I was joking back with her to make her feel comfortable. After my 2 superiors talked to her, they decided not to do anything to me as far as "punishment" they also told me not to apologize to her, or even speak to her again. As the work days went by I continued being polite to her, but never had any conversations with her at all. I think this even angered her more, me being nice,and having information against her that could probaly get her fired. She at that time began to make up lies and accuse me of many things that are terrible. She went back to Human resources and told them that I am having my friends call her at night and harass her on the phone, she also said that I am constantly grabbing my breasts in front of her, and suggesting a one night stand with her to fullfill my lesbian sexual fantasies. She also said that "I seemed angry that she isn't giving in to my suggestion, and now fears for her life" my Human resource director made me aware that she had come to him and said all of these things to him, and he informed me that he did not believe a word that she has said to him, and that she obviously has a crush on me and I am the one that is not giving in to her, and since the first incident, I have quit talking to her and that is what has gotten her angry, because I was the only one that was ever kind to her in the first place.But here is my problem, the lies and accusations are getting worse as the weeks go by, and my company isn't doing anything about it. Infact they are now letting her use the guest parking lot and entrance to the building because of how she "fears for her life" by the company doing this, I think they have added fuel to her fire, and have addmitted to my guilt. They say they are trying to get rid of her but are afraid because of past and similar problems she has had with companies that have resulted in law suits. Yesterday my Human Resource Director informed me again of more things that she has come to him with and he said this to me."Cheryl, of course I do not believe any of it, but we can't do anything about it right now until we get enough ammunition against her to fire her,in the meanwhile don't talk to her and please be careful, we find her to be mentally unstable and perhaps dangerous" HELLOOOOOO, well now that you have informed me that perhaps I need to fear her what are you going to do for me? You are helping her by giving her the exact schedule that she wants, and you are letting her park her car in the guests parking lot, and you are not defending me in the least when she comes to you with all of these lies about me. You are helping the offender, but what about me the VICTIM? My company is a worlwide organization, and I find it hard to believe that they don't have anything more under there belt other than to help her and not me because of fearing a law suit. I need any kind of help I can get, so please anyone out there that reads this that has good advice please reply. Thank you in advance. Sincerely,,Suddenly afraid in Ohio
 


T

Tracey

Guest
HELLOOOOOO! The answer to your problems is in your question. : ) The HR director said they didn't have enough ammunition to fire her - GIVE IT TO THEM!! What's the director got to do? Drop an anvil on your head? ;D

File a sexual harrassment complaint NOW with HR detailing every incident of inappropriate behavior and the listing witnesses to it. Document all your future contacts with this woman (keep a journal). Don't be alone with her. Demand that the company transfer her to another department to stop her harrassment of you. (They won't, but you can at least ask.)

Also, demand that they instruct her to stop talking about you to coworkers. You can't stop her from lying to HR, but HR files are confidential and won't damage your reputation at work. Make it clear to the company that if they don't stop her harrassment, YOU will file a complaint with the EEOC/State Human Rights Committee. When the situation gets to the point where the company's going to get sued no matter what, they will suck it up and fire her.

If she takes any threatening actions against you, rundon'twalk to the courthouse and get a restraining order. (This will force her transfer, since she can't come within x feet of you.)

Ask the company to install secret video cameras in areas where you 2 interact. they might actually do this, since it will help their case too.

Get caller ID and document hangups and harrassing phone calls. They're coming - I can see them on the horizon. :(

In general, protect yourself. Assume that some court/agency is going to have to decide who was harrassing whom and prepare your case now. Your employers believe you, but they aren't the judge.

Stop worrying about her feelings. She's either mentally ill of the type who blames all bad things on other peoples' homophobia so she doesn't have to change her behavior. (Oh sister, you make it hard for the rest of us who know how to behave!) Be proactive now. It will pay off big later.

Good luck!



------------------
This is not legal advice and you are not my client. Double check everything with your own attorney and your state's laws.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top