Posted by denised in Last time in “Coping with a Really bad boss,” I talked about the Reprobate and how he stormed around the office cursing and threatening to fire us all depending on what he’d had for lunch. Not only was he verbally abusive, but he once asked a female colleague to try on a bikini in the office so he could determine whether or not she would be an “appropriate” model for one of our bikini wax products. By EEOC (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) definitions, we were probably all being harassed. The EEOC defines harassment as:
Unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, and/or age. Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.
That said, most of the time, my bosses were simply incompetent, rude and generally just really, really bad. While working with them made my life miserable, for the most part, I didn’t feel as though their behavior constituted harassment. Ignorant of my rights, I tolerated the Reprobate for two years. In the end, I gained the kind of valuable experience only gained through fire, the kind of experience that led me to a new company where I was valued and respected. Had I known my rights back then, I may have behaved differently. So, when dealing with a really bad boss:
- Know your rights. You can learn more about your employment rights by visiting the EEOC website. I’ve also found a lot of valuable information at Today’s Workplace. The site covers topics including workplace rights and a listing of resources by state.
- Don’t keep it all bottled up inside. Whether your boss’ treatment can be classified as official harassment or not, it helps to be able to bend someone’s ear. Whether its a family member or good friend, blowing off steam at the end of the day can help you make it through the week.
