Threat of being fired.

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? TN

I have a new co-worker (let's call her belinda) whom I have let live in our house for a few weeks. The other day, she borrowed our vehicle to run to the store. This was at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Monday morning, she still wasn't back yet. We believe that she was out smoking crack. I got a ride to work. I was talking to another co-worker and was saying that if "belinda" shows up at the house, I was going to leave work early to deal with the situation. A "manager trainee" over heard me saying this to my co-worker and told me that I was NOT going to leave early. I told him, yes I was. He said again, I wasn't leaving until the end of my day. I told him to watch me leave. He then told me that he hopes that I brought a change of clothes, because I wasn't leaving with the company's uniform. At this point I got very mad. First, I wasn't talking to him regarding the situation. Second, there was a district manager on duty at the store whom I was going to explain the situation regarding my home and the reasons for me wanting to leave if "belinda" showed up. This "manager trainee" has no authority over us, but has this big chip on his shoulder.

I feel that my rights had been violated in two ways. First, him jumping into a conversation that was not meant for his ears. And second, him threatening to "fire" me and threatening me to be naked (without my uniform) if I chose to leave before my shift was over.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
flower

I feel that my rights had been violated in two ways Then you are mistaken. You have no "rights" that were violated. If you don't care how the manager trainee handled the situation, then discuss that with the district manager but my suggestion is that you alter your attitude as it sure sounds like you became beligerant with the manager trainee. I don't know if this individual has any authority over you or not but he does have the title of manager, even if he is still in training.

I also suggest you contact the police and report your car as stolen, particularly as it may have been used in the commission of a crime.

I also suggest you consider the following:

Belinda may be a co-worker but the issue you have with her is a personal one. You do not have a "right" to deal with in on company time. If your employer, in the form of management in whatever level, tells you that you are NOT to leave early to deal with this, then if you do so anyway it would not be remotely a violation of your rights to deal with YOU by disciplining you in whatever way they found necessary. By your own description of the events you were insubordinate and I'm by no means certain I wouldn't have sent you home myself.

Discuss the situation with your district manager by all means, but you had no rights that were violated and in fact you were assuming rights that you do not have.

I believe that I told the story without some thing's. First, I had already talked to the district manager who told me that I could leave. Second, I was talking to my co-worker, not the "manager trainer" who jumped into the conversation unwanted or unneeded. When I told him that I was leaving if "belinda" came home, he didn't care that the district manager already gave me permission. He has no authority over us at all. He is only in training, in fact, I trained him just a few weeks ago in my department. If "belinda" did show up at the house, I wanted to make sure that she left without taking anything that didn't belong to her. She was sharing my bedroom and there wasn't anyone to verify what was mine and what wasn't. Even the district manager said that if it was him, he would be there to personally escort "belinda" out of the house. The district manager totally understood.

In actuality, I have more authority than the "manager trainee", since I am a unit trainer, have been there for years (compared to his few weeks with the company) and have keys to the store/safe that they haven't even issued the "manager trainee" yet.

"Belinda" did show up late Monday night with the vehicle (thank Goddess). She was then asked to pack her things and get out of the house. She is officially gone, but the tension between the "manager trainee" and myself continues. He has done everything from belittle my religion to try to attack the way that I do things (which is always been pointed out to him that the way that I am doing it is correct by the general manager). He has several times been reprimanded about his attitude by the regional manager. He was given one more change in his behavior. I don't know what to do.

Thanks for listening.
flower

So you didn't like the way the manager in training inserted himself into the situation. Understood. Perhaps he overstepped but none of that equates to anyone's rights being violated. Quite simply, there are no legal issues in this situation.

All right, the additional details shed a little more light on the situation, but it does not change the fact that no rights of yours have been violated. Quite simply, the situation may not have been handled in the best possible way but that does not create an illegality or a violation of anyone's rights.

We can only respond to the details in your post. If you leave information out, it's going to affect the answers you get.

I was just told by the "manager trainee" that I was going to hell for my beliefs (my religion). Isn't that against the law?

I am about at the end of my rope with this guy.

I was just told by the "manager trainee" that I was going to hell for my beliefs (my religion). Isn't that against the law? It's a stupid comment but it's not against the law. He's entitled to his opinion, no matter how small-minded and biggoted it is.

You can always bring a pitch-fork into work tomorrow and give him a good poke with it. Okay, that may not be the best idea I ever had but it was fun thinking about it.

No, that statement in and of itself is not against the law.

The law says that you cannot be discriminated against because of your religion. But that's not what has happened here. You have not lost your job, or had your pay cut, or been demoted because of your beliefs. One jerk exercised his right of free speech and made a really rude comment. That's not illegal.

I just received some news regarding the "manager trainee" today. Upper management did find him at fault for what he did. The trainee did admit what he had done. He was written up regarding it and transferred out of the store I am at. He was instructed not to have any contact with me in the future. He was also counseled on his behavior and comments.

Thank you all for your help in this matter.
Sincerely
flower

I'm glad to hear it. Despite the fact that what he did was not illegal, that doesn't mean that anyone here agrees with how he handled the situation. No one said he didn't deserve discipline, only that he violated no laws.

I totally understand. I was thanking you for stopping me from doing something stupid, as in trying to sue him or the company.

I thank you for explaining that he didn't do anything illegal, just dumb.

Have a great day.
flower

You're very welcome. I'm glad things worked out for you.