Slander by a Non-Profit Trustee

[Non_Profit_User]

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

I work for a non-profit. It has come to my attention that one of our Trustees has taken it upon herself to spread a particularly vicious bit of slander about me throughout the community. It was based on a misunderstanding on the part of another worker - which I cleared up. Unfortunately, the worker had already communicated to the Trustee, and now my name is being dragged through the mud. I was particularly distressed because I have worked many hours of unpaid overtime to support the various whims of this Trustee regarding one of her pet projects. However, this Trustee has a history of related behavior - everything from screaming and swearing at employees to defamation of character. She has already spread many miserable rumors about our organization and the people in it.

This Trustee is quite well off and well connected, (being a generous supporter of certain political party interests, sometimes at our expense), and believes that this makes her "above the law". Because we are a non-profit, this may well be the case. I can not find any labor laws that apply. Do I have any recourse to clear up my name ?

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: Do I have any recourse to clear up my name ?


A: What is the dollar amount of the direct damages that this defamation caused?

 

[Non_Profit_User]

Reply to Senior Judge

I don't know that I can say what the financial damages are. This individual in question is well aware of the facts, (we have an E-Mail from her), yet not only persists; apparently, she has created other permutations on the story. The intention seems to be to make the entire institution - of which she is a Trustee - look bad. She has been effective; our year-end donations are down, and other Trustees have informed us they are not contributing, or are dramatically cutting back their contributions. Some have told us it is because they gave to her special project - the one she used to entice connections to further aid her social ambitions.

I suppose this means that as a non-profit, we have no legal support, even when state funds are involved.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Why did you think it unimportant to not once mention the nature of the statements?

 

[Non_Profit_User]

Reply to BelizeBreeze

My initial inquiry was really to determine if there were any legal body with oversight for the activities of the Trustees of non-profit organizations, as there are for private corporations. As you may have discerned, we have many other concerns. Since the answer appears to be a resounding "NO", it seems futile to continue. But for the sake of general interest, my specific issue is this:

A co-worker who is a close friend of the Trustee resigned. She was under tremendous stress, not only from this very large event, which she was the manager of, but because she was playing both sides - employees and Trustee. They are both active in party politics for the same political party. She eventually found another job and resigned. On her last day, I stayed late because it didn't seem right that she should be abandoned to close up the office on her last day. I thought I was doing a nice thing. A couple of days later, I got a scathing E-Mail from her accusing me of staying late to "police" her actions and "escort her out of the building." Of course I immediately wrote back and assured her I'd done nothing of the sort. However, she had already relayed the information to the Trustee, who is only to eager to receive negative commentary.

The first notice I got came from the Chairman of the Board. The Trustee has written a fiery E-Mail condemning the institution for this action. But she didn't stop there. Within 2 days, word had spread throughout our organization, as well as in the philanthropy community, about how I was hired thug assigned to harass and humiliate this employee. It was worded in such a way to be a poor reflection on the institution rather than me, but I was still implicated. The next day, our representative at a philanthropy event reported that another supporter of our organization had been told - directly from this Trustee - that it was our expensive, part-time, contract Accountant who was retained late to do the dirty job. Of course, I found it surprising, since from her E-mail, it was clear she knew who was actually here. I should mention that all the parties are female.

We have many other concerns with this Trustee, from intercepting our fund raising sources to divert their dollars to her special project, to the "secret" budget for this project, to what she actually does with the money that comes in. Of course, the other Trustees have no interest in hearing our side. Her project is profitable, and the ends justify the means. And since, as a non-profit, we have nowhere to turn, and there is no risk of liability, why should they ?

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Opinion is not actionable. As I suspected, you need to move on and forget her.

 

[Non_Profit_User]

Thank you and goodbye

Thank you for your responses. Knowing now that I am not even eligible for the most rudimentary of protections, I feel it is wisest to end this thread now. Thank you again.

 

[seniorjudge]

Thank you for your responses. Knowing now that I am not even eligible for the most rudimentary of protections, I feel it is wisest to end this thread now. Thank you again.

No damages, no case.