Employee retaliation against supervisors

[Shawnasb]

I am the assistant manager at a store. Myself and the general manager as well as another manager were given permission by our Human Resource to give an employee a Verbal warning about some harassment he had been doing. He freaked out yelling crying and then started accusations on me and 6 other employees for everything under the sun. Now HR is investigating everyone for all these bogus claims. Which almost all can be proven false. Is it considered retaliation what he did? He never made any claims before the verbal. And is it lawful that my employer is now questioning me and all my coworkers about his accusations? I’m being treated like I did something wrong.

 

[quincy]

I am the assistant manager at a store. Myself and the general manager as well as another manager were given permission by our Human Resource to give an employee a Verbal warning about some harassment he had been doing. He freaked out yelling crying and then started accusations on me and 6 other employees for everything under the sun. Now HR is investigating everyone for all these bogus claims. Which almost all can be proven false. Is it considered retaliation what he did? He never made any claims before the verbal. And is it lawful that my employer is now questioning me and all my coworkers about his accusations? I’m being treated like I did something wrong.

What is the name of your state?

 

[Shawnasb]

I live in California

 

[quincy]

I am the assistant manager at a store. Myself and the general manager as well as another manager were given permission by our Human Resource to give an employee a Verbal warning about some harassment he had been doing. He freaked out yelling crying and then started accusations on me and 6 other employees for everything under the sun. Now HR is investigating everyone for all these bogus claims. Which almost all can be proven false. Is it considered retaliation what he did? He never made any claims before the verbal. And is it lawful that my employer is now questioning me and all my coworkers about his accusations? I’m being treated like I did something wrong.

What HR is doing is investigating the employee's complaint, which is exactly what HR should be doing. The questioning is legal.

If all that happened with the employee is as you say, there should be no reason for you to worry.

 

[Shawnasb]

I’m confident they will see that they are all false accusations. I just don’t like being questioned some of the questions were very personal and have nothing to do with work. Is he retaliating? He has never made any claims before the verbal warning. He made them immediately after he was told why he was getting a verbal warning.

 

[quincy]

I’m confident they will see that they are all false accusations. I just don’t like being questioned some of the questions were very personal and have nothing to do with work. Is he retaliating? He has never made any claims before the verbal warning. He made them immediately after he was told why he was getting a verbal warning.

It sounds to me like the employee just reacted badly to the verbal warning - and his bad reaction could cost him his job.

If the employee's claims about you and the 6 other employees are completely baseless, HR is sure to see that they are after questioning everyone.

 

[eerelations]

It sounds to me like what the employee is doing is retaliation...just not illegal retaliation. Not all retaliation is illegal. A classic example of standard illegal retaliation is when an employee reports his/her employer to judicial/regulatory authorities (such as the police or labour authorities) for doing something illegal, and the employer retaliates against the employee for said reporting. Nothing in your post indicates that you reported the employee for illegal activities, or that the employee is retaliating against you for doing this. Ergo, there is no illegal retaliation going on here.

 

[cbg]

It is NOT illegal for an employee to retaliate against his supervisors for giving him a warning. It's stupid and it's potentially a job-ending activity and it makes him look like a toddler in a tantrum, but it's not illegal.

Illegal retaliation is, as explained above, when the employER or supervisor retaliates against an employee for reporting illegal activity or exercising a protected right under the law.

Your HR department is doing exactly what they are supposed to do. They are investigating ALL complaints made to them, no matter who makes them. Are they supposed to only pay attention to what you report and not what anyone else does?

 

[LdiJ]

It is NOT illegal for an employee to retaliate against his supervisors for giving him a warning. It's stupid and it's potentially a job-ending activity and it makes him look like a toddler in a tantrum, but it's not illegal.

Illegal retaliation is, as explained above, when the employER or supervisor retaliates against an employee for reporting illegal activity or exercising a protected right under the law.

Your HR department is doing exactly what they are supposed to do. They are investigating ALL complaints made to them, no matter who makes them. Are they supposed to only pay attention to what you report and not what anyone else does?

I REALLY like the way that you stated the bolded...LOL

 

[xylene]

s. I just don’t like being questioned some of the questions were very personal and have nothing to do with work.

What exactly are the questions you feel were inappropriate? How did you respond to them?

 

[not2cleverRed]

What exactly are the questions you feel were inappropriate? How did you respond to them?

Maybe the employee watched American Beauty.

 

[Shawnasb]

He handled it very poorly. I’m sure the truth will come out. If he isn’t reprimanded then I’ll have to figure out how to work with him. Thank you for your input I appreciate it.

Maybe the employee watched American Beauty.

They asked questions like do these employees hang out after work if so what do they do. Why was an employee in the bathroom so long. I guess This employee is being accused of taking to many bathroom breaks. She’s made it clear to everyone she has a medical problem. Management does not have an issue with that. And it’s none of my business what employees do after work. These were two of the weird questions.

 

[quincy]

He handled it very poorly. I’m sure the truth will come out. If he isn’t reprimanded then I’ll have to figure out how to work with him. Thank you for your input I appreciate it.

They asked questions like do these employees hang out after work if so what do they do. Why was an employee in the bathroom so long. I guess This employee is being accused of taking to many bathroom breaks. She’s made it clear to everyone she has a medical problem. Management does not have an issue with that. And it’s none of my business what employees do after work. These were two of the weird questions.

HR could have had good reason for asking the questions, perhaps following up on what others said.

Again, if you did nothing wrong, there is little for you to worry about.

 

[Shawnasb]

I was completely truthful in my statement. I don’t know what others were asked or said. I know I’m not going to get in trouble. I just feel like it’s being handled poorly. I feel like if down the road this employee does something wrong I’m not going to feel comfortable telling him anything because this is what happens if you do.

 

[quincy]

I was completely truthful in my statement. I don’t know what others were asked or said. I know I’m not going to get in trouble. I just feel like it’s being handled poorly. I feel like if down the road this employee does something wrong I’m not going to feel comfortable telling him anything because this is what happens if you do.

I suspect that if the employee was on shaky employment ground with warnings already, his latest outburst might be his last.

HR might be working to sufficiently support the employee's termination so the employee has no legitimate reason to sue the employer.

It sounds to me as if HR is handling this properly.