back up your coworkers or just look out for yourself

[Vega]

Well, I spoke up at work. I am tired of the abuse and the nitpicking and the horrible work conditions. I was part of a team - who all said they would back me up. They did verbablly and to our boss, but I was the one spoke up about it and documented it. The one boss - who to our faces - told us that we were in the right and the 'new' boss was in the wrong - told me today that *I* was the one who was in the wrong and the 'new' boss was in the right. They would not consider any of the documentation and then told me that because I was the only one who put it into writing I was the one who was the problem. What it boils down to is that the 'big' boss doesn't want anyone from the old team there and told my boss to fire me. My boss said she couldn't afford to lose anyone else right now so she is reassigning me.

 

Plus - she said - if the person who takes over my current job had no problems that will prove to them that it was me. And if I have any problems at all on the new assignment I'm out. We all know that its a set-up and has been in the works for a while.

 

I'm getting a write-up in my personnel file which will not include any of the documentation that shows the good I've done or the kudos that I have received prior to all of this because they won't consider any attaboys from anyone other than my new boss - who is the one setting me up. (I have three bosses)

 

Moral of the story: Shut up and take it. Don't stand up for yourself. Don't believe anyone in authority when they tell you they are on your side - even when they shake hands on it. If you are told to do something the wrong way - do it, don't question it, because companies don't care even when they say they do care. Anything they put in writing isn't worth the paper its printed on because companies always reserve the right to change it at any time - and they will. If you show initiative - don't unless told to and told exactly how. Understand that the bosses will always take all the credit and pass the crap on to you. And if a big company constantly tells everyone how great they are, what a wonderful member of the community and a sought-after employer - don't believe it. Don't trust anyone and take care only of yourself and screw everyone else.

 

Lets hope I can find a new job within the next two weeks, because that's how much time I have. At least now I know.

 

Yeah. I'm bitter. I've earned that at least.

[whichwayisup]

GO to your Human Resources department and tell them everything that happened.

 

I smell a lawsuit if they try and get rid of you. The fact that you do a good job with no problems, there isn't any real reason, except the obvious (they're pissed off at you) to even move you out of the department or get rid of you.

 

I feel for what you're going through.

[BeFree]

Can you say....LAWSUIT.

 

you may want to call state board of employment and see what your rights are.

[Vega]

I have consulted an employment attorney and I brought the company handbook with the policies and all emails. He said I could pursue it, but he basically confirmed what I said before - HR is there to protect the company and only protects the employees if there is documented harrassment like physical or sexual or verbal threats with witnesses. The way the company is doing this is slowly so they can get rid of me without breaking policy. It would do more harm than good for me because if I could never use the company as a reference and if anyone did call the company they would only be told that I could not be discussed and that I am not eligible for rehire.

 

Sneaky SOBs. I've never experienced anything like this and I have excellent letters of reference from former employers.

[Vega]

Well, they are not going to fire me right now. They have no cause and know that I'll 'bite back' if I need to. However, they are well within their rights to move me to lower positions in other departments. They can't touch my salary though, even if they do change my title and my responsibilities.

 

These are horrible conditions to be working under though. One woman from my department was told last Thursday that there are a bunch of openings that they are desperatly trying to fill - and have hired 10 new people - but they told me that the didn't know where to put me or have a place for me.

 

I AM looking for a new job and have had a nibble at one of the resume's I've sent out. I asked my former boss at my job (the one who was demoted) if she would give me a reference and she said yes.

 

Now I'm trying to regain my confidence and my good attitude. This has left a very bitter taste and my attitude has changed dramatically and I don't like it. I don't know how to just 'flip a switch' and change back though. I'm afraid I've developed a major chip on my shoulder and cann't seem to knock it, and I can't go into an interview or - hopefully new job - with this on my back. I'm not one who can just change like that. It takes me a while to redevelop trust. Just like many of you who go into new relationships after being hurt terribly from your last one - its the same with me in the working world.

 

I've been so stressed that I've gained weight and am more out of shape than I was. I bought healthy foods today (skipping all the comfort foods I've been using as my crutch these last couple of months) and am trying to MAKE myself exercise and eat better - I know that is a start and I will feel better when I lose some weight and get back into better shape. It's hard because my job entails sitting in front of a computer all day long and only getting up to take something to the clerk or go to the bathroom. I'm going to start taking a regular lunch break and walk for 30 minutes during that time each day - even if it's just walking around the building.

 

But how to I get my confidence back? How do I change my attitude when I'm constantly being beat-down?

[Outcast]

Moral of the story: Shut up and take it. Don't stand up for yourself. Don't believe anyone in authority when they tell you they are on your side - even when they shake hands on it. If you are told to do something the wrong way - do it, don't question it, because companies don't care even when they say they do care. Anything they put in writing isn't worth the paper its printed on because companies always reserve the right to change it at any time - and they will. If you show initiative - don't unless told to and told exactly how. Understand that the bosses will always take all the credit and pass the crap on to you. And if a big company constantly tells everyone how great they are, what a wonderful member of the community and a sought-after employer - don't believe it. Don't trust anyone and take care only of yourself and screw everyone else.

 

You are exactly correct and the naive souls who suggest HR will protect you are out to lunch.

 

Don't let this get to you. This is not about you. This is about you believing people are better than they are. We all do it until we get burned - and then we learn the lesson. Now you've learned the lesson the way we all have, don't beat yourself up for wanting to believe in people. Think of all the time you got to live enjoying the belief that most folks were good and would do the decent thing. Now you know differently. It's a very depressing lesson to learn, I'm afraid, but critical to your success in the working world.

 

You'll do fine from now on because you won't make that mistake ever again so be of good cheer.

[jerbear]

Well, I spoke up at work. I am tired of the abuse and the nitpicking and the horrible work conditions. I was part of a team - who all said they would back me up. They did verbablly and to our boss, but I was the one spoke up about it and documented it. The one boss - who to our faces - told us that we were in the right and the 'new' boss was in the wrong - told me today that *I* was the one who was in the wrong and the 'new' boss was in the right. They would not consider any of the documentation and then told me that because I was the only one who put it into writing I was the one who was the problem. What it boils down to is that the 'big' boss doesn't want anyone from the old team there and told my boss to fire me. My boss said she couldn't afford to lose anyone else right now so she is reassigning me.

 

Dissenting and showing disloyalty would earn a reassignment. Sticky situation.

 

The documentation I've always done focuses on what the boss is reading. The sources I keep to myself unless questioned. I once bought out an Harvard Business Review article, a few Lexis-Nexis searchs, when the manager said she doesn't agree and my research was lacking. I bought out my list and gave her the sources. She was my 3rd level manager. Her project did not meet the objectives 100% but she was still around. I however left, voice my opinion to a friend (sent her flowers 1st day of meeting her, good investment) she complained to her boss (my division group senior vp) 2 months later the manager was talked to.

 

Plus - she said - if the person who takes over my current job had no problems that will prove to them that it was me. And if I have any problems at all on the new assignment I'm out. We all know that its a set-up and has been in the works for a while.

 

The boos is speaking BS... They teach me to say those in business school. They use the trial period and 1st year evaluation as a veil to hide things.

 

I'm getting a write-up in my personnel file which will not include any of the documentation that shows the good I've done or the kudos that I have received prior to all of this because they won't consider any attaboys from anyone other than my new boss - who is the one setting me up. (I have three bosses)

 

Not much you can do; you can write a rebuttal to the write-up. I got plenty of those. Personally I get weary of those with perfect records.

 

Moral of the story: Shut up and take it. Don't stand up for yourself. Don't believe anyone in authority when they tell you they are on your side - even when they shake hands on it. If you are told to do something the wrong way - do it, don't question it, because companies don't care even when they say they do care. Anything they put in writing isn't worth the paper its printed on because companies always reserve the right to change it at any time - and they will. If you show initiative - don't unless told to and told exactly how. Understand that the bosses will always take all the credit and pass the crap on to you. And if a big company constantly tells everyone how great they are, what a wonderful member of the community and a sought-after employer - don't believe it. Don't trust anyone and take care only of yourself and screw everyone else.

 

I got the view that one is responsible for their own careers, speaking up and taking initiative is another. Some companies hate when underlings speaking. the managers would shot down the idea, then reintroduce it next month or next year when their bosses ask.

 

Lets hope I can find a new job within the next two weeks, because that's how much time I have. At least now I know.

 

Yeah. I'm bitter. I've earned that at least.

 

Good luck on the job search. Sounds like you have toxic bosses and the company no longer fits you.

[Vega]

Thank you everyone. You are right - I was seeing it as me being the core and I was shouldering all the responsibility for others too. I have covered myself to the best of my ability (with some advice from an employment attorney) in that I've stated things respectifully and focused only on me, not on heresay which I can't document, except for one person who said that they would back me up because they heard the same statement from the same person that I did, and she even wrote it down and signed it - I signed the staement too because if affects both of us.

 

I don't have the write-up in my file - yet. The 2nd boss hasn't "word smithed" it yet. Another employee came back from her interview with that boss and told me and Sheila that the boss was talking about the write-up she put into Sheila's file and even offered to show it to her - then decided that wouldn't be a good idea! Some manager! Sheila said that when she was in her office and they were discussing the write up the manager sent it to a printer and left it there for over 30 minutes for everyone to see - then she couldn't figure out which printer she sent it to. It was laying on a table when they found it - obviously anyone had an opportunity to read it. And yet, when Sheila complained to HR about this - HR backed up the manager!!

 

Why not just put everyone's personnel file out on public display. We all know each other's salaries because the manager has discussed them all with everyone! She "just lets it slip because she's new" so she is excused. SHE should get the write up in her file for inability to understand or maintain confidence.

 

I have another meeting with her tomorrow to discuss my move to a new group - still in her department, but another group. Sad thing is, I like everyone in my current group of co-workers and we worked well together as a team before the management changeover.

 

I know it sounds brown-nosey, but when I move to the new group (in another building) I'm going to bring a big basket of muffins. I do that now sometimes - I'll be at Sam's and buy a bunch of muffins and pastries and I have a big pretty basket that I load up and bring in sometimes and I'll keep it filled for a week. My current team does things like that. Sometimes one will bring in donuts or one will bring in homemade cake or someone will bring in a veggie tray or candy or whatever - we never know who or when, but we all do it because we want to do it for each other.

 

I went to a homeshow a while back and collected lots of the giveaways (key chains, coozies, bags, etc.) and brought them all back and piled them on a table for everyone to take what they wanted. Others have brought things back from vacations like that too. It was a great place to work -- BEFORE.

 

Now when we do that the people on the "other side" come in and take and eat and they never bring anything in for us - they might call and tell us they have leftovers from some lunch meeting and think that's great. Whoo Hoo - I got a bottle of water from them!

[BruiserKC]

Wow...sounds like they needed a scapegoat and you happened to be the one they felt like throwing under the bus. But...who says they have to have the last laugh.

 

Keep all your documentation, and make sure the boss knows that you are documenting everything. Make good notes even going forward from now. Obviously you have to also keep your nose clean and not give them an excuse to get rid of you...I'd make them fire you rather than quit unless you find a new job. And this also makes them realize that if you are dumped and they have no reason that they're in deep trouble.

 

As for references...more and more HR for companies these days only provide that you were employed there and the dates of which you were employed and maybe positions. If they gave you a bad reference there's another lawsuit waiting to happen so if this is a big company they're not going to do that.

[whichwayisup]

They can't touch my salary though, even if they do change my title and my responsibilities.

 

These are horrible conditions to be working under though. One woman from my department was told last Thursday that there are a bunch of openings that they are desperatly trying to fill - and have hired 10 new people - but they told me that the didn't know where to put me or have a place for me.

They will continue to degrade you and wait for you to get pissed off enough to leave on your own...It will be done in small doses...I've seen this happen at my previous job, so be strong and don't take the bulls***! Stand up for what you believe in and if you've had enough - WALK away because the emotional side of this isn't worth losing sleep over.

[prfrogkisser]

I had a very similar situation at my previous job and i couldnt report my boss because her boss was a good friend of hers so i decided to go with the President of the company. I send him a detailed letter with facts and names of people who were witness to the situation. I even took written statements and documented everything that happen in the work place. I received a letter from this man taking her side. This was the last straw so I decided then that i had to leave the company. I put 5 great years and i was under stress because of a recent car accident and this awful boss. My health was the most important thing. I was suffering from anxiety attacks and depression because of my job. This was the best move. I am totally happy with my new job

 

I did file a complain with a US Department of labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the FL Commission of Human Relations. Find out what goverment agencies might be able to help you and i urge you to file a complain or at least get some answers on what can be done in your case.

 

Good Luck!

[Marquis-de-Carabas]

My best advice is to continue to search for a job, and search hard. When you get a good new job offer RUN to another place.

 

I've been off work now for 6 months. I got fired from my job after I complained that my supervisor was bullying me. I put up with a lot of crap that I did not deserve for 4 1/2 years, and I was made to feel that everything that I did was wrong, and that I was no good.

 

A company who wants to get rid of you will, no matter what the others say. The big bosses know how to skirt the HR policies to make it look like you're the worst thing since Adolf Hitler. There's no support for the average joe-worker, it's all a CYA attitude.

 

Good luck on your job search, remind yourself every moment that you think otherwise that you deserve better than what you're getting.