Should I tell now? I'm scared to lose my job.

[Texasdall]

A few weeks ago a senior executive asked another exec if I was the right choice for a project because most of the people I'd work with were white males. I am a black female. Since that information made it's way to me...its in a voicemail, I feel like I'll never get ahead here and it's all I think about. I am now looking for another job. Should I tell them or wait until I leave? state?

 

[Just Blue]

A few weeks ago a senior executive asked another exec if I was the right choice for a project because most of the people I'd work with were white males. I am a black female. Since that information made it's way to me...its in a voicemail, I feel like I'll never get ahead here and it's all I think about. I am now looking for another job. Should I tell them or wait until I leave? state?

This is a legal forum and yours is not a legal question.

With that said I would wait till I have another job and give two weeks notice.

 

[quincy]

A few weeks ago a senior executive asked another exec if I was the right choice for a project because most of the people I'd work with were white males. I am a black female. Since that information made it's way to me...its in a voicemail, I feel like I'll never get ahead here and it's all I think about. I am now looking for another job. Should I tell them or wait until I leave? state?

It sounds like the senior executive is more concerned about his white male workers behaving badly than about your ability to do the job.

If that is the case, he should be looking less at you and more at his white male work force. If he doesn't trust their ability to work well with others, he should start replacing them now. That will be the best way for him to stave off a discrimination lawsuit.

I do not see that there is any legal action for you to consider based strictly on the words communicated from one executive to another, at least as you quote them here.

If you think you will have a better chance of advancing professionally with another employer, it certainly can't hurt for you to start searching for other employment now.

Good luck.

 

[LdiJ]

It sounds like the senior executive is more concerned about his white male workers behaving badly than about your ability to do the job.

If that is the case, he should be looking less at you and more at his white male work force. If he doesn't trust their ability to work well with others, he should start replacing them now. That will be the best way for him to stave off a discrimination lawsuit.

I do not see that there is any legal action for you to consider based strictly on the words communicated from one executive to another, at least as you quote them here.

If you think you will have a better chance of advancing professionally with another employer, it certainly can't hurt for you to start searching for other employment now.

Good luck.

I got the same impression you did that the senior executive was more concerned about the white male workers behaving badly.

 

[commentator]

I get the impression that any time you have a level where you are receiving information from a senior executive about what another senior executive said in a private conversation with him, you should be a bit more up on how to deal with things like this than you seem to be. And you more than likely have had more dealings with the type of situation where this person might be concerned about your being in supervision over or working closely with white male co workers. If you don't think private conversations like this have happened before during your career, you're not very far up the ladder yet.

So I would strongly suggest, though there is no legal question here, and you did not tell us your state (U.S. law only) that if you are so pushed out of shape that you definitely begin seeking another job and simply go forward from here. My six thousand dollar question is, tell who? You say, 'Should I tell them or wait till I leave?" My question is, Tell who what?

If the person who said this is a senior executive, and he made this statement in a private conversation with someone, you might succeed in getting the person who told you about the statement fired. But it would doubtless not go further, would not accomplish much, and you're going to go out with a lot of issues leaving a bad taste behind you in the mouths of your former employer.

If you try to begin by telling the EEOC, their first question would be to the employer if this has happened. And if it did, and you were offended deeply and thought you were being discriminated against...though apparently nothing has happened yet, you don't even mention whether you did or did not get the job assignment. Even if you play them the voicemail, (by the way, hope you're in a one party recording state! ) the company will deny that any racial discrimination took place, and that you had not discussed the situation with them at all before leaving, so they were unaware that you felt there had been a problem.

 

[quincy]

We were not given a state name (although given the username I suspect Texasdall is from Texas), I can speak to personal experience in Michigan.

When I was in a position where I helped determine the fate of job applicants, I found white male workers of a certain age the most problematic.

Raised in an era where complimenting female workers on their appearance and attire was not fraught with legal peril, and making offhand comments about sex and race and religion not discouraged, these older applicants had the experience and skills required for the positions available but their knowledge of discrimination laws was often dangerously lacking. Many of these workers appeared to be lawsuits in the making.

And I say "older white males" because I did not see a corresponding lack of sensitivity in other older workers.

It can be a fine line employers walk when hiring (and firing). People (for some strange reason) like to sue. The goal for an employer is to avoid those situations, and workers, who might be a lawsuit magnet.

 

[commentator]

And if you rise, there will very likely be conversations between your seniors about whether this person "can handle this situation," allowing for these types of people and likely issues with the workforce. As in, "Can this little old girl actually successfully supervise this group of ............" and then you can say unruly juveniles, old white men, rough blue collar women, African Americans, just about whatever it's going to be. It's a realistic concern. As a little ole white girl questioned because of youth and experience one had no EEOC protections, youth and inexperience isn't a protected class. Employers are trying to make the best decisions for their workplace. No, maybe it's not fair to consider every aspect of who a person is in determining their ability to do a particular job, but honestly, fairness doesn't always happen. And lawsuit magnets with that kind of reputation trailing them don't do as well moving from job to job.

 

[quincy]

And if you rise, there will very likely be conversations between your seniors about whether this person "can handle this situation," allowing for these types of people and likely issues with the workforce. As in, "Can this little old girl actually successfully supervise this group of ............" and then you can say unruly juveniles, old white men, rough blue collar women, African Americans, just about whatever it's going to be. It's a realistic concern. As a little ole white girl questioned because of youth and experience one had no EEOC protections, youth and inexperience isn't a protected class. Employers are trying to make the best decisions for their workplace. No, maybe it's not fair to consider every aspect of who a person is in determining their ability to do a particular job, but honestly, fairness doesn't always happen. And lawsuit magnets with that kind of reputation trailing them don't do as well moving from job to job.

An employee's employment history is naturally a consideration when hiring. An applicant who has filed a legal action against a previous employer - whether the legal action had merit or not - is just not as attractive a candidate for a job as another applicant with equal qualifications (minus the legal action).

 

[Dandy Don]

Please stop overreacting and begin to put a positive spin on this. The executive obviously was impressed enough with your skills that he was considering putting you in charge of this project--that is complimentary to you. If you work well with other males (in ANY racial category) in your company, then you should be willing to take on this project if you are given enough information for you to consider whether you would want to accept it. If you have had no other bad experiences here, there is no reason for you to start looking for another job if you like this one. If you have received positive job reviews/evaluations in the past, please get printed copies of them now before you leave so you will have some type of positive record of your time there just in case they badmouth you in an attempt to sabotage your career after you leave.

 

[quincy]

Please stop overreacting and begin to put a positive spin on this. The executive obviously was impressed enough with your skills that he was considering putting you in charge of this project--that is complimentary to you. If you work well with other males (in ANY racial category) in your company, then you should be willing to take on this project if you are given enough information for you to consider whether you would want to accept it. If you have had no other bad experiences here, there is no reason for you to start looking for another job if you like this one. If you have received positive job reviews/evaluations in the past, please get printed copies of them now before you leave so you will have some type of positive record of your time there just in case they badmouth you in an attempt to sabotage your career after you leave.

Texasdall never said she was offered the position or what the other executive's response was to the voicemail. In fact, Texasdall said she was looking for a new job which indicates she was not offered the position.

 

[emibrown]

Do you realy like this job and have good relationships with colleagues? If yes then just continue working hard. Maybe it is not necessary to find you a new job. Anyway it is your choice.
Good luck.

 

[Just Blue]

Do you realy like this job and have good relationships with colleagues? If yes then just continue working hard. Maybe it is not necessary to find you a new job. Anyway it is your choice.
Good luck.

You dug up a two week old thread to post that useless drivel?

 

[quincy]

Do you realy like this job and have good relationships with colleagues? If yes then just continue working hard. Maybe it is not necessary to find you a new job. Anyway it is your choice.
Good luck.

It is Texasdall's choice. You're right. Good observation.

 

[Just Blue]

It is Texasdall's choice. You're right. Good observation.

Don't encourage her.

Hey...wasn't there a member (now banned) by the name of EmilyBrown that would post redundant "advice" to dead/older/sleeping threads? She was banned a month or so ago...

 

[quincy]

Don't encourage her.

Hey...wasn't there a member (now banned) by the name of EmilyBrown that would post redundant "advice" to dead/older/sleeping threads? She was banned a month or so ago...

I don't remember.