Posted on 10/31/2008 10:55:30 PM PDT by Lisa_from Buckeye Country
I spoke out about all the Obama rhetoric spouted by my co-workers, now I'm out of a job.
Eeven though you quit, what happened to you could be seen as “constructive discharge”—in other words, they intentionally made working there so unbearable for you that any reasonable person would have quit; hence, a court may look at the situation as amounting to the same thing as if they’d fired you wrongfully, and you’d be entitled to damages.
There is such a category known as “viewpoint discrimination,” as far as I know.
I’m of two minds as far as all the discrimination/harassment law stuff goes; part of me sees it all as just Marxism in the workplace, and at the same time there’s the part of me that says if such laws are used to protect people based on race, gender, and so on, then they should also be used to protect whites, males, conservatives, Christians, etc...employment discrimination law can be a horribly nightmarish Alice-in-Wonderland rabbit-hole of bizarre contradictions and Orwellian dystopia. Sometimes I really think employers should just be allowed to hire/reject whoever the hell they wish, for whatever whim or prejudice or any other basis they see fit. Free enterprise, eh?
I’m not an attorney, but I’m familiar enough with employment law to comment—you have a case, if you choose to got that route, as I see it.
It basically comes down to what you believe ethics-wise as far as who is responsible for your situation, and whether you can stomach a legal confrontation—even if it never actually goes all the way to court. Chances are it won’t; if you stick to your guns, they’re more likely to just offer you a settlement to get you out of their hair and be done with it and avoid a lengthy, costly battle. You would wind up with a tidy sum of money, and perhaps feel vindicated, or maybe even a bit sleazy for having shaken them down for money, or whatever. But it sounds like they did you dirty.
I have had various situations where I might have done what I’m suggesting for you to do. But looking back on them, in whatever case it was I either didn’t know my rights enough to follow such a course, or was just too depressed to find the energy to do anything at all, or I felt that the fault was mainly my own, and couldn’t rationalize going after the other party to force a settlement or whatever...I also know of situations where people who I believe to be dishonest scumbags have gotten fired or quit because they were basically worthless troublemakers, and nonetheless they hired lawyers and obtained large settlements from their former employers.
My heart goes out to you. I’ve been in almost the exact same situation, and my instinct is to tell you to get a lawyer (even if one tells you that you have no case, another one might say otherwise).
Perhaps you’ll stick it to those commies good for ME, for all the times I’ve just walked away from a job like that! And maybe let me know how it comes out...
I worked in an office like yours for a very long time. I joined the union and used it against the bastards and filed an EEO complaint when they really made it obvious what they were up to. There was always some new affirmative action anencephalic trying to make their bones on me. I just conducted low level warfare at all times. It only really got bad after I had about 20 years in so given that my first career had been blown up by the Gerry Ford/Jimmy Carter economy, I hung on for the pension. I am a sworn enemy of everything Obama represents because of those corrupt slime. /rant.
Oh My....You were just reacting. A lawyer could probably clear it. That’s your call
You are right. Like I mentioned earlier, right now it’s no problem. On Nov 5, if McCain is the President-Elect Detroit will be burned to a crisp and I won’t be back. If Bambi wins life goes on and I’ll be working with the happiest people on Earth.
I agree. For the first time in many months, I actually feel at peace to some extent. Yes, I have to find another job, and pay my bills, but I will NEVER have to listen to another man screaming at me about why they can't get their Al Jazerra channel.
Or again, listening to my co-workers trashing Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin.
So although I have alot on my mind, (like how I'm going to pay my rent) at least I can live with myself.
Thanks to all for your kind responses.
“I told her to not email ppl at work, ever.”
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To be honest, that’s the only policy.
Liberals would be screaming about discrimination and free speech, if conservatives and libertarians whined as much as liberals.
Conservatives and libertarians don’t whine, as a general rule, so liberals keep on spreading inappropriate content in the workplace.
Perhaps, the answer is for conservatives and libertarians, to adopt a (practice) of whining about bias, wherever and whenever it is encountered.
That way, liberals will realize the monstrosity they are creating — because they will begin to experience consequences for their actions.
At the moment, it seems only conservatives/libertarians experience those consequences if they make the mistake of mixing work and politics ... because only liberals ever complain.
Call HR at the drop of a hat.
Not because you like to whine.
Do it, to fight fire, with fire.
In the meantime, don’t talk politics at work.
EVER.
God bless you sir for your sacrifice. I know what you must have gone through. We do live in uncertain times and the prospect of tomorrow is unnerving to many of us.
However,
I also work in a place where tensions would raise if given the proper attention. Fortunately for me, no one is ready for that battle and no political talk is heard and I like it that way. I get up in the morning, go to work, fulfill my duty and go home (then FREEP). Nobody asks my opinion and I don’t give it freely. No harm done.
My advise to you… Get the hell out of whatever hell you got yourself into.
Never under estimate the power of past loved ones. :^)
In the future, we will either be members of The Party, or we will be out of work. We will have to attend weekly indoctrination meetings in which Marx is taught. We will close each meeting with a song of praise to the Messiah, our big brother, who will take care of our needs.
“If Bambi wins life goes on and I’ll be working with the happiest people on Earth.”
No, it’ll get worse. You’ve always been looked upon as the enemy I’m sure. If the Obaminator wins they’ll feel empowered and want to try it out on someone. Guess who that’ll be?
This is one of the "changes" Obama is bringing us. Although it is unfair just to blame him - this has been coming for a long time as the Marxists have been working for years to take over our institutions. At least see if you can collect unenployment. I think (I am not an attorney) that it is against the law for a company to force someone to resign rather than fire them just so the company can get out of paying unemployment. Possibly you have a case, I don't know. I do know what it is like to be treated like dirt while others are protected no matter what they do. I know an abusive situation can take a lot out of one and it is is a bitter experience to learn that rules apply to some people but not to others.
You should read Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. And study it hard. You won’t be terrorizing the weak minds around you for fun anymore. You will think like that Chinese warrior did thousands of years ago. Read up. He was Gen. Patreaus in his time.
I disagree.
I work in the People’s Republic of California.
For a politically correct corporation.
Saying or doing the wrong thing, can be job-ending. It’s not that one needs to adhere to the party line.
It’s that conservatives, have surrendered the workplace dialogue to those who complain.
In my own job, I am in a job of marginal authority. I’m pretty sure most of the people I work with, are seriously opposed to my political beliefs.
I say that, because I don’t know for sure, with a couple exceptions — who I know about because they have mentioned things which made it clear.
I make no secret of my beliefs, insofar as I show them on my bumper.
But politics *never* passes my lips at work.
What I’ve found it, as a result of clearly stating that to be the case — nobody bothers me with their own opposing views.
I agree the deck is stacked against those who do not believe in a one-party state, and huge monolitic big government, but there are rules.
The rules do in fact, apply to both sides.
Don’t mix politics and work.
Then FReep, when you get home. :)
So does that mean you agree with what happened to Lisa?
To: Lisa from buckeye country, this strikes a chord with me. You getting harrased in the private sector and me getting basically shafted within the, “at times”, ultra politically correct so called “new” military. I had no recourse, but my Friend I think you can file suit. I’m sure there are thousands of people that are tired of political talk and expression within the workplace. I wish the best for you and your future efforts.
I hate this stuff as I was sued twice in the 90’s and both cases were junk. The first was a hostile case and the second was a (hurt my back lifting a O-Scope) back case. They both got tossed but it cost my employer plenty.
In a nearby courthouse where I often had to go for work purposes to testify, there were many employees with Farrakhan and Malcolm X posters in their cubicles and offices, but one person was warned to get rid of a small Rush Limbaugh sign the size of a bumper sticker. I need not describe the scene that I witnessed the day OJ was acquitted of the murders...
Alright, my friend. You take care of yourself. Best of luck.
What in my post do you disagree with? I was talking about what will happen in the future, after Obama is elected, when we are truly a one-party system, and that party is run by marxist thugs.
Just look at the history of marxist tyranny in the 20th century. What I was describing is exactly how those countries were run.
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