I am not a racist

[warholsky]

What is the name of your state? Maryland

A liaison I work with had a meeting with the owner of the company in which I work. During the meeting, the liaison told the owner of my company I was a racist against Asian Americans. The owner told me that I can have no further contact with this contract. I am not a racist and this just infuriates me. What can/should I do?

 

[BelizeBreeze]

How about a few details? Like, why would the liaison say such and what precipated the event? Also, how much do you stand to loose between now and the end of the contract?

 

[seniorjudge]

How about a few details? Like, why would the liaison say such and what precipated the event? Also, how much do you stand to loose between now and the end of the contract?

And what do they say that you said or did that was racist?

 

[warholsky]

I have an Asian American team member who threatened to quit if she didn’t get an unrealistic increase in wages. The budget I was given in the contract would not support the increase and I explained this to my team member the best I could. This team member has a heavy accent, which makes communications sometimes difficult. The liaison and I were recently discussing this issue. During this discussion, I mentioned the difficulties I have had communicating with my team member and how I had recently given her an increase. I explained that I tried to keep the team member by negotiating, however, she was not happy and quit on the spot. The liaison insisted I pay this team member at her requested hourly rate. I realize the liaison does not have any control over what I pay my team members, however, she has strong influence over contract renewals. So…I paid my team member more.

 

[seniorjudge]

I have an Asian American team member who threatened to quit if she didn’t get an unrealistic increase in wages. The budget I was given in the contract would not support the increase and I explained this to my team member the best I could. This team member has a heavy accent, which makes communications sometimes difficult. The liaison and I were recently discussing this issue. During this discussion, I mentioned the difficulties I have had communicating with my team member and how I had recently given her an increase. I explained that I tried to keep the team member by negotiating, however, she was not happy and quite on the spot. The liaison insisted I pay this team member at her requested hourly rate. I realize the liaison does not have any control over what I pay my team members, however, she has strong influence over contract renewals. So…I paid my team member more.

That doesn't sound racist to me. But, I would talk to your manager.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

That doesn't sound racist to me. But, I would talk to your manager.

And invite the head of Human Resources to the meeting. Simply explain to them that it would be much easier on them and the company to remove any such reference to the comments made by the liaison from your personnel file and to restore you to your previous situation than it would be to answer in court for slander and interference with a business relationship on the part of the liaison and the company.

Then I would suggest you demand a WRITTEN apology from both the liaison and the manager.

 

[warholsky]

Thanks

Thank you for your advice.

 

[seniorjudge]

Thank you for your advice.

You are welcome.

 

[warholsky]

Continued...

And so, after 3 months I have still been unable to bring closure to the situations. I spoke directly with the CEO of my company regarding the statements made. She intern called the liaison’s boss (VP of HR) to set up a meeting to resolve any “miscommunications”. The VP of HR has not returned any of the CEO’s calls. I have spoke with her several times about following up with the VP. She told me the last message she left for him was very detailed. Still no return call…

Also, The CEO of the company I work for, the VP of HR, and HR Manager (my former Liaison) are the original people in the meeting when it was brought up that I was a racist.

Any suggestions on where to go from here?

 

[seniorjudge]

And invite the head of Human Resources to the meeting. Simply explain to them that it would be much easier on them and the company to remove any such reference to the comments made by the liaison from your personnel file and to restore you to your previous situation than it would be to answer in court for slander and interference with a business relationship on the part of the liaison and the company.

Then I would suggest you demand a WRITTEN apology from both the liaison and the manager.

Look in the file you started on this matter and tell us what kind of documentation you have (e.g., copies of letters mailed CRRR, etc.) in your file concerning this stuff and the replies (if any from your employer).

Thanks....

 

[warholsky]

I really don’t have anything written down, everything has been verbally communicated to me. I could send an e-mail to my CEO and HR Director summarizing what was said and inquire about any follow they may have.

 

[cbg]

May I offer a word from an HR perspective?

You may be working against yourself in trying to get some form of closure on this issue. This is the sort of thing that dies away if left alone. You may be the one who's keeping it alive by forcing the issue.

Okay, you're not a racist. I accept that. I believe you. But by trying to force everyone else to acknowledge that, you are quite possibly just pushing the idea deeper into everyone else's mind. You may be working against your own best interests.

Unless you have suffered some definite damages - a demotion, a pay cut, the loss of a promotion - by this, you very well might find that you're best off by dropping it altogether. Just because they removed you from that particular contract doesn't mean the company doesn't recognize that you were in the right and the liason was the one out of line. Sometimes that kind of action is taken just because it will shut the other guy up. It doesn't mean that the company actually BELIEVES you're a racist.

Here's what I would suggest. Ask to see your personnel file. In your state they are not required to allow it but many, if not most, companies will. (If they refuse, that does NOT mean anything whatsoever to do with this situation. Companies that refuse this request do so because they believe the file is company property - not because they are trying to hide anything from you.) See what, if anything, is actually in your file. If there is nothing, DROP IT. You're only hurting yourself by raising the issue.

If there is something that directly relates to this, THEN come back, tell me what it is, and I'll give you my best judgement call on how to proceed. It will make a great deal of difference whether it says, We took warholsky off the ABC contract in order to keep the liason quiet, or We took warholsky off the ABC contract because he is showing discriminatory tendencies.

Trust me on this. I've put in a lot of years managing situations like this.