Silentmori
Member
What is the name of your state? Texas
I worked at my company for almost 4 years. I had "exceptional" yearly evaluations and never had any disciplinary issues.
Last year, our company was at risk for getting shut down. I was promoted to a new position created under a long-time friend as part of the administration team overseeing the project to save the company. My friend/supervisor had notoriously well-known anger issues and outbursts, and everyone always brushed it off due to the stressors of the job. After a year of verbal abuse, my ADHD symptoms got worse, my productivity declined which in turn made the abuse towards me worsen. It got so bad that my supervisor threatened to punch me in the face because someone who was trying to fax me a document, accidentally dialed his office number and I couldn't get it to stop ringing.
I snapped and reported it to HR. Because he was my friend, I requested that he get remedial leadership or stress management training instead of harsher discipline.
I was effectively told my claim was unsubstantiated, removed from my position (attempted to demote me), and told we were to stay away from each other "for my safety". I reported several incidents where he would go out of his way to cross paths with me or try to intimidate me, and it was obvious admin was protecting him for the interest of saving the company.
About a month later, with witnesses around, I asked my old supervisor a work related question since I could not get in contact with my new boss. Later that evening, my ex-friend/boss texted me and started an ongoing argument that ended in him blackmailing me and threatening my professional licensure if I told anyone about our conversations or reported him again. Fearing for my safety, I did report him the next day. I submitted the hundreds of texts to HR, placed on paid leave for 2 weeks pending investigation. I was told Corporate was still investigating, but I allowed to return to work the day after my ex-boss abruptly quit.
Two weeks after that, I was called into admin unexpectedly fired for "not reporting the first incident in good faith" for deleting a discriminatory message the ex-boss wrote, although it didn't alter the context of the rest of the messages, and also for initiating contact with him when I asked my job-related question and responded to his texts thereafter. I was never given any disciplinary actions or paperwork leading up to or when I was terminated, almost everything was verbal. Would I possibly have grounds for a retaliation case?
I worked at my company for almost 4 years. I had "exceptional" yearly evaluations and never had any disciplinary issues.
Last year, our company was at risk for getting shut down. I was promoted to a new position created under a long-time friend as part of the administration team overseeing the project to save the company. My friend/supervisor had notoriously well-known anger issues and outbursts, and everyone always brushed it off due to the stressors of the job. After a year of verbal abuse, my ADHD symptoms got worse, my productivity declined which in turn made the abuse towards me worsen. It got so bad that my supervisor threatened to punch me in the face because someone who was trying to fax me a document, accidentally dialed his office number and I couldn't get it to stop ringing.
I snapped and reported it to HR. Because he was my friend, I requested that he get remedial leadership or stress management training instead of harsher discipline.
I was effectively told my claim was unsubstantiated, removed from my position (attempted to demote me), and told we were to stay away from each other "for my safety". I reported several incidents where he would go out of his way to cross paths with me or try to intimidate me, and it was obvious admin was protecting him for the interest of saving the company.
About a month later, with witnesses around, I asked my old supervisor a work related question since I could not get in contact with my new boss. Later that evening, my ex-friend/boss texted me and started an ongoing argument that ended in him blackmailing me and threatening my professional licensure if I told anyone about our conversations or reported him again. Fearing for my safety, I did report him the next day. I submitted the hundreds of texts to HR, placed on paid leave for 2 weeks pending investigation. I was told Corporate was still investigating, but I allowed to return to work the day after my ex-boss abruptly quit.
Two weeks after that, I was called into admin unexpectedly fired for "not reporting the first incident in good faith" for deleting a discriminatory message the ex-boss wrote, although it didn't alter the context of the rest of the messages, and also for initiating contact with him when I asked my job-related question and responded to his texts thereafter. I was never given any disciplinary actions or paperwork leading up to or when I was terminated, almost everything was verbal. Would I possibly have grounds for a retaliation case?