harassment in the workplace? please help?

BeautyFromPain

Hi there,

A certain manager I work with is just a downright *kitten*.

He makes all the girls feel very uncomfortable whilst at work.
Eg today he was saying that i didn't have a boyfriend because of my looks and saying that i obviously was a bad kisser and f***er! how the hell would he know? Other than the fact that is degrading that is complete and utter inappropriate conversation for the workplace. He says this sort of stuff to all the different girls there and he tried to fire one girl because he touched her *kitten* by "accident" and she was upset and talking to her friend about it. He also always talks about his $ex life whilst in work when all the girls are around.

He is just a manager now, but becoming a store manager soon, idk what to do because he said he would fire me if I went to higher management, and I really need the money.

What would you do?

willy0524

Document document and document everything!!!

havingitall

There are laws against this type of behaviour. First of all, you need to ask him to stop as it makes you feel uncomfortable. Document the times and situations in which he has done this. If he continues after you ask him to stop, take it to his manager. If they do not deal with it, their are government agencies that handle this sort of thing

Railr0aderTony

report it, no job is worth taking abuse

Mommy2Avaj

Get in touch with corporate/owner. District or regional manager. That is completely out of line. I was fired wrongfully by a manager that coped a feel. I told my husband who, of course, went up there and beat the **** out of him. Lol thinkin bout it, thas prolly why I got fired Hahahaha. But yea, gurl, do something. It could get worse.

thebigcb

Document document and document everything!!!

This, and you need a witness too it. Time, place, emails etc, keep it all, then go to HR. Shocking way for a manager to behave. What age is IT, 15?

EricNCSU

Talk to your Human Resources people IMMEDIATELY! Especially if they are going to move him up to a higher position with contact to more people?? Ridiculous. He should be fired for making lewd comments to you, much less the other girls.

SuperSexyDork

You need to document and report it. Write down the things he says/does on an electronic medium that can be dated/timed.

http://www.equalrights.org/publications/kyr/shwork.asp

If you read through this, you'll see that there are also laws against retaliation. Him simply threatening to fire you for reporting is against the law. Here is a quote from that article, "Not only is sexual harassment against the law, but so is retaliating (taking revenge) against someone for complaining about sexual harassment or for participating in an investigation of sexual harassment." Retaliation can include demoting you, firing you, making you take a leave of absence, etc.

imogenjade

he cant fire you for going higher i dont think. you can sue him. just go higher and tell them. get all the girls he does it to awsell to all come forward xxx

Di3012

Hi there,

A certain manager I work with is just a downright *kitten*.

He makes all the girls feel very uncomfortable whilst at work.
Eg today he was saying that i didn't have a boyfriend because of my looks and saying that i obviously was a bad kisser and f***er! how the hell would he know? Other than the fact that is degrading that is complete and utter inappropriate conversation for the workplace. He says this sort of stuff to all the different girls there and he tried to fire one girl because he touched her *kitten* by "accident" and she was upset and talking to her friend about it. He also always talks about his $ex life whilst in work when all the girls are around.

He is just a manager now, but becoming a store manager soon, idk what to do because he said he would fire me if I went to higher management, and I really need the money.

What would you do?

Don't fart about with somebody like this.

Log absolutely everything he does and says that is inappropriate, dates, times and who the victim was. Get your colleagues to do the same.

It shouldn't take you too long to get enough info by the sounds of it, then when you have enough stuff to go on write a letter to your HR Department, with photocopies of all the evidence and put in a grievance - all of you do this.

He is disgusting and you should never have to put up with stuff like that, he shouldn't even be speaking to you like that let alone belittling you!

Don't forget to photocopy ALL letters and notes that you all take, stuff can sometimes have a "weird" way of going missing, don't let that happen.

Sexual discrimination - it is illegal.

Swissmiss

Document document and document everything!!!

Yes ^^^^ And, do you have an HR department where you work? If so, then they should be made aware of what is happening.

k2charmed4u

I'd go above him to the top management, document everything and show it to them. He cannot dismiss you for him causing harrasment in the workplace towards yourself and others it will be classed as an unlawful dismissal and you can persue him legally. The company you work for however should defend you and your work colleagues. It is there responsibility to discipline or even sack the man involved. make sure the others girls will back you up as it will only make it harder if it's your word against his.

Good luck hun :flowerforyou:

P.S. as above ^^^ approach your HR department for advice. Legally they are not allowed to tell any other member of staff within your company without your permission about what's happening. So you can gain advice without anyone knowing.

dad106

He can't fire you for going to higher management.. Thats illegal. If he did, then you would have a lawsuit on your hands because you could prove that he fired you for going to higher management.

Document and go to HR. This guy needs to be stopped.. and that other girl he fired for talking about what he did to her, can also start a lawsuit... he's in the wrong here.. not you guys.

batgirl8809

Document everything. If you have someone in your HR department that you trust take it to them. If not, file a complaint with the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunities Commission) and state that you are in a hostile work environment and are being discriminated against because of your sex.

Wish I didn't know all this but I've been there.

joankpoirier

set your phone on video and record his nasty *kitten*. than take that to corp! THEY have to do something at that point. if they do not than you send it to a local TV station and tell them what is going on

driaxx

Once my disgusting manager was hitting on this girl we work with (who was 15 mind you!) and when she sat on chocolate he made some dirty joke about getting to touch it and wipe off the mess. So disgusting!!! Another time he actually did slap one of our workers on the *kitten*.

So someone wrote an 'anonymous' letter to HR and he got in big trouble and eventually transferred stores.

Lolli1986

that sort of behaviour is a big deal in Australia and the law is on your side.

if anything is said at work that you are not comfortable with you are certainly supported in stating this. i am very careful about certain topics in my work place, and will tell a boss if i am not happy to discuss a certain topic even if we get along great guns.

this goes further than that, so yes, as others have said documentation helps, but also you can go straight to his superior right now, mention it, get him/her to make take record of you reporting it, and ask their advice regarding how to handle his behaviour.

the whole 'document document document' thing is true and helps, but there is no need to feel disempowered by the thought that documenting or getting witness to this sort of behaviour is actually very difficult. it is, in fact, his supervisor's JOB to help you in the initial stages of dealing with this. it will also be someone's job to more officially advise you regarding any more official reports, but first port of call is his supervisor, and you don't need any documentation for that because you are literally saying 'hey, xyz is happening, what do I do?'

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Report this matter to your HR Department. Yes he is just a Manager & another employee of the company so he should be treated the same when it comes to implementing company policies.

awisegirl84

set your phone on video and record his nasty *kitten*. than take that to corp! THEY have to do something at that point. if they do not than you send it to a local TV station and tell them what is going on

Make sure you know what the laws are. In some places it is illegal to record someone without their knowledge and consent.

AbzRocks

You should have your phone on record and record him saying things then take it to higher management then they will get rid of him!

cloud2011

Guys like this are bullies in their own way and rely on people NOT to report them or to fight back. So as others are saying, document everything, get it on audio or video if possible. Also, maybe get together with your co-workers and come up with a unified way to deal with him. For example, if he says something crude or rude, you need to say, I don't like what you just said to me and I want you to stop. It's unacceptable behavior. Or, if he touches you, yell, "STOP, don't touch me! Keep your hands to yourself! That's wrong!"

He relies on silence to continue to do what he's doing. I would still report him, but I would also make it clear his behavior is WRONG. If no one says anything, he's going to say "Oh, everyone knew I was just joking."

Easier said than done, I know. I once had a Chief Financial Officer of a billion dollar company, ask if I would sit on his lap. About 4 or 5 other people were in the room. I said, you have a lot of nerve right down the hall from so and so's office (head of HR). He replied, "Oh, she can sit on my lap, too. "

I did nothing and still regret it. I should have gone immediately down the hall to report it, and then gotten a lawyer.

BeautyFromPain

Guys like this are bullies in their own way and rely on people NOT to report them or to fight back. So as others are saying, document everything, get it on audio or video if possible. Also, maybe get together with your co-workers and come up with a unified way to deal with him. For example, if he says something crude or rude, you need to say, I don't like what you just said to me and I want you to stop. It's unacceptable behavior. Or, if he touches you, yell, "STOP, don't touch me! Keep your hands to yourself! That's wrong!"

He relies on silence to continue to do what he's doing. I would still report him, but I would also make it clear his behavior is WRONG. If no one says anything, he's going to say "Oh, everyone knew I was just joking."

Easier said than done, I know. I once had a Chief Financial Officer of a billion dollar company, ask if I would sit on his lap. About 4 or 5 other people were in the room. I said, you have a lot of nerve right down the hall from so and so's office (head of HR). He replied, "Oh, she can sit on my lap, too. "

I did nothing and still regret it. I should have gone immediately down the hall to report it, and then gotten a lawyer.

I have told him multiple times to either stop or I am going to report it to the owners, he has now hidden the managers number book so I cannot find the owners number. Will send a letter to HO (head office) most definitely. Thankyou everyone.

jjscholar

First of all, no one should ever have to put up with any sort of harassment... While I am not a lawyer, I know that what your manager has been doing is wrong...

The only recommendations that I know of are: (1) to report the harasser to your company's human resources department; and/or (2) consult with a labor relations attorney... These recommendations are applicable for those who live in the United States... In the United States the type of harassment you are describing would be a violation of your civil rights...

I do not know what are the anti harassment laws where your place of work is...

Sometimes, it is necessary to take aggressive legal action against those who engage in illegal harassment...

Umeboshi

Go to higher management anyway. Don't take that awful abuse from him anymore. Document (try to record some of the harassment if possible) and talk to other witnesses to see if they'll back you up when you go to upper management. Is your work unionized? If so, you can go to the union and they will fight for you.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

set your phone on video and record his nasty *kitten*. than take that to corp! THEY have to do something at that point. if they do not than you send it to a local TV station and tell them what is going on

Make sure you know what the laws are. In some places it is illegal to record someone without their knowledge and consent.

But it is equally illegal to sexually harass someone.

Umeboshi

I have told him multiple times to either stop or I am going to report it to the owners, he has now hidden the managers number book so I cannot find the owners number. Will send a letter to HO (head office) most definitely. Thankyou everyone.

Good that you're standing up for yourself. I hope everything goes smoothly and they fire that creep. I'm so sorry you had to go through such horrible harassment.

april_beth

document, record, go to the highest up you can go. if you get terminated, sue for wrongful termination. in the meantime, for the love of christ, look for another job.

Jules2Be

Document document and document everything!!!

This, and you need a witness too it. Time, place, emails etc, keep it all, then go to HR. Shocking way for a manager to behave. What age is IT, 15?

yep...this manager is a pieceof*****kitten* that needs to be out of there...you have the right to a safe work environment. There is definitely strength in numbers. Make sure you do get anyone else who has experienced this to document.

Francesca3162

Go to his boss, report what you are observing first hand, DO NOT SAY so and so told you.. Do not get all dramatci about it, just report the facts. They have to investigate your claim.. if there are others who have witnessed or been victims of his harassment, have them file thier own complaints as well.

If after filing your complaints, HR or Management does nothing and the harassment continues, speak to them again or write a professional letter outlining all you actions in reporting this, and what has or has not been done to this end.

If they still do nothing- contact a lawyer.....

Kristan_Forsey

You should secretly record him. Video or sound, both if possible. What an utter creep!

Paxtonite

do not go to the persons superior - they gave him the job. if you have an HR department, go to them first.

and yes, try and document everything. if your phone has a voice-recording or video function, use it discreetly.