company teamed up to fired me because of high salary

I live and work in NJ for a multi-billion dollar company. Recently the company underwent an organizational change and after that few others already been fired. Even the SVP resigned.

My story goes like this; my department has 3 others that are like me covering the United States. My area of coverage has the biggest customer for the company, but because there was a manufacturing defect in one of the products there was a lot of money that the company has to pay out because of that.

I have a proven successful record and been awarded many times for a job well done from senior management and I always get great feedback from them for doing a great job.

On one of the projects my direct report or 1st boss requested for me to put together schedules to support the project and there were a lot of confusions, so after many email exchanges I requested that we have a conference call to clear things up, but it was all denied. By the way, we all work from home. I ended on one of the emails that at the end of the day the team's success is dependant on the leadership of the 1st boss. After that email, I got an earful from the 1st boss and he accused me of insubornation among other things.

Few weeks later, the company made an organizational change where all my daily works do not report to the 1st boss rather a co-worker of mine that is at the same level as me that was just recently hired is now the project manager and I am to report all works to him. However, my 1st boss is still responsible for all administration stuff that I report to him on.

I worked relentlessly and professionally with the new project manager. Remember the PM was at the same level as me and we both report to the 1st boss. Last week my 1st boss wanted me to go somewhere else out of my schedules to do something and I immediately called his boss or the VP and he informed that I need to follow the directions of the PM not the 1st boss. I did whatever the PM wanted me to do. This week I came to find out that the 1st boss has written me up with a list of not true reasons and deliberately trying to sabotage my career. It just so happen that we get our bonuses next week, but I called HR and they told me that I will not get my bonus because I got written up.

The reasons for the write up are so lame and not true when I confronted the PM. He told me that the 1st boss called him and asked about my work and he just told him what our schedules were and so on. On the write up everything is the opposite what the PM is telling me.

I think I am being targeted to get fired because I am paid fairly high compared to others in the same position. However, I been with the company the longest.

Is this legal? When I called HR even the HR person told me that my pay and job expectations do not add up and that I need to think seriously about my job and work things out with the PM and the 1st boss. The thing is I am doing what everyone else is doing that is in same position and in fact I know I am doing a lot more than the others because I have the biggest customer and I work my butt off.

selfdragon said:

I live and work in NJ for a multi-billion dollar company. Recently the company underwent an organizational change and after that few others already been fired. Even the SVP resigned.

My story goes like this; my department has 3 others that are like me covering the United States. My area of coverage has the biggest customer for the company, but because there was a manufacturing defect in one of the products there was a lot of money that the company has to pay out because of that.

I have a proven successful record and been awarded many times for a job well done from senior management and I always get great feedback from them for doing a great job.

On one of the projects my direct report or 1st boss requested for me to put together schedules to support the project and there were a lot of confusions, so after many email exchanges I requested that we have a conference call to clear things up, but it was all denied. By the way, we all work from home. I ended on one of the emails that at the end of the day the team's success is dependant on the leadership of the 1st boss. After that email, I got an earful from the 1st boss and he accused me of insubornation among other things.

Few weeks later, the company made an organizational change where all my daily works do not report to the 1st boss rather a co-worker of mine that is at the same level as me that was just recently hired is now the project manager and I am to report all works to him. However, my 1st boss is still responsible for all administration stuff that I report to him on.

I worked relentlessly and professionally with the new project manager. Remember the PM was at the same level as me and we both report to the 1st boss. Last week my 1st boss wanted me to go somewhere else out of my schedules to do something and I immediately called his boss or the VP and he informed that I need to follow the directions of the PM not the 1st boss. I did whatever the PM wanted me to do. This week I came to find out that the 1st boss has written me up with a list of not true reasons and deliberately trying to sabotage my career. It just so happen that we get our bonuses next week, but I called HR and they told me that I will not get my bonus because I got written up.

The reasons for the write up are so lame and not true when I confronted the PM. He told me that the 1st boss called him and asked about my work and he just told him what our schedules were and so on. On the write up everything is the opposite what the PM is telling me.

I think I am being targeted to get fired because I am paid fairly high compared to others in the same position. However, I been with the company the longest.

Is this legal? When I called HR even the HR person told me that my pay and job expectations do not add up and that I need to think seriously about my job and work things out with the PM and the 1st boss. The thing is I am doing what everyone else is doing that is in same position and in fact I know I am doing a lot more than the others because I have the biggest customer and I work my butt off.

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Yes, it certainly is.

There have been some age discrimination cases based on a company firing people because of having a high salary based on the theory the older people in the company have a higher salary. But, if we're just talking about you and not a group of you's, it is extremely unlikely you could make such a case. (And, of course, you'd have to be older than the others and at a protected age.)

I am actually the youngest of them all, maybe that's why they are trying to get rid of me. Reverse age discrimination?

Unless you're at least age 40, age is not protected under the ADEA.

You know of "reverse" age discrimination because such a claim is a loser.

Get a few memory sticks and start backing up all of your past and present emails. Take them home ASAP.
It might also be a good idea to check in on that ol aquantence that you have in the IT department. All good IT people make extra backups that the neglect or misplace to latter save their buts. It would be a good thing for the email server backups to be misplaced (missfiled in safe storage) for a few extra months... just incase someone up top is doing something wrong that could have a bad effect on the company if it got erased after hours....

You went over 1st bosses head, that alone can legally get you fired. Thats a sure fire way to make an enemy out of boss.

You implied in your email that any problems should be attributed to the (non) leadership of the 1st boss. The payback for your arrogance was to be expected.

I know you believe you're the best worker in the company; however, events have proven that you're not the smartest. And they've also proven that your pride may pave the way to the unemployment line, not any false claim of jealousy over your salary.

before all this went down, I was always being picked on by this 1st boss and also he always twist things around to fit his views and not let anyone else speak up. I tried to apply for other positions and he basically denied it and didn't even give me a chance to interview.

This guy also asks me to do not take company allowed vacation because of urgent issues, and when I explained to him that I need the day off for my little son's first graduation he actually said "first graduation is not important enough and he can see if my son is graduating college or something" and requested me to not take the vacation. However, when I called HR about it he finally said he will allow it this time but no more, paraphasing. He then turns around and takes vacation off himself while the urgency that he is telling everyone else about.

Want some cheese with that whine? I think you should quit. You're obviously too good (and too sensitive) for the position.

Mommy, mommy! 1st boss is being mean to me again!

pattytx said:

Unless you're at least age 40, age is not protected under the ADEA.

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However, just for the record, New Jersey state protected ages are 18 to 70. Enforced by the NJ Division on Civil Rights.

Betty said:

However, just for the record, New Jersey state protected ages are 18 to 70. Enforced by the NJ Division on Civil Rights.

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Well, dayum, I sit corrected. I knew about NY, didn't know about NJ. I'll file that back in the deep, dark recesses of my mind for further use.

Having said that, though, the OP is not claiming age discrimination, so it's probably a moot point.

how could you tell if is age discrimination? What are the grounds?

This clearly has nothing to do with your age. It is perfectly legal to fire you because you make too much money, though it might be smarter for them to cut your pay (which is also legal) and try to force you to quit (which means you won't be able to collect unemployment). If they just fire you, consider yourself lucky.