Unbearable boss

[werking4sense]

What is the name of your state? Georgia
I have a boss who is very demanding and verbally abusive when things don't go his way. He has also slapped 3 of the women of his district on their rears and pinched another girls breast. He was "supposedly" talked to by the VP about these issues but he still makes me and others uncomfortable. Recently, a group of us had a conference call with an upper manager about our concerns of our manager. My manager was supposed to ride with me the following week and I did not feel comfortable and due to the situation, I suffered a panic attack. I got a doctor's note to keep me from riding with him. My manager said I was out of sick time and would not let me use vacation because someone in the company made a rule that you have to give two weeks notice to use vacation. In my handbook, it says we are allowed 5 personal days and I told my manger to give me some of those and he said that you only get 2 personal days. I told him that I was required to read and sign the handbook when I was hired and it clearly says 5 personal days and now he's saying it's only 2 which I used for a death of a cousin. Does the handbook have any validity?

 

[cbg]

Not really. With limited exceptions which do not apply here, the employer gets to decide whether or not you can use paid leave to cover an absence. They are not required to; the use of personal time or vacation time is not a guaranteed right under the law. They were not required to honor the doctor's note to excuse you from riding with him; a doctor's note has no force in law outside of FMLA. Unless the handbook reaches the level of a bona fide contract, which is possible but quite unlikely, it's up to the employer how many personal days you get and when you can use them. Even if it were determined that you DID get five days, they could still deny you use of one of them for this.

I'm more concerned about the handling of the overall issue. Generally it takes more than a single instance for a sexual harassment claim, but there are exceptions, and one exception is when there is physical contact involved. Are you one of the employees who was slapped on the rear or got your bust pinched? Has this kind of behavior stopped or is it continuing?

 

[werking4sense]

There are 3 of us girls. He slapped me on the rear and made comments about my breast implants in front of other managers with me standing there. I had a conference call with the other 2 girs and a manager about the situation and for some reason, he is still riding with us for 2 consecutive days at a time. I just recently had chest tightening and other medical issues and it turned out that I have major stress and anxiety and I think it's due to my boss. Now for the first time in my life, I'm on antianxiety and depression pills. I am actively searching for another job but it's unfair because I love what I do...except for my boss.

 

[werking4sense]

He also talks down about women and makes sexual gestures when nurses are turned around in drs offices.

 

[cbg]

How many employees in total? Not just women, everyone, including the boss.

 

[werking4sense]

There are about 50 employees total in the company and about 30 sales reps. There is no HR department that I know of.

 

[cbg]

That wasn't why I was asking. Since you have more than 15 employees, if the objectionable behavior does not stop after you reported it to managment, you can file a complaint with the EEOC and/or the state human rights commission.

When you said there were three of you, I was afraid your company was too small to be covered, but it's all right; you are.