Expert: Liliana Gonzalez - 12/11/2011

Question
Hello! I work for Dollar Tree as an assistant store manager. I've been there less than a year but the store manager has been unfairly harsh on me. He frequently asks me to break company policy like to work on my lunch break or cover for him if he wants to leave early.

I recently found out from a coworker today that my boss has been telling the other employees I don't do my job because I smoke pot while on the job. That is completely untrue and I find that extremely offensive because I'm in school to be a teacher. Any hint of that to a school or parent would hurt my career. I have asked my coworkers for reference letters for a substitute teaching position. I wasn't aware that my boss had been bad mouthing me with such lies.

A survey called from Dollar Tree HR a few months ago asking various questions about my how my working conditions. I was honest with them and told them how I worked off the clock and various violations like that. No word back from them.

I can not work for this boss much longer. He is degrading and has unrealistic expectations on top of him demanding I break policy. When he calls me on my days off to come in to work, he has twice made inappropriate sexual jokes. One about his family being on vacation away from him so it was "just him and his hand" for the night. Then stating that I will be closing the store and opening early so I "shouldn't sleep with the girlfriend tonight." He was fired "wrongly" from his last job for sexual harassment he said.

Do I have a case to sue my boss or Dollar Tree for creating such a hostile work environment, threatening to fire me if I didn't breaking labor laws, or libel? I can't work there for much longer at all. I want ot know if there is anything I can do.

Answer
Hello Ben:

The question is not - do you have a case to sue your boss or Dollar Tree for creating a hostile work environment. The question should be -I feel that Dollar Tree has created a hostile work environment for me, what can I do about it?

The most important thing you should do is put a claim against your boss with Human Resources, and or their Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs office. Dollar Tree has an obligation to investigate all claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, and certainly "hostile work environments."  Explain that you have heard the rumors he has been spreading about you, and the inappropriate sexual jokes. All are unacceptable. Human Resources will most likely ask you
"how would you see this resolved?" Think about that answer and let them know. Once they are done investigating your claim, then you can decide the next steps.

Please let me know if you have further questions on the topic.

Liliana Gonzalez