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I'm on special assignment for my job. The director at this newly reclassified position of mine asked me if I had some time to discuss my work. I told him yes and that's when he came into my office and closed the door and locked it to discuss my work.

 

Now...am I missing something here? Since when is it protocol to discuss work with a director behind a locked door during business hours?

 

I didn't say anything because I was trying feverishly figure out what the hell was going on.

 

I felt completely uncomfortable and humiliated. The director got busted and was made to unlock the door and open it another manager.

 

Can you enlighten me and tell me why was this done?

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No but I think you had every right to demand that the door be unlocked. Closed I can see, for discretion but there was no reason to lock it.

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Shining One

Perhaps it's different for me in my line of work, but I frequently have discussions with various members of management (not just my own leaders) behind locked doors. For about a year, my office (the server room) had an always-locked door. I didn't realize this was "abnormal".

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I can see how that could happen in an office environment where people were so casual they might bust in without knocking first. He didn't want anyone walking in in the middle.

 

But sounds like at your place, that's not acceptable, so glad someone busted him for it.

 

This reminded me of a funny short story. We rarely even closed doors at one of my longest jobs, so just closing a door would arouse suspicion. One day I closed the door, and my boss two levels up started yelling and burst in on me. I had a half-grown coonhound I'd found out in the lot on my lap and was feeding it Dinty Moore Stew from the roach coach. I thought he was going to kill me, but then he melted and told me he had no idea before this that I had a heart. Then he called a friend with coonhounds and found it a home.

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closed door meetings are very common these days. no biggie.

 

he locked the door is a bit odd. did he approach you or do anything unprofessional? the door locking could have been an accidental reflex action.

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Where I'm from a grown professional man and woman shouldn't be behind a locked door alone together because of a possible sexual harassment case. It will come down to a he said/she said type of scenario and usually the law errors on the side of the woman.

 

This is why in law enforcement as well as other professions i.e. medical you'd never find a man and a woman alone in specific situations without the same gender being a credible witness to the situation.

 

I am uncomfortable and am forced to change my hours at work due to a possibility of being raped during work hours. No one should work under these conditions.

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Why am I the only one who is talked to behind closed/locked doors?

 

The men in the office talk with each other about work while the door is open.

 

I question, why am I being singled out. What is wrong with me that I'm the only one who being treated in such a manner.

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Shining One
Where I'm from a grown professional man and woman shouldn't be behind a locked door alone together because of a possible sexual harassment case.
Is this documented in company policy anywhere? Was this covered during sexual harassment training?

Many of the locked-door meetings I had are with women. Our head of HR (whom I have the most confidential meetings with) is female. Most of our Legal team is female and I have frequent meetings with them.

I am uncomfortable and am forced to change my hours at work due to a possibility of being raped during work hours. No one should work under these conditions.
Based on what you've posted, I think it's a bit of a stretch to assume he locked the door because he was trying to rape you. Is there some additional information you're leaving out?

Why am I the only one who is talked to behind closed/locked doors?

 

The men in the office talk with each other about work while the door is open.

 

I question, why am I being singled out. What is wrong with me that I'm the only one who being treated in such a manner.

Is your special assignment confidential in nature? If so, a secure room seems like a prudent choice.
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Perhaps it's different for me in my line of work, but I frequently have discussions with various members of management (not just my own leaders) behind locked doors. For about a year, my office (the server room) had an always-locked door. I didn't realize this was "abnormal".

 

The server room is locked to protect the computer.

 

One of the biggest work place threats from an employer's perspective is that some disgruntled employee with take a baseball bat to all the hardware

 

 

I am uncomfortable and am forced to change my hours at work due to a possibility of being raped during work hours. No one should work under these conditions.

 

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

 

Are you seriously saying that you thought your boss was going to rape you when he locked that door? Did he actually touch you? Did you call the police?

 

You can't make allegations like that on mere paranoia.

 

If there was a physical assault or even an attempt, you have to call the police, file a report & get a lawyer.

 

Why am I the only one who is talked to behind closed/locked doors?

 

The men in the office talk with each other about work while the door is open.

 

I question, why am I being singled out. What is wrong with me that I'm the only one who being treated in such a manner.

 

If men have conversations in public but you get pulled into closed / locked rooms you have to ask why. Point blank ask your boss why the differences? Tell him you were uncomfortable when he locked the door. Report him to HR if you have one. Talk to the other manager who you characterized as "busting" him.

 

You have to stick up for yourself. No one else will. One thing most (not all but the majority) victims of sexual harassment have in common is that they are victims. Life happens to them but they do nothing except sit there & take it, afraid to rock the boat, afraid to say no. Don't be that passive. Draw your boundaries & stick to them.

 

As a young woman in my early 20s my Big Boss grabbed my butt one night after a client dinner. Everybody had been drinking. I slapped him across the face. When he roared at me & threatened to fire me, I looked at him in all seriousness & said "I don't know why you're upset. I thought we were doing offensive touching. You started it by grabbing my ass." He never touched me again.

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GunslingerRoland

Any conversation regarding personal discussions take's place behind closed doors at my work (and most workplaces). Those include many conversations between a male and a female.

 

Unless I'm missing something in this story, there is a huge jump from what you described, to why you should have been fearing being raped?

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GunslingerRoland

This is why in law enforcement as well as other professions i.e. medical you'd never find a man and a woman alone in specific situations without the same gender being a credible witness to the situation.

 

Also worth noting that like you said these are very specific situations. Such as a prisoner and a guard, or a patient under anesthesia. A situation where one person is helpless.

 

I can't say I've ever heard of any workplace (in modern North America) where two people of opposite gender that work together (even with one as the boss) are not allowed to be alone together.

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It is a confidential assignment and the boss who was trying to get the door open said he was going to report the director.

 

The director feels like he's been getting to close (physically) to me by making small talk and talking about personal information about himself.

 

I'm just going to go to work during the hours where there are people there to protect me.

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GunslingerRoland

The director feels like he's been getting to close (physically) to me by making small talk and talking about personal information about himself.

 

You left those details out of your previous posts.

 

I don't totally understand the situation, but I think you need to talk to your HR or someone in management you trust, if you feel like you are at any risk of physical harm in your job.

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Shining One

OP, we're not getting an accurate picture here. Please describe in detail what this director did that violates company policy. What exactly is he being reported for?

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Long story short, I'm receiving attention that goes against the department's policy. If my male colleagues are being treated in one manner than the same should go for me to receive the same treatment.

 

I was advised that we're in a secured, undisclosed location. The doors do not need to be closed to discuss sensitive information because only authorized staff are screened and permitted in my area.

 

Doors are not to be locked during business hours due to safety/fire hazards.

 

Enough said. I am protected.

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GunslingerRoland

It's hard to give real advice when you are being SO vague and cryptic.

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RecentChange

OP –all I have to say is that I am very sorry your work environment makes you feel this way. I have never experienced any of these emotions in the work place, and I can’t even imagine.

 

My first thought was that the locking the door was a bit odd, but closing it not. I have one on one closed door meetings with my male colleagues ALL the time, never once thought twice of it, and I am sure that it is not against our company policy. Sometimes I am the one to go in a male colleagues office and shut the door behind me, other times they come to me.

 

But I also work with a small close knit group, one guy I have an “annoying kid brother” relationship with, and the other is more fatherly / mentor role, neither are in any way a threat, in fact, I have never worked with a man I felt was any way a threat.

 

Does your company have a good culture? Is it a place where you can feel safe, respected and collaborate freely? I can’t imagine reporting to a job every day that was stirring the feelings that you have shared here.

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