Legal or Not Legal: Audiotaping a conversation with management and posting it online?

[quincy]

What was the physical and verbal harassment? What were the "illegal actions" against you?

 

[nsf]

Contents of the Conversation: (in short) The part of the conversation that I would make public, if not in full, would be the part whereby management told me that they would contact me to let me know if I was still employed there or not. This is beyond clear in the recording and the "very last" thing that was discussed. Management never contacted me to tell me I was still employed there and then said they were firing me for not calling to get my schedule, and consequently, not showing up for my scheduled shifts. My phone records show that I was never contacted by them, and they do not have my email address.

And have never stated that they did contact me to tell me, but rather, that the whole thing about me being contacted about whether or not i was still employed basically never occurred. So they are saying we are firing you because you never showed up for work, whereby at first, they wanted to say that I was being fired other reasons (until I convinced them I could prove otherwise). Either way, I feel they discriminated against me by cutting my hours and days because of the issues of another employee with serious mental problems that everyone, including management, have with this person. That employee clearly has bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder - 2 serious mental illnesses. I'm not a psychologist, but I have a sibling whom is a clone of this individual; and I have a Master's in psychology.

 

[nsf]

What was the physical and verbal harassment? What were the "illegal actions" against you?

Quincy, I think I answered most of your questions below. But, the harassment consisted of the employee walking in to me at full speed basically body slamming me. Anyone else, they would have ended up on the floor as I told management that it was like being hit by a MACK-TRUCK when it occurred. Verbal - when I would confront this individual about her actions that were unfair to the other employees, like stealing tables from the other servers, which is why we are there, to serve tables, she would get somewhat volatile and start shooting off her mouth...."x is having a meltdown; x is having a seizure; x ......." It happened many times and most of the staff heard it as she got even louder in the employee part of the restaurant. The manager is a coward who only cares about herself. When I reminded her of the impromptu meeting with her and other employees talking about how difficult it is to work with this other employee, she denied that there was ever any such type of meeting.

 

[cbg]

You seem to be under the impression that the only thing you could be sued for is the actual posting, and that since posting is not a crime you could not be sued, or at worst you could not lose. What you are failing to understand is that depending on the actual content of the messages, you could be sued, and lose the suit, for making the contents public. There is a difference.

 

[quincy]

Thank you for answering my questions, nsf.

I think it would be a mistake for you to publish the phone conversations. Not everything that is legal to publish is smart to publish.

Although your employer perhaps could have handled the situation with the other employee better and no doubt could have handled your job termination better, publishing the conversations online is bound to harm you in your search for new employment - and probably will do little to the company other than provide public support to their firing of you and maybe support a legal action against you.

 

[commentator]

And the whole issue is now a complete waste of your time that might be detrimental to you and will not benefit you in any way. Based on things I have seen in the past, I'd suspect that if you put up on any public platform a demeaning article with specifics about say, "The McDonald's on 12th Street, Cleveland, Ohio," you're liable to find yourself the recipient of a letter from the legal section of McDonald's corporate. NOT from the concerned CEO about how poorly you've been treated!

Do you have any idea how many thousands of people come away from a large national corporation franchise with a grudge in any given month or year? Do you have any idea how utterly little anybody in the world cares about your issues with management at a certain particular site, particularly now that you are no longer working there? Not even your best friends and family members will bother to read this or watch this video recording. By obsessing about this, who said what, how you were dealt with, you are demonstrating to everyone in the world that you are if nothing else, extremely self obsessed and dedicated to grudge holding.

That's probably why, even with a degree, you are working in fast food in the first place, under the supervision of less than stellar managers.
And why unless you learn to let a few things go, you probably won't even last long there. The higher level your job, the more professionally you can expect to be treated. At this level of employment, there are going to be a lot of difficult people you will encounter in the workplace and the managers and supervisors are not going to treat you right, fair, etc. with any great regularity and NOBODY CARES. You badly need to move on and let this all drop, instead, you are camping out and beleaguering this issue. It's over. Get another job while you still can.

 

[nsf]

And the whole issue is now a complete stupid waste of your time that might be detrimental to you and will not benefit you in any way. Based on things I have seen in the past, I'd suspect that if you put up on any public platform a demeaning article with specifics about say, "The McDonald's on 12th Street, Cleveland, Ohio," you're liable to find yourself the recipient of a letter from the legal section of McDonald's corporate. NOT from the concerned CEO about how poorly you've been treated!

Do you have any idea how many thousands of people come away from a large national corporation franchise with a grudge in any given month or year? Do you have any idea how utterly little anybody in the world cares about your issues with management at a certain particular site, particularly now that you are no longer working there? Not even your best friends and family members will bother to read this or watch this video recording. By obsessing about this, who said what, how you were dealt with, you are demonstrating to everyone in the world that you are if nothing else, extremely self obsessed and dedicated to grudge holding.

That's probably why, even with a degree, you are working in fast food in the first place, under the supervision of less than stellar managers.
And why unless you learn to let a few things go, you probably won't even last long there. The higher level your job, the more professionally you can expect to be treated. At this level of employment, there are going to be a lot of difficult people you will encounter in the workplace and the managers and supervisors are not going to treat you right, fair, etc. with any great regularity and NOBODY CARES. You badly need to move on and let this all drop, instead, you are camping out and beleaguering this issue. It's over. Get another job while you still can.

Not so fast. First off, I care. Secondly, they are not getting a free-pass for the deceitful and disgusting manner in which management acted. I will be filing a complaint with the appropriate agency in my town looking for monetary damages for the simple fact, if nothing else, that management did not contact me about my firing and thus inhibited me from getting employment elsewhere during that time frame. I will ask the agency their opinion in deciding whether to move forward with this or not. Thirdly, I do have another job, and I am going to be advertising for it directly in front of their building as customers drive in and past me seeing the sign I am holding advertising for my business to the customers that I served in quite a friendly manner.

Lastly, "C", are you saying that Tom Hank's character in Philadelphia was, as you specifically stated, "extremely self obsessed and dedicated to grudge holding"? Or, are you saying that people who hold other people accountable for their disgraceful and selfish wrong-doings are "extremely self-obsessed and dedicated to grudge holding"? Interesting comment(s) coming from a legal forum.

If after speaking with the appropriate agency, if I have a case, I will pursue it, if not, I won't. Yes, the CEO will receive a letter, and if I can make that letter and or other materials available for many to see, so long as it is legal, I will do that as I think it would be appropriate.

If someone killed my animal, should I just let them go on with a free-pass, or should I let the NOBODY CARES world know what a scum-sucking POS this individual is? Yes, "in-part", it is payback, plain and simply, but also, I don't think it is healthy for the psyche to let someone squash your testicles and just go on without any consequence; the word "dignity" comes to mind. Number one, this is why there is so much pervasive sexual assault - because no one said anything to the world in which they thought NOBODY CARES. And since they were not part of the solution, they were part of the problem. On the other hand, I have seen people go overboard and ruin their life with ongoing revenge. What I'm trying to do falls more into the category of "closure" - another psychological concept. I WILL move on from this, soon. If I really want to publicize this, I can turn it into something projecting myself in a positive light. "C", your attitude, in part, is more along the lines of 'don't get involved, run and hide.'

 

[LdiJ]

Dude, you are your own worst enemy.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

Thank you, but I think you missed the point

You still didn't answer my question. Let me rephrase. What do you expect to accomplish?

 

[quincy]

Not so fast. First off, I care. Secondly, they are not getting a free-pass for the deceitful and disgusting manner in which management acted. I will be filing a complaint with the appropriate agency in my town looking for monetary damages for the simple fact, if nothing else, that management did not contact me about my firing and thus inhibited me from getting employment elsewhere during that time frame. I will ask the agency their opinion in deciding whether to move forward with this or not. Thirdly, I do have another job, and I am going to be advertising for it directly in front of their building as customers drive in and past me seeing the sign I am holding advertising for my business to the customers that I served in quite a friendly manner.

Lastly, "C", are you saying that Tom Hank's character in Philadelphia was, as you specifically stated, "extremely self obsessed and dedicated to grudge holding"? Or, are you saying that people who hold other people accountable for their disgraceful and selfish wrong-doings are "extremely self-obsessed and dedicated to grudge holding"? Interesting comment(s) coming from a legal forum.

If after speaking with the appropriate agency, if I have a case, I will pursue it, if not, I won't. Yes, the CEO will receive a letter, and if I can make that letter and or other materials available for many to see, so long as it is legal, I will do that as I think it would be appropriate.

If someone killed my animal, should I just let them go on with a free-pass, or should I let the NOBODY CARES world know what a scum-sucking POS this individual is? Yes, "in-part", it is payback, plain and simply, but also, I don't think it is healthy for the psyche to let someone squash your testicles and just go on without any consequence; the word "dignity" comes to mind. Number one, this is why there is so much pervasive sexual assault - because no one said anything to the world in which they thought NOBODY CARES. And since they were not part of the solution, they were part of the problem. On the other hand, I have seen people go overboard and ruin their life with ongoing revenge. What I'm trying to do falls more into the category of "closure" - another psychological concept. I WILL move on from this, soon. If I really want to publicize this, I can turn it into something projecting myself in a positive light. "C", your attitude, in part, is more along the lines of 'don't get involved, run and hide.'

If you are intent on seeking "closure" by publishing material about your former employer online, I recommend you have a publishing law professional personally review what you intend to publish PRIOR to publication.

If you act in haste, while you are still angry and feeling wronged, you are apt to make publishing errors that can create some legal headaches for you.

 

[Zigner]

I'm still trying to figure out what the OP thinks happened with regard to his termination that was illegal.

 

[Just Blue]

Not so fast. First off, I care. Secondly, they are not getting a free-pass for the deceitful and disgusting manner in which management acted. I will be filing a complaint with the appropriate agency in my town looking for monetary damages for the simple fact, if nothing else, that management did not contact me about my firing and thus inhibited me from getting employment elsewhere during that time frame. I will ask the agency their opinion in deciding whether to move forward with this or not. Thirdly, I do have another job, and I am going to be advertising for it directly in front of their building as customers drive in and past me seeing the sign I am holding advertising for my business to the customers that I served in quite a friendly manner.

You state that you have a Masters in psychology and you think picketing illegally in front of your ex employers business will accomplish anything except being carted away by a police officer? You can't see how absurd your behavior is?

And your continued comparison of your situation to Tom Hanks character in Philadelphia is not only absurd, but laughable.

 

[Zigner]

Not only that, but if the OP's wandering his lonely picket path, how is he going to serve customers?

 

[Just Blue]

Not only that, but if the OP's wandering his lonely picket path, how is he going to serve customers?

OP would be better served by opening one of his/her college books and finding out what is really driving this ...odd...behavior.

 

[xylene]

Tom Hanks dies at the end of Philadelphia.