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Co Worker Slandering Me to Boss

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ImtheNicest

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? KY

I originally thought this was an issue for small claims court, but it seems to have expanded, so now I'm thinking perhaps it's a bigger deal.

I wrote a proposal to my employer for them to send me to an out of state professional conference. They accepted, and were going to pay for my hotel and airfare, plus taxi service from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the conference for the 4 days of the conference. I decided to bring my wife along so we could have a little vacation, and we made our plans accordingly.

Then, my employer spoiled our plans by inviting one of my co-workers to attend with me. Luckily, it was someone I was friendly with, but still, it was kind of a third wheel situation. I told him that I already had arrangements to bring my wife and encouraged him to bring his wife as well. His wife, however, declined. So I told him he'd need to get his own room. He was worried about the cost, however, so we agreed we'd split the cost of the extra room between us.

My wife and I also wanted to stay for an extra day, and my co-worker decided to, as well. My wife and I also wanted to rent a car. My co-worker really pushed us to not do this, saying that the city we were going to had good mass-transit, but who wants to take the bus when you could have your own car? However, my wife and I didn't want to drive him around for free, so we asked him to share in the expense. Finally, he agreed that if our employer wouldn't reimburse for the rental, he'd pay his share.

So we went, had a decent time (though he was very intrusive), and then came time to split the bill.

The total was $1800. I had put everything on my credit card, both hotel rooms and the rental car. I did this so that the reimbursement money would come to me (after all, it was my proposal.) My co-worker didn't like this, saying that then he would have no insurance coverage to drive the car and then would have no receipt for his hotel room, but I said it was better this way, and he agreed in the end.

So, our employer will reimburse $400 for the hotel room. That leaves the $350 for the rental car and the $1050 remaining hotel bill. I told my co-worker he needs to write me a check for $900. That covers giving me $200 of the reimbursement money (which I"ll pay him back once our employer reimburses me), 1/2 of the rental car ($175) and 1/2 the hotel bill ($525) - PER OUR AGREEMENT.

And he's refusing! He says that he will NOT pay me what our employer is going to reimburse me (so he's going to let that sit on my credit card, accumulating interest! Totally unfair!) and he says that he only owes me 1/3 of the car ($117) and 1/3 of the hotel ($350) for a total of $467. He's cheating me out of $433. He says that I'm trying to get him to pay for my wife's trip and give her a free ride ... when he's the one trying to get a free ride.

So he offered me a check for $467 and I refused because it's a partial payment, and I don't want a partial payment. My wife drove to his house to attempt to collect the remaining $433, and he threatened to call the police! He basically threatened her and scared her to death. So the next day at work, I approached him and told him he can't do that stuff to my wife. The next thing I know, I'm being hauled into my manager's office and being told off for bring personal problems to work. Now a notation has been made in my permanent file, which will impact my ability for raises and promotions. He's damaged my livelihood. And he was bringing a PERSONAL problem to the manager by complaining about our personal financial issue.

I think this is harassment and slander. I originally thought about taking him to small claims (I posted about this is the small claims section) for the $433, but since he has started the harassment/slander stuff, I'm thinking it's worth more money ... since he has impacted my ability to get raises/promotions ... maybe a few thousand dollars? Can you ask for that much in small claims?

Do you need an attorney to prove slander? What are my chances in a case like this?

Thanks.
 


cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
This is neither harassment nor slander. Legally you are in the wrong. And as an employer, if this got to me, a write up in your file would be the least of your worries, because I would be strongly tempted to fire you.
 

ImtheNicest

Junior Member
How is it not slander? Isn't slander saying things about people that aren't true? Maybe I don't understand what slander is?

He said I was harassing him. I spoke to him ONCE, telling him to leave my wife alone. How can speaking to someone ONCE be considered harassment?

And what have I done that is legally wrong and worthy of being fired?

I would think he would have a bigger change of being fired, since he is ripping off one of the company's employees over a work-related trip!
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
I read your other thread and I do not agree that HE is the one ripping off the company.
 

ImtheNicest

Junior Member
I still don't understand why this isn't considered slander.

I thought slander was something false that damaged someone else's reputation.

In this case, my co-worker told my boss that I was harassing him. Harassment means repeated or persistent disturbances, right? At least it does according to the dictionary definition I looked up. I spoke to my co-worker ONCE and it was very cordial, asking him to leave my wife out of all discussions regarding our financial dispute. So, telling our employer I'm continually harassing him while at work seems slanderous, especially since I now have a permanent notation in my file, which can now influence whether or not I get raises/promotions.

In any case ... it seems like my boss should have at least gotten my side of the story prior to making a notation in my file. Do I have any recourse with my HR department? Because now I feel like my co-worker is making a hostile working environment for me.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Slander is knowingly false information. It does not mean that someone has a negative opinion that differs from yours.

It is your co-worker's opinion that you are harassing him. He is legally entitled to that opinion and you cannot sue him for it, EVEN IF what happened does not meet the legal definition of harassment.

It is your employer's opinion that you are the one in the wrong. Your employer is entitled to that opinion (in which I concur) and you don't get to sue him for it either.

The term, hostile work environment, has a very specific meaning in employment law and this isn't even in the same state, let alone the same ballpark, as a HWE under the law.

You are free to take it to HR. HR is free to ignore you since no law is being violated.
 

ImtheNicest

Junior Member
Well, this really sucks then.

He gets a nice almost free vacation, scares my wife to death, and then gets to pretty much ruin my reputation and future at our company. Totally without consequences.

I think I'm going to take him to small claims anyways. Maybe just the threat of being sued will be enough to make him pay up. Or maybe there's a judge out there who will see the logic behind my argument.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
(Sarcasm blue light ON) And of course, you are totally blameless and did nothing whatsoever to cause this. (Sarcasm blue light OFF)
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Well, this really sucks then.

He gets a nice almost free vacation, scares my wife to death, and then gets to pretty much ruin my reputation and future at our company. Totally without consequences.

I think I'm going to take him to small claims anyways. Maybe just the threat of being sued will be enough to make him pay up. Or maybe there's a judge out there who will see the logic behind my argument.
**A: yes it sucks. I wonder what their side of the story would be.
 

ImtheNicest

Junior Member
Gee, I'm sure it would be the total opposite of mine.

Would you like me to ask him to come post it? <I can be sarcastic too>
 

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