toxic work environment/harassment..can I do anything?

[Sassydiva]

I feel I may be getting terminated and I have to figure out how to approach this...please help! I’m seeing a psychiatrist tomorrow. Here is the thing, I have been working at my job 8 years. My extra patient supervision retired in 2015. I worked solo taking on the workload of more than one person for over a year. I never once got written up. In 2016, a new supervisor was hired from within the company. She seemed okay at first. She then wrote me up 2 months into her new position, 2 days before my vacation with a lot of things that were petty, and she even stated how I’m “mad because I didn’t get her job” ..I signed because it being close to my vacation, i was upset I continued to be bullied by this new supervisor who clearly had it out for me. She send me very demanding and unprofessional emails. I got written up yet again by her supervisor a year or so later because of an audit that had a bad score. I am responsible for the files, and so I took responsibility. I was transferred to another office. There are 2 girls there who have been very nasty but I ignore them..j had a situation where one of the girls called me a whore in Spanish. I reported her, and my supervisor talked to the two girls she is in cahoots with and they lied which my supervisor believed and didn’t take

sides. Due to the toxic work environment, I have been unable to concentrate and work to my full potential and I feel I have been treated unfairly. My supervisor has reminded me time and again that if I’m written up again, I’ll be terminated. I have been doing my best under the circumstances, and yes I have let a couple things slip and made a couple mistakes but as soon as I am told something I correct it. There are a couple mistakes, that I was unable to correct that was thrown in my face today and my supervisor said she is writing me up, and how I have the smallest workload of anyone and I don’t have the skills for the job. I was improperly trained which I tried to bring to her attention, and she retorted a nasty comment insinuating that I was making excuses. In addition, she is nasty, rude, and indifferent. My former supervisor made some very demeaning comments on an email and my supervisor was copied on it and nothing was done.

 

I need advice which approach I should take when I see my psychiatrist tomorrow? It’s a first appointment but I can’t sit around and do nothing.

[amaysngrace]

I’m not understanding why you haven’t picked up the skills you’re expected to have in the past eight years.

 

Why would you bring up the way you were improperly trained?

 

Will you be getting unemployment? I’d just take it and enjoy your summer. In the fall you can find a different job that hopefully you’ll be interested enough in to independently learn what the job requires of you to do your best work.

[basil67]

A psychiatrist won't be able to help you with this. They are there to diagnose and medicate if required. If you're needing to build up how you deal with life's issues, a psychologist would be the person to talk with.

 

This job that you're not properly trained to do - is it something you haven't been doing for the past eight years?

[Sassydiva]

A psychiatrist won't be able to help you with this. They are there to diagnose and medicate if required. If you're needing to build up how you deal with life's issues, a psychologist would be the person to talk with.

 

This job that you're not properly trained to do - is it something you haven't been doing for the past eight years?

because I suffer from a high amount of stress/depression and I want a diagnosis possible leave of absence. I am aware of what needs to be done, but because I have been experiencing bullying in the workplace I am having a hard time focusing, and I have expressed to my supervision on a couple of occasions some situations with being mistreated and she did not take action. I can’t function properly in a toxic work environment

[healing light]

Have you been able to talk with HR during any of these incidents?

[OpenBook]

I can’t function properly in a toxic work environment

 

Nobody can. Get out - that's my advice. Find another job and get outta there!

[amaysngrace]

You should probably talk to a lawyer. Show them the emails and see if there’s any action you can take against the company.

 

Also have your phone on record when you go in to work if it’s legal to do so. You’re going to want evidence if you decide to go that route.

[Sassydiva]

Nobody can. Get out - that's my advice. Find another job and get outta there!

I have no choice..I am fairly certain I have a learning disability and my former boss who retired, was just more patient understanding . I’m working in a more corporate setting and they don’t have much tolerance

[Sassydiva]

Have you been able to talk with HR during any of these incidents?

they are for the company not the employee..

[whichwayisup]

I have no choice..I am fairly certain I have a learning disability and my former boss who retired, was just more patient understanding . I’m working in a more corporate setting and they don’t have much tolerance

 

Any chance of contacting your former boss and asking her to write a letter confirming what she knows about you and the type of employee you were when she was your boss?

 

It does sound like the new boss doesn't like you and looked for many reasons to write you up and eventually hope you'd quit or be forced out..

 

The other way to look at this is a blessing, maybe it's time for a new job and a change so you can find a healthier place to work at and not feel so unhappy. Mental health is so important and if your job is making you feel sick it's time to consider leaving.

[Sassydiva]

Any chance of contacting your former boss and asking her to write a letter confirming what she knows about you and the type of employee you were when she was your boss?

 

It does sound like the new boss doesn't like you and looked for many reasons to write you up and eventually hope you'd quit or be forced out..

 

The other way to look at this is a blessing, maybe it's time for a new job and a change so you can find a healthier place to work at and not feel so unhappy. Mental health is so important and if your job is making you feel sick it's time to consider leaving.

I am hoping I will get a Drs note tomorrow and get a couple days off so I can start my exit. I have vacation days of about 80 or 85 hours and 2.5 sick days left so I do believe I should be paid that if they fire me? Not sure how it works, but I’m calling out tomorrow at the very least and see what this Dr has to say

[basil67]

they are for the company not the employee..

 

HR is there to manage needs of both company and employee. Or at least they are where I live. What country are you in?

[d0nnivain]

I don't see work place bullying here. I see a new supervisor who is holding you to company standards & you failing to meet them.

 

If as you say you have some type of learning disability, and you suffer from anxiety / depression you may be able to ask for a reasonable accommodation but what would that be -- lesser responsibilities? More time to complete tasks? You have to have some idea of what it is that you want your employer to do to be able to help you succeed. But in the end you must be able to perform the essential functions of the job.

 

You admit that you let things slide & you make mistakes. When those issues are pointed out to you, you call that bullying. It's not.

 

Look, I get it, when you feel attacked it's harder to go to work & the stress makes it tough to concentrate. Then you are prone to more mistakes.

 

Other than the Spanish name calling, what were the other examples of how you were mistreated? The law doesn't get involved in bad management. The law can only help you if you are being targeted because you are a member of a protected class; because you are being singled out due to your gender, your sexual orientation, your national origin, your health status etc. All I hear you saying is your boss doesn't like you. While that is unfortunate & stressful, it's not illegal.

 

I do hope you can get the doctor's note, take some time off, get your resume together & exit gracefully with your head held high.

[Sassydiva]

I don't see work place bullying here. I see a new supervisor who is holding you to company standards & you failing to meet them.

 

If as you say you have some type of learning disability, and you suffer from anxiety / depression you may be able to ask for a reasonable accommodation but what would that be -- lesser responsibilities? More time to complete tasks? You have to have some idea of what it is that you want your employer to do to be able to help you succeed. But in the end you must be able to perform the essential functions of the job.

 

You admit that you let things slide & you make mistakes. When those issues are pointed out to you, you call that bullying. It's not.

 

Look, I get it, when you feel attacked it's harder to go to work & the stress makes it tough to concentrate. Then you are prone to more mistakes.

 

Other than the Spanish name calling, what were the other examples of how you were mistreated? The law doesn't get involved in bad management. The law can only help you if you are being targeted because you are a member of a protected class; because you are being singled out due to your gender, your sexual orientation, your national origin, your health status etc. All I hear you saying is your boss doesn't like you. While that is unfortunate & stressful, it's not illegal.

 

I do hope you can get the doctor's note, take some time off, get your resume together & exit gracefully with your head held high.

the issue with bullying isn’t mistakes being pointed out the issue is being threatened that I’ll be terminated if she decides to write me up..it causes me to have a panic attack.the last site I worked at had a new supervisor who sent me harassing,unprofessional emails and I know for a fact it isn’t me being sensitive about mistakes. I can handle that, but it’s another when your spoken to in a disrespectful manner.

[Sassydiva]

HR is there to manage needs of both company and employee. Or at least they are where I live. What country are you in?

United States

[d0nnivain]

the issue with bullying isn’t mistakes being pointed out the issue is being threatened that I’ll be terminated if she decides to write me up..it causes me to have a panic attack.the last site I worked at had a new supervisor who sent me harassing,unprofessional emails and I know for a fact it isn’t me being sensitive about mistakes. I can handle that, but it’s another when your spoken to in a disrespectful manner.

 

That's not bullying. It is poor & ineffective management because you perceive it as bullying but it's not illegal.

[Mr. Lucky]

the issue with bullying isn’t mistakes being pointed out the issue is being threatened that I’ll be terminated if she decides to write me up..

 

That's how progressive discipline works. Sassydiva, by your own account, you've made yourself eligible for just these consequences. As you've been advised, freshen up the resume and look for another job before your employer makes that choice for you...

 

Mr. Lucky

[anika99]

OP is there an HR department you can talk to in order to find out exactly what the rules are regarding termination? Where I work it is normal to be terminated after 3 disciplinary incidents. Those disciplinary actions ould be written warnings or suspensions, however disciplinary actions only stay on our record for two years.

 

If you worked for my company the write up you received in 2016 would have been removed from your record by now and couldn't be used against you. It's silly to me to hold past mistakes against employees until the end of all time. There is no such thing as perfection, all employees are going to make mistakes on occasion and managers can be biased and extra eager to discipline an employee that they don't like. If you have an HR department talk to them.

[BaileyB]

If there is a problem with job performance, the manager/employer is within reason to do a performance appraisal, have a discussion about expectations, and eventually - present some consequences. That’s not bullying, that’s called performance management.

 

If you have anxiety/learning disability, has it been diagnosed by a physician? If that is the case, the employer is required to make certain accommodations. But certainly not if they do not have any documentation that these issues have been diagnosed by a physician. Your word - I get panic attacks and I can’t do this because I have a learning disability - is just simply not going to be enough...

 

Take a deep breath, find a good psychologist or visit your doctor, and start working on your resume... just in case. Good luck. Stay strong!

[GamedNerd5]

the issue with bullying isn’t mistakes being pointed out the issue is being threatened that I’ll be terminated if she decides to write me up..it causes me to have a panic attack.the last site I worked at had a new supervisor who sent me harassing,unprofessional emails and I know for a fact it isn’t me being sensitive about mistakes. I can handle that, but it’s another when your spoken to in a disrespectful manner.

 

A lot of managers do that so you can meet companies productivity goals. Don’t beat yourself up and do your best. A lot of people don’t understand that managers themselves are under stress sometimes because corporate wants them to meet quotas