[freudling]

Hello:

So, a quick background:

I have been at X office for about 8 months and every week has been worst than the last. I know, Office Space, but that is the truth. I work with all women and a few guys, but the women are all around. Two in particular have caused nothing but grief for me. I recently found out that just before I got there, they staved off a harrassment charge. So anyway, I kept my mouth shut but took active steps to resolve the situation (i.e. going into a room alone to discuss the issue at hand, whatever it was that week). That failed and they just kept getting worse. I sent emails a lot to each if I had an issue to support to the verbal discussions so I would have a papertrail. Nothing has helped they are just miserable and hate life.

So a few months ago I had enough and raised the "trouble ticket" to the managers. One sat me down and fully understood and recognized the problem. He pinned it on "those two witches". He said it took him a few years but after so many other staff members have complained to him, he settled his mind and he is right. But nothing has happened. One of the girls got a talking to but she is back to her old self. She lashed out at me last week big time and I emailed her and told her that was unacceptable. She actually admitted to management after they caught wind of it that she lashed out at me.

I have been nothing but professional and nice trying to stay out of everyones way but it has not worked. I continue to get treated like this and the management is not on my side and seem to have their minds made up before I even enter the office.

All this, alongside me getting numerous customer service complaints of which most are BS and I can support my side in some of them. What set me off to post here is I got a recorded warning to my file today and feel really bitter about it all. I work my but off, know my stuff, have been told my customer service has improved, and get slapped with this. I wasn't even given a verbal warning, at least not that I was aware of.

I feel totally mistreated and have had no support throughout. My complaints have been made to look like my fault. For instance, when I brought this up I was told to sort of take it on the chin and don't sweat the small stuff. I haven't said anything for months: kept my mouth shut. The odacity for them to say that to me.

What can/should I do? By the way, I am in the military, but the rules are pretty much the same as they are in civilian land.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by freudling

What can/should I do? By the way, I am in the military, but the rules are pretty much the same as they are in civilian land.

Get out of there before something worse happens to you. You need to leave two days ago.

[Chuckit]

Tell them they can choose to keep the witches or they can choose to keep you. If they choose the chicks, you know you're good to be out of it.

[freudling]

Thanks guys.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

freudling,

I was in a similar position as well... I left and found a better job. My old workplace has not changed and the entire department has fallen apart since I left.

If they can't help themselves, they can't help you.

[MrsLarry]

just add more red...

but seriously, do you work at MY job??

[RAILhead]

Are they hawt?

[Spook E]

go postal!

[greenamp]

Do you want me to light their cars on fire?

[freudling]

Thanks again boys.

[wataru]

Originally Posted by freudling

odacity

audacity

[dcolton]

Go to the Department of Labor and tell them the situation has not been resolved to your satisfaction...or make that threat. Of course, there is always the man's option...QUIT BEING SUCH A PUSS!

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Originally Posted by freudling

Thanks again boys.

if you are going through what i went through... working at a place like that can have ill-effects on things you don't think. your personality, temperment, overall career contentment, enthusiasm with life...


it's hard, I suggest you atleast get your resume together and start feeling around.

[Cody Dawg]

Quit.

Right now this country has a dearth of well qualified people and you can get another job someplace else like THAT and you'll be happy you did it.

Why do you let yourself be treated this way? You're worth more than that.

[osiris]

A "harrassment charge"? On what grounds? Is this an office full of hot lesbian women walking around in bikinis whilst tormenting men? Doesn't make sense.

[production_coordinator]

I think your problem is... your too nice. If someone lashed out at me (and I was in your situation), I would raise a MAJOR stink. I would get in writing that the incident happened and request a formal apology from the worker. I also would make it a point that someone else be in EVERY meeting/conversation you had with this person.

Like others have said, if the company is happy keeping those people around, perhaps you should look elsewhere.

[production_coordinator]

Originally Posted by dcolton

Go to the Department of Labor and tell them the situation has not been resolved to your satisfaction...or make that threat. Of course, there is always the man's option...QUIT BEING SUCH A PUSS!

Never use the word "threaten."

Simply say, if this situation happens again, you leave me with no other option but to go to the department of labor (or whatever action you are going to take).

[freudling]

I got terminated from my position today. I have 30 days left. Annoying but a relief too.

[Cody Dawg]

Unbelievable...but great news, actually...you'll work for people who appreciate you next.

[Ratm]

lol

The talk alot of **** but must do their job well if you got fired and they didn't....sucks.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by freudling

I got terminated from my position today. I have 30 days left. Annoying but a relief too.

Congrats.

[freudling]

The OFFICIAL REASON for termination is not because I wasn't doing my job well, it was because of "POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE." It has been such a mess there for not only myself, but other staff members. I wasn't the only one to leave that place like this either: another guy was gone about 2 months in like fashion. The day after I appealed my recorded warning is the day they wrote up the termination letter.

One last thing: This is the military. I am appealing based on a battery of things, but specifically, because I did not join the military to be a "car salesman", which is what they want I guess. I was never trained to do customer service either. A few others before me launched major harrassment charges against people there to, so I am very confident that the place is simply a mess I want nothing to do with but did screw with my life somewhat. Thanks for all the input.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

it stinks you have "termination" on your record. getting fired is not good but whatever, when they ask you about it at an interview — analyze the problem for them and show them how smart you are. (that you learned from the experience and etc)

good luck

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by freudling

I got terminated from my position today. I have 30 days left. Annoying but a relief too.

Hope you have plenty of other GOOD references, because you sure can't use this job as one.

[Doofy]

OK, just a bit of advice on where you went wrong:

Originally Posted by freudling

I kept my mouth shut but took active steps to resolve the situation (i.e. going into a room alone to discuss the issue at hand, whatever it was that week).

...

I sent emails a lot to each if I had an issue to support to the verbal discussions so I would have a papertrail.

...

She lashed out at me last week big time and I emailed her and told her that was unacceptable.

All wrong. If you're not being paid a shedload of money in human resources, it's not your job to sort out inter-personal problems with the staff or resolve such issues.

And what's with all the sending emails and going into a room alone to discuss the issues?
Just walk up to the witch(es) and tell them where to get off.

Failing that, ignore everything which isn't directly related to the job. Aloof is a good place to be.

[ambush]

What did the women do to you, exactly? How are they harrassing you?

[Y3a]

Perhaps YOU WERE AN ASS? I find that at many companies where someone cries 'victim' only to be the one who's actually AT FAULT.

You haven't given specifics so I assume you have doubts that you were actually in the 'right'.

[Dakar]

Wow.

[Monique]

Do not worry about being terminated you can alway spin this.

But, the military has its own rules, maybe in the last recourse you should go the superior of your superior that did not support you and have him examine your file. You do not say if you are an American or not; but, in Canada you are allowed to examine your file and if those complaints are bogus you will know. What was your review like before that 8 months nightmare.

[GK]

quit and find a new job.

[freudling]

UPDATE:

Today I met with a coworker in a back parking lot who signed a statement to justify my appeal to what happened to me (recorded warning and subsequent termination). I have been in another office and things are amazing. People are much more respectable there. Anyway, A high ranker has helped me with my appeal and has also noted that it looks unfair what happened to me.

But today, an email went out to all the centers across Canada from the Ombudsman. Well, in addition to my appeal, I am thinking about launching a complaint with the Ombudsman. It so happens I am not alone, as the email from them to the Centers verifies that. Mistreatment is the main complaint. So I feel better that the mess looks not to be me, but the environment there.

[Fred_Cokebottle]

Buy them flowers every week.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Ratm

lol

The talk alot of **** but must do their job well if you got fired and they didn't....sucks.

You'd think so, but I've found that in an environment like it sounds like that is it's quite easy for the incompetents louts to remain while the actual hard workers are forced out or terminated. It's got a lot to do with personality and the ability to appear to be in charge, and especially to pass the blame on to someone else.

[freudling]

nonhuman:

Exactly.

[hey!_Zeus]

Wear some kind of recording device. Seriously!!! Protect yourself.

[freudling]

I agree!

[Pendergast]

Originally Posted by Doofy

OK, just a bit of advice on where you went wrong:



All wrong. If you're not being paid a shedload of money in human resources, it's not your job to sort out inter-personal problems with the staff or resolve such issues.

And what's with all the sending emails and going into a room alone to discuss the issues?
Just walk up to the witch(es) and tell them where to get off.

Failing that, ignore everything which isn't directly related to the job. Aloof is a good place to be.

Excellent advices. I totally agree that freudling made it worse wth these isolated conversations: NEVER do that.

Although keeping a papertrail of emails sounds good, they can also turn against you.

If you are to build a case about others, you need to keep it to yourself, brings facts, times, dates, and name witnesses: that's right. You identify the public stuff. Then you bring it to Human Resources.

But before you do that, you go see your boss, and you mention the "issue" to your supervisor. Nothing happens? You then escalate with the record of incidents to your HR, and add the report to your boss on top of it. You never call it "harassment, but keep it to a description of the facts.

The problem in raising a workplace issue is that you don't know what the other part is doing, and how connected they are: often, the whistleblower is the one showed the door. Usually, women victim of harrassment lose their job, and find themselves in long term sick leave (or disability) with no hope of returning back.

[freudling]

Doofy:

Well, it makes sense, but in the Federal Government, things work this way. You are not only encouraged, but it is written in our job descriptions to solve problems at the lowest level. "Closed door sessions" are standard practice, as annoying as they are. When someone is the same rank, that is what you do. There is another reason for it: we are in sight of the public all the time, so we need a private place to talk. It is a very nasty environment indeed. Everything we say and do is monitored and the emails are working for me now, since I have copies to present to the appeal board regarding myself trying to be diplomatic and positive.

Conversations hold little-to-no weight with appeals. I will report when the appeal is done (about 1 month) - if it was found in my favor or not. If it is not, I am appealing to the Minister of National Defence and see where that goes.

On another note, the Ombudsman for the National Defence just released an article and sent emails to every center across the country expressing his concern over the treatment of staff at x centers. Complaints from staff are pouring in, so I am not alone.

By the way, one of the witch girls ended up getting shafted: she did not get promoted.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally Posted by Monique

Do not worry about being terminated you can alway spin this.

But, the military has its own rules, maybe in the last recourse you should go the superior of your superior that did not support you and have him examine your file. You do not say if you are an American or not; but, in Canada you are allowed to examine your file and if those complaints are bogus you will know. What was your review like before that 8 months nightmare.

i'm new to this thread and started reading from the top and just got to your post. Many of the other posters failed to notice that freudling said he is in the military. And the advice they are giving has no bearing on his situation.

I'm pleased to see that you didn't fall into that trap, Monique!

[freudling]

Hi aberdeenwriter:

Yes, the military is certainly unique. It is the Canadian Armed Forces. No longer a member now (Voluntary withdrawal: HOURNORABLE DISCHARGE for you Americans). The appeal is underway.

[Velocity211]

Watch the conflict resolution episode of the office

[freudling]

Link to Ombudsman Press Release. We were all under tremendous stress - read first article:

http://www.ombudsman.forces.gc.ca/main_e.asp

[Robert A.M. Stephens]

Six pounds of Pentex on a 8 minute fuse should wrap that pesky problem up.

Robert

[freudling]

We r now headline news:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/natio...ecruiting.html