Posted on 01/19/2020 11:10:25 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
I cannot go into details because I don't want to harm the innocent parties involved, but here is the basic true story:
My workplace is exceedingly liberal. A few conservatives, but we're outnumbered. I don't hide my views, but I also don't get in fights with others. Honestly.
Seven or eight months ago, maybe longer, I was told my comments offended people and could get me fired. I asked what the specific comments were, and no one could tell me. The response was basically "We all have heard you say things..."
A few days into the new year, I was again read the riot act, told that if I offend anyone else I will lose my job. One of the bosses (there were two) told me not to even talk about the weather or sports. Only work related words should be coming out of my mouth.
I told them I have been very careful about using any language that could be construed as offensive. I asked again for what exactly was my offense. No one could give me a quote.
So, I am doing my best to watch out. I am a good employee and have been that a long time.
What I think I'll do this week is wear RED (not a hat of course LOL) during my work hours. The red will be in solidarity with MAGA. I will do my best to remain quiet.
So glad I'm self employed. I write resumes, btw.
You could contact the Labor Board as to your rights.
I was an associate at a plaintiffs law firm for years. As you might imagine, the parters were all liberal Democrats, and I kept my mouth shut about politics at work.
Now I have left and started my own practice. And I still keep my mouth shut most of the time, certainly on social media. Much of my business comes from referrals from mostly Democrat lawyers, and all of the judges here in Houston are Democrats.
I’ve been there too. Not for anything I ever said, it was implied that I was an undesirable.( Middle aged, white, hetero, conservative)
The dopey broad I ended up with as a manager slowly poisoned the well, by giving me crappy assignments and lousy reviews. I slowly removed my personal effects from my office, and I deliberately burned up all my vacation and PTO before I left. When I quit, I left my badge, cut up corporate CC and laptop computer on the desk in her office on a Friday afternoon after she left for the weekend. Never said a word to anyone, no letter, no nothing.
Felt great to walk out for the last time on my terms not theirs.
Get the resume updated & a good attorney so you can retire early !!!
Document EVERYTHING!!!
I had to leave an employer who made things untenable for me because of my beliefs. And they ratcheted up crap when I wouldn’t agree to far left sexual activism, though I was being sexually harassed by a crazy dude in a pink pantsuit.
I strongly suggest finding another department that isn’t as hostile or another employer altogether. The liberal bullies making these demands won’t stop, because they consider it a moral necessity.
Every violation of the liberal blasphemy laws is written up as a violation of “trust and respect” policies or “conflict in the workplace”.
And any push back on far left social justice is considered insubordination. Tell a manager their long harangue against Christians is offensive? Talking back to a boss. Ask a person teaching an implicit bias seminar if they’re aware of their explicit bias? Reprimand. (She said all men are sexist, all whites are racist, all heterosexuals are homophobic/transphobic.)
They’ll just punish you and add to your work load until you’re gone voluntarily or fired “for cause”.
Years ago, I had my annual review where I was labeled incompetent and put on some sort of probation.
I came close to decking my boss but decided not to.
Since my previous review was stellar, I asked just how I could fall so quickly in incompetence?
I refused to accept and sign my review. Instead I wrote a three page letter essentially demanding some form of proof of my incompetence.
(While I wasn’t told, it came down to he said/he said in reference to a disagreement with a co-worker in which he lied about a business related conversation. I actually wrote down my side of it in my calendar but that didn’t seem to count)
Long story short, someone must have sent my letter up the chain as my probation ended rather quickly and I received a very hefty raise.
And I outlasted both the jerks involved.
I’m going to assume these comments/remarks are made while on break? Or are you in an office setting where you are sitting at a desk as are others? Or a counter like bank/DMV etc.
Remarks made on a break shouldn’t be offensive unless you are on break with others with a different philosophy from yours. I would make sure I only took breaks with people who thought the same way I did....if at your desk/cubicle - you’ll have to tone it down!
I WOULD tho’ make a complaint to HR if it persisted. They may choose not to do anything about it but you’d be on record if they choose to get nasty about it!
I don’t agree with others here that you have the right to “free speech” only in regard to the government. Just watch the nightly news and you’ll see cases that have nothing to do with the government and yet employees or customers are being persecuted for making “OFFENSIVE” remarks about something or someone!
“”You could contact the Labor Board as to your rights.””
Yes - I didn’t think of that.
A good outcome - good for you.
HR is the devil and never to be trusted with anything. I could write a book on that. Never go to HR for anything. Ever.
Graveyards are full of essential people - a former VP that got laid off a bit later.
::You need to start keeping a bound diary, one with a permanent binding where pages cant be removed::
I’ve heard of that but also that you should number the pages to make it that much more valid.
I’ve never worked for a company that participated in the United Way fraud, but I always kind of wished I did.
We take our charitable donations seriously and I also donate hundreds if not thousands of hours of my time annually.
I don’t like self-promotion but if challenged, I’d be glad to compare.
I have to be honest and say that my working years were long before the position of HR was ever thought of. We had bosses and that was as far as anything regarding complaints went.
Knowing most companies today have HR departments, I agreed with the reply of registering a complaint there.
Look what happened in Bay Harbor?
https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/bay-harbor-islands-police-officer-suspended-over-wifes-racist-social-media-comments/
I am from Chicago and lived there most of my life. I earned early to keep my mouth shut. So much for freedom of speech in America!!!
Good luck. Hope you are close to retirement. Life will than be better and you will enjoy the freedom retirement brings.
Been there done that...however I didn’t yield either and was very happy the day I handed in my resignation soon after - effective then and there..and much to their utter surprise, and with a request for severance.
It was so worth it to see HR face as she fumbeled around with her words and shuffling papers to get a handle on the moment. In no time she excused herself to speak to the higher ups, which I stated would not change my mind before she left...that a simple agreement to my terms was sufficient.
After 25 minutes she cam back and they had agreed....I won! As soon as papers were signed I thanked them for the period of employment...extended my hand and promptly left the building under my own accord.....How sweet it was to walk through the building and out the door without a word to anyone else. I loved it and never looked back!
It was significant to me I called these end shots....and that they have no idea it was coming. Phone calls later I did not answer. It was a done deal!
I think sadly we’re all learning not to trust others today. It’s a sad commentary on where we are but we didn’t put ourselves in this position - it was thrust on us by the PC crowd many years ago until it grew and grew like a cancer and today everyone is affected by it.
Off hand, I would think anything that encroached on your health would definitely be a violation on that person’s part. THAT alone should have been cause to take action by you. We are asked the most stupid things in doctor’s offices and don’t try to get any information from them over the phone or they quote HIPAA. I love calling companies for information and spending the next 5 minutes with them telling me they have to VERIFY who I am before they can help me. I KNOW WHO I AM - confirm maybe but verify?
You are describing harassment. Since they have told you they have “heard what you said”, they are likely contriving a harassing workplace.
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