Dealing with an abusive person...

13

Replies

  • Couple of thoughts here:
    - There are people like that everywhere - YOU are in control and can work where YOU want to. If he was like that to you in the interview, I guarantee he was like that to others and THEY are still working there and dealing with that kind of person. If that is not who YOU are, then you would probably not get along with those who took the job and are willing to be pushed around by someone like that and stand that kind of language and 'playing' with the pay rate. You have to love what you do for a living, or at least not hate going in to work. Good for you for being strong enough to be comfortable with who you are.
    - Have you talked with your doctor about a mild anti-depressent medicine for a while. Even though you went thru trauma in your life, there are sometimes hormone / chemical imbalances that just need a 'jump start' to get back where they should be. Maybe a talk with your doctor will get you something to get you thru those frustrating 'crying phases'. Been there, done that. Mine was hormones, I took them for a couple years, got off, and fine now. I would just cry over anything. Just a thought. (Hope this does not offend you - not intended that way - just a thought).
  • thomassd1969
    thomassd1969 Posts: 564 Member
    He needs reported, Is there a boss over him or the owner of the company? Thats unacceptable. Call the better business bureau they can tell you who to get ahold of. None of this was your fault, at all!
  • CherylGardner
    CherylGardner Posts: 75 Member
    Your instincts were spot on. The 0.25 IS a big deal, in the long run, and they most definitely do have to pay for any time you spend in a dedicated training program that they require. If this guy was this big of a jerk on the first day, there was absolutely no way he was going to "work around your schooling". Which would just make you more stressed.

    First, it sounds like this guy was NOT the guy who interviewed you/offered you the job. If that's the case, I would most definitely get on the phone with whomever did. Explain to them what happened... you want to make sure they get the "real" story as to why you only worked that day. God know what that guy will say about you... and that could lead to him doing this to other people.

    Second, don't bother putting this one-day job on any applications/resumes. It most likely wouldn't ever come back on a background check -- I work in HR and we do background checks on our employees... and it's only to verify that you worked the position, so if you don't tell us about it, we can't verify it. And most companies that do background checks these days use a 3rd party to conduct the check and they are only confirming the facts - dates worked, titles, salary, etc. Not performance or recommendations.

    Third, absolutely do NOT beat yourself up over this. There's no way working for that guy would be a good fit in your situation. You did the right thing.
  • SirBen81
    SirBen81 Posts: 396 Member
    In future interviews, explain it just how you did here. Deciding to quite a job after the first couple days is not uncommon, and any reasonable employer would understand this.
  • SpankyBuns
    SpankyBuns Posts: 24 Member
    If someone is going to be like this from the start, I would tell them see-ya
  • lisag2007
    lisag2007 Posts: 130
    Why do you need to mention this in job interview? You didn't actually work there so it doesn't need to go on your resume.

    Is this a large firm? You should contact the Head Office or if they are a small firm the HR department and report this person for his behaviour.

    THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT. <3

    I agree with the above....and also that you do not need to disclose this information to any future employer. Hang in there and friend me if you need more support. :)
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    You made the choice that was right for you. As far as future job interviews, no one has to know about this. You don't need him for a reference. Don't even worry about it. Just get out there and find the job that is right for you! Feel better and best of luck! :flowerforyou:
  • rprussell2004
    rprussell2004 Posts: 870 Member
    Technically I worked there for one day...wouldn't this show up on a background check?

    It wont show up so don't worry about it

    Especially if they never issued a paycheck. No worries.

    PLUS, if you don't have a history of "job hopping" then even if the topic DID come up, the aberration is the company and not you.

    After your description, you couldn't pay me enough to work for that man. He didn't want an employee - he wanted a whipping-girl.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    so one altercation with a rude boss and it makes him an abusive person?

    The behaviour described sounds like he's an abusive boss. It's not merely "rude" to scream and curse and call employees stupid. Combined with the bait-and-switch on the hourly pay, I think there are plenty of red flags for an abusive bully.

    ..or he could have been having a bad day. its a one time interaction with one person. people need to be given more than one opportunity/ conversation before you report them and wreck their lives by getting them fired. if there is one thing i have learned from going from fat to fit its that its never good to be quick to judge others. the guy was undoubtedly an *kitten* hole, no reason he cant be the greatest boss tomorow. one situation is not enough to assess a person.

    my opinion
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    The first thing you should do is find out what the minimum wage is in your state. Here in WA is $9.04. You can find out easily by googling. Then if he wasn't offering minimum wage, report his *kitten* and tell everything you observed. It's against the law to abuse your employees by verbal abuse or intimidation. Report him. You will be doing many people a favor.
  • Be proud of yourself for getting out of a bad situation and do not disclose it on future interviews, did not work there long enough. That employer has a major problem and you had the strength to stand up for yourself. :smile:
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I try not to promote things. But I read one book on management. This thing pretty much changed my entire way of thinking.
    I think you should read it. But basically you can't train someones personality, but you can train their skills. If your boss was a *** then he was just going to be an *** and you make the right call 100%.


    http://www.amazon.com/The-*kitten*-Rule-Civilized-Workplace/dp/0446526568
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    so one altercation with a rude boss and it makes him an abusive person?

    The behaviour described sounds like he's an abusive boss. It's not merely "rude" to scream and curse and call employees stupid. Combined with the bait-and-switch on the hourly pay, I think there are plenty of red flags for an abusive bully.

    ..or he could have been having a bad day. its a one time interaction with one person. people need to be given more than one opportunity/ conversation before you report them and wreck their lives by getting them fired. if there is one thing i have learned from going from fat to fit its that its never good to be quick to judge others. the guy was undoubtedly an *kitten* hole, no reason he cant be the greatest boss tomorow. one situation is not enough to assess a person.

    my opinion

    A bad day? It is unlawful to intimidate employees; and especially by the business owner. When you manage people you don't get a "bad day". You must abide by the law. Like if you robbed a bank you could say you had a bad day and only did it once? Right.

    People who talk about other stupid people that have worked for them? I was on the management team for an international company. I KNOW this person. Not personally, but I have known many people like this. He has no business managing his own employees. This guy wouldn't last 5 minutes working for a law abiding company. You don't yell at people. You don't insult people. You don't talk about people behind their backs. You don't lie to your employees or new hires. You can't make hourly people take "training" paperwork home to do on their own time. There are so many violations here, based on what the OP has revealed.
  • CherylGardner
    CherylGardner Posts: 75 Member
    Especially if they never issued a paycheck. No worries.

    PLUS, if you don't have a history of "job hopping" then even if the topic DID come up, the aberration is the company and not you.

    After your description, you couldn't pay me enough to work for that man. He didn't want an employee - he wanted a whipping-girl.

    They have to pay her for any time she worked. It would be illegal not to. If she worked one day, they need to pay her for it.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Red flags GALORE.... from being shifty on wages to agitated about your questions of being paid for training to the way he treats his employees. I would have done the same thing (or even walked out before). No one needs to work in that environment and he is using the high unemployment rate as leverage ("Do you want to work here or not?" and such).

    Isn't minimum wage $8 something?

    I wouldn't even list it in other job applications and such unless you really feel the need (even with no work for the past several years ... I'm in the same boat here, I know how silly it feels to having nothing to put for work experience). You never really worked for that company so it isn't pertinent to job applications.
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
    dont tell future employers about this job..i did this at my last job..i thought it was some place i wanted to work since i had the same job in a different city, but when i got there, i basically had no rights, and since i got no training, and things had severely changed since the last time, i was scolded for everything i did..i decided i was done, so i called the next day and said my husband was going to be working longer hours, and i could not accept the job, and the manager told me i needed to bring my uniform in, and talk to the lady that hired me..the next day i came in, and the manager i talked to on the phone looked at me when i came in, and under his breath, i heard him say "oh no" in a tone that was like why are you here..then the hiring manager looked at me, rolled her eyes at me, and asked if i was there to turn in my uniform, i said yes, and she said in a rude voice, hold on a minute. i waited for about 5 minutes, then she said put it down, goodbye..the second she rolled here eyes at me, i knew i made the right decision..it just made me nervous to have to deal with her..as for your situation, that sucks..you can always tell when a place is wrong for you..i have another story of a $hitty job offer, and how i knew it would be a horrible place, but i will save that for next time..good luck, doll:flowerforyou:
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member

    Isn't minimum wage $8 something?



    no, i think min wage goes up to only $7.50 this year or something
  • tdmcmains
    tdmcmains Posts: 227 Member
    You totally did the right thing. If it comes up in the future, you can simply say you left after one day because the boss was abusive. I think that would shut anyone up pretty quick.

    Do the right thing for yourself. I dated a horribly abusive person for years. I felt worthless and like I couldn't leave, like nobody would ever put up with me because I was utterly worthless. THIS was after losing a fabulous, wonderful boyfriend to a drunk driver. It was the WRONG rebound relationship to have. I was in a terribly fragile state and he took advantage of it. Eventually I found out he was cheating on me and I left ELATED. I was THRILLED to finally have a reason to leave (because the abuse wasn't enough). You did the right thing. Leaving is wonderful. Don't regret it for a second.
  • Argent78
    Argent78 Posts: 151 Member
    Hey girl, you did the best!!! It is a huge step for you to want to get your life together again, and you should be PROUD of yourself for being able to run away from a situation that you knew it would be bad for you. You are choosing to be happier, and not destroy yourself accepting working for a person that will make you feel horrible! I think what you did was amazing, and requires strength. :)
    If this shows up on another work interview, just tell the truth, that this person was abusive, etc... and probably another boss will value somebody that values herself.
  • Jude1064
    Jude1064 Posts: 83 Member
    My mom committed suicide when I was pregnant with my first child. I had struggled with infertility for several years. With the help of fertility treatments I had finally become pregnant. I felt totally betrayed that she would do that to me during what was supposed to be the happiest time of my life. It took me a long time to realize it wasnt my fault for the choice she made. You need to believe that too. As for the a- hole boss. Forget him. Chances are you are not the first one he has done this to. Sounds like he is the one with the problems. Don't blame yourself. Take it as a learning experience and move on to bigger and better things!
  • randa_behnam
    randa_behnam Posts: 488 Member
    you have every right to report this, do you have a union or a person higher up that you can go to? im sure you arent the first person he has bullied and you certainly wont be the last.

    you need to get yourself better and you did the right thing but not sticking around! something good will come up, dont worry :o)
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
    I know how you feel to a degree. I'm Bipolar and have an anxiety disorder that not only caused me to fail 4 school grades, repeating only 1 thank God, but had me barred from the school campus and put on what they call "homebound" my Senior year because I was deemed too unstable to be around others after I had a meltdown and went through several psychiatrists and outpatient facilities (and nearly two inpatient ones) at 17. My dad had screwed me up so it was a lot of work emotionally, though I can't compare that struggle to yours since your mom committed suicide.

    Anyway even though I was put on disability I wanted to get a job because I wanted to get my life back and try to gain some normalcy. That and I had lost all my friends and I was hoping a job would find me some in coworkers, but that's beside the point. I applied for jobs for about 4 months and no one was taking me either because of my weight or because I had no previous experience running retail or anything else that didn't require a degree. I finally got a job at a local coffee shop chain and luckily my manager, the woman who hired me, was a sweetheart. Unfortunately the people training me were not. The first one who trained me was tolerant because, hey, I was new. The rest of the crew on shift yelled at me if I stood still too long. My second day when the manager was gone I had the lead barista who was supposed to train me. And y'know I get it, you need to show the new person you can't twiddle your thumbs but she would show me maybe the first two steps of how things were done then tell me to finish it. I'm 5'2" and was ordered to refill one of the machines with beans and I was verbally threatened about if I spilled even ONE bean. The machine was a good 6 inches taller than me and no one was willing to give me a stool. I spilled maybe a cup of the beans, got yelled at. I was told to mark the cups as the orders came in (and we all know they have special letter and symbol combos which I had not learned) and after 3 cups she yelled at me that I was "wasting product" and just told me to hand her the receipts. I took too long sweeping outside, I took too long cleaning the tables and chairs, I packed the sugar packets wrong, I couldn't slice lemon wedges that big what was I stupid I was wasting the company's money, I get put on bathroom cleaning duty and get yelled at for taking too long because not only did I have to pick up an actual turd and then sanitize the floor but I dared to wait for a customer (who unknowingly was a company inspector) to finish to clean the other bathroom and holy hell I didn't tell someone to cover the register there had been a line out the door when in reality there had been three people that another coworker (who hated me because she was apparently the designated register girl) had taken care of for me, and I had the audacity to tell her I was now running 15 minutes into overtime because she threw me in the stock room to stock about 12 boxes worth of coffee bean bags that were for store use and retail and organize them.

    After an 8 hour shift (and mind you I signed up for part time, aka 4 hour shifts) with no break whatsoever (the company policy stated for every 4 hours worked an employee got a 15 minute break, the only time I sat down that day was when I used bathroom duty as an excuse to finally USE the bathroom) I went home in both physical and emotional pain because I had basically been treated like crap by a woman who had dared come in 20 minutes late for her shift and then spend the first 15, on the clock mind you, on her cellphone cursing like a sailor with her headset set on Universal, meaning the Drive-Thru customers heard her filthy mouth and we had to give away drinks. It also happened that I dislocated my left knee from that shift and had to spend a week on crutches, 2 months in physical therapy, and 3 months using a cane. After only 2 days of working I had to quit because I could not handle treatment like that and beside the point, I could barely walk.

    I felt like crap because even though my manager said she would recommend me if I put them on any application and that I was guaranteed my job back if I ever wanted it, there was no way I could tell another potential employer I'd worked two days and quit. What's worse was when my knee healed I took a job at the animal control center and quit an hour before my first day's shift ended. I wasn't being harassed but the emotional trauma of seeing the animals in the conditions they were in (long story short no one there cared so dogs sat in concrete kennels roasting in their own urine, some animals were in rooms with no A/C or lights, and one room had a leaking unit that had the filthy water collecting in an unused litter pan which the cats were drinking from and, not surprisingly, were all sick from) and when I went in to tell my manager I had to quit, she treated me like an idiot and basically told me "if you're unable to handle physical activity," as I had lied and said my asthma couldn't take the urine and feces odor that permeated the kennel area which you had to walk through to get anywhere, "you shouldn't have even applied." Basically implying I was too fat to work.

    I cried for days. Weeks probably. (and yes I reported them, 3 weeks later the ASPCA smacked them around) I felt like a failure, like an idiot for being unable to hold a job. I felt like there was something wrong with me, that maybe I really did just need to be in the nuthouse and eat jell-o all day in a straitjacket.

    My personal sob story aside... you quit, regardless of how long you were there. You don't even have to put them on your applications or resume if you don't want and there's no record that would say anything negative against you in that case. You had every right to leave and you did the right thing. No matter what anyone tells you, if you are not comfortable or you feel harassed or threatened by a fellow employee or any superior, you do not need to stay there. The pain you would get from that is worse than any you'd feel from quitting, I can say that with certainty. My mother had a job for three years and from day one a fellow employee in the same rank as her harassed her in a passive aggressive manner. When they hired a new boss for her department, this coworker told lies about her and both he and the coworker conspired to get my mother to quit. Her workload was increased, her hours went from an 8-5 on weekdays to 10+ hours 6-7 days a week because everything had to be done "immediately" or she would be fired. My mother ended up having a double bypass and heart valve replacement surgery and was put on an antidepressant and an anti-anxiety pill. She was even forced into group therapy for a month because these people had messed her up with their abuse and the constant "threat" that if she wasn't bending over backwards needlessly she'd be let go. Eventually she quit and for a month had nightmares about that job.

    We're all going to have moments where we feel like crap or feel stupid or go so far as to hate ourselves even if we did the right thing, God knows I've experienced that way too much in my life and even now I feel like maybe there is something that wrong with me that I can't hold down a job. But you know what? We're not crap, we're not stupid, and we don't deserve hate even from ourselves over anything, especially when it concerns people and situations that put us in the position to make the decision we did. You did right and frankly you're stronger than you think you are for even having the guts to quit. It takes a lot of strength to be assertive and say "no, I will not do this because I am not comfortable." I know I've rambled but I just really wanted to tell you that you're a brand of awesome and you can get through your pain, your loss, your own mind's blackhole and you can get your life back on track. I mean hey you're on this site, aren't you? That's a start.

    You have an awesome day. I just sent you a mental high-five and a hug.
  • slyast
    slyast Posts: 25 Member
    Don't worry about it. Future employers won't care. When I was underemployed I quit probably 10+ jobs in two years - I am not willing to work for an employer who doesn't respect labor laws. I now have a federal job with a security clearance- it never came up in any interview ever.

    You did the right thing.
  • NICOLED73
    NICOLED73 Posts: 183
    Why do you need to mention this in job interview? You didn't actually work there so it doesn't need to go on your resume.

    Is this a large firm? You should contact the Head Office or if they are a small firm the HR department and report this person for his behaviour.

    THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT. <3

    ^^ THIS! Absolutely!!
  • Ironman2be
    Ironman2be Posts: 140 Member
    you need to report him and his unprofessional behavior. You did the right thing-I would never work for someone that treated me like that!

    This ^^^ and if it's a large company with people above him, you should write them a polite letter and inform them of your experience. I'm sure they would love to hear how one of their Managers is treating people!!
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 866 Member
    You did the right thing. Do not feel bad about it. You can not work in that sort of environment.

    My SIL got hired for a job, THEN he told her that he wanted her to work a week for free to "see if she liked it!!! " Ya, my brother and I told her to quit! What an A-Hole! I think he just wanted to see how far he could push her and then would push her more...she is a sweet, young, and pretty girl...I was actually afraid for her safety!

    I would not put that down on a resume since you really did not work there. Do not stress over this at all...just know you did the right thing!! ((hugs))
  • You absolutely did the right thing!!! If he went on a rant because you asked him a simple question in an orientation, imagine his reaction if you questioned something later on. You don't need to work for someone like that. Just keep sending out your resume and don't mention that experience at all. Put it behind you.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    That was amazing and so strong of you to stand up for yourself! I want you to understand that $7.25/hour is federal minimum wage, so any job must pay you at least that, and many companies will pay more. Again, you are walking away from a minimum wage position, any job must pay you at least that so you are not losing out on anything. Go some where else, and keep going until you find a job where you are respected, many managers value their employees and eveyone deserves that.

    On another note, if i were you I would call hr and file a complaint regarding his harrassment. It's important for companies to know what sort of people they have in their employ, some know and some don't but they may never know unless someone tells them.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    You definitely did the right thing. I dealt with a terrible boss once and karma has come back to bite him.

    I worked for this very family oriented medical service, the woman who owned it started it out in her basement and expanded to several offices across the state. We were all treated like family. About a year into my job, she sold the company to a Lebanese man. He fired 50 stafff immediately and bought new office furniture and company Range Rover. :grumble: I believe the way he treated us was due to his cultural beliefs but mostly because he was just an *kitten*. He brought men in from a differnt company to take the management positions. Would make comments about the female employees being fat and ugly. He was taking money out of our checks for our benefits but pocketed all the money and never paid our premiums! One by one we quit. The day I got my new job I sent him a nasty email and walked out. The company is now bankrupt, closed and he has hundreds of thousand to pay to the state for workforce violations and fines!
  • PaigeStephenson
    PaigeStephenson Posts: 19 Member
    I feel for you and in this situation you WERE strong!! Telling him you didn't want to work there WAS strong. You decided it wasn't for you and you stood up for yourself. All I could think of while reading your post was "please don't let her keep this job": Consider this - if this was your FIRST DAY ... imagine what he'd be like in a month!

    Near escape. Don't worry about explaining it in an upcoming interview. It was simply not the place for you - that's all you have to say.

    Keep your chin up - you did great!

    p

    ps - feel free to add me if you like.