BTW....I'm a nice guy, everyone I ever worked with or who ever worked for me thought so, but I also have a very low tolerance for stupidity at work and no patience at all. Like, none.

I've been guilty of telling people to "STFU", "GTFO of my sight you worthless piece of shit", and "MOOOOVE IDIOT" from time to time.....not the best tactic, and certainly not something I'm proud of. Anger of others never stopped me from doing it, I didn't care if they were pissed or not. What would make me take an extra second and control myself better was seeing someone else doing something as stupid as I had when I said those things.

Embarrassment works better than anger.

They tell you that because they want you to err on the side of caution, not because that's what the law actually is. And because believe it or not most companies would rather have good working environments than bad ones no matter what the law says.


The law does not prohibit "harassment" in the abstract. Your boss can be an asshole to you all day every day as far as the law is concerned as long as it isn't based on some protected catagory.


edit: There is potentially the common law claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress. But that has to be REALLY bad, and it is more difficult to use in the workplace context because it's harder to show the employer is responsible and not just the individual employee.

Sad, but true.

There is no law (at this time) that protects people in the workplace from being treated like shit.

Well..dang if that's the law. She is a jerk everyday..but this is the first time she went on a full on swearing..and I do mean every name in the book at me. Over nothing.


What if they transfer me to another dept? Just to make her happy now? I would be the one being punished.

I doubt that would happen. It sounds like you're a better employee than she is. And if she's an asshole and everyone knows it they are not going to be dumb enough to think tehy can just ignore that forever.


But there is nothing in the law which would prevent them from doing that. If you made a sexual harassment claim or something like that the law would prohibit them from retaliating against you like that. But not just if she's being an asshole.

They are talking about EOE.

It is very possible that your employee handbook has something that would address this type of behavior.

Nah, ignore her or confront her. The confronting really works. Shuts them up every damn time. But if you aren't comfortable confronting her, then just laugh at her and walk off. That works just about as well.

Good point! It sounds like the company is big enough to have both a handbook and an HR. That is the way to take it.

 

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I agree with taking it to HR, but they'll tell you right away it's not harassment, at least not in the workplace sense. Don't get too hung up on labeling it because if you have a lazy HR person, they'll ignore it because it doesn't fit the legal definition.

 

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consider your other co-workers in this situation as well. you may be okay ignoring it or telling her to stfu. but not everyone is. she doesn't have the right to create a hostile work environment that makes everyone else uncomfortable doing their jobs. if your boss is a pussy, go to HR.

you get no bonus points for toughing it out. if it was a 1 time thing i'd say ignore it.

 

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