Being Outed by a terminated employee

[Faith42]

I am a extremely private individual. One of the individuals I work with found out three years ago that I was gay. In fact, she began telling the entire office and anyone who was around that she wanted to be with another woman. She went so far as to hit on one staff member, which I needed to step in and tell her to make sure she was not making her feel uncomfortable. Recently I needed to sit in during the termination. At that point this woman became angry with her direct supervisor and said that she would do what she had to in order that we all pay. Out of no where, I received a letter from the Human Relations Commissions, dualed filed with the EEOC that I had been sexually harassing her, coming on to her, etc. She tried to pull other former staff members into this suit, but they refused and even contacted me as to what she was up to. Due to this, I have had to come out to our agency's attorney and several of my board of directors. HELP! I have over 25 letters of support from individuals who are supporting me. In fact, she told one person that I tried to pull her into the gay lifestyle. Only two out of 18 individuals I work with even know about my life. However, every one of these individuals stated how she was always asking people if they were gay, and told them she wanted to be with a woman and freely stated this over and over again.

 

[Always searching]

I wish you had seen an employment attorney before speaking with the administrators. Now that it is open that you are living a gay lifestyle, the only problem I see is that they might consider you a threat to another lawsuit. I would have kept my lifestyle private still. I would go about my work quietly and not discuss any particulars with anyone and perhaps the dust will settle. You may get out of this with a warning and then the pressure will be on you from now on. When you get through this, and you will, remember not to discuss anything that has anything to do with sexual preferences etc. In a conservative place, any comment will send people realing. Concerning the EEOC lawsuit, this concerns me. If she can prove that you said something in the presence of someone else that was sexually orientated then you had better get your resume polished and start looking for another job. Even though the company you work for is being sued, when the end of it comes, you will be the brunt of the anger. Your comments to the Administrators are the comments that will be used. You personally will be out of the controversy. It will be the company lawyers versus her. I am hoping that the EEOC will find the complaint unfounded. Before you make any further comments, I would seek counsel to protect yourself.