blindsided by potential terminationI have been employed at a state agency for almost 20 years, 16 of those years in the same department. I have no blemishes on my record and have received excellent annual performance reviews as well as annual merit increases and three promotions. Recently,a new "director" was assigned to our area out of the blue even though our small department has several other directors. There was no job posting for this position, he was just appointed. I was totally blindsided when I was called into his office and their was an HR rep present. He called the meeting to inform me I was being placed on disciplinary probation and would have terminated me immediately had I not been there so long. He had a list of fabricated allegations against me which I calmly disagreed with and has essentially told me if I don't bow down to him I will be fired. Since then another person has been fired and two have resigned due to the intimidating, hostile environment that has been created. Our team had good reason to believe this person was placed in this position by his superior to be the "hatchet man". I believe the main reason is that we are an ethical group and we will not participate in any unethical or illegal work practices. We feel as though we re being treated as criminals as now we have no access to our building or our offices unless "the boss" unlocks the doors. I feel I have no choice but to resign as it is clear their mind is made up to get rid of all of us one way or another. There are many more details to this, but it would take up too much space. I would appreciate any advice anyone can give me on this. I have marketable skills and lots of experience but no degree and I am over 50, so I am hoping I can get some tips on successfully changing careers at this point. I'm assuming that you aren't in a union since you didn't mention it so presumably you don't have any protection there. I don't see how there is anything you can do with your boss from inside the agency. Since it is a state agency however that does open up a couple of possibilities for you to save your job, or to get reinstated later, or to get some kind of settlement after the fact if/when they terminate you. My #1 suggestion to you is DO NOT RESIGN. If you resign you lose any and all power over the situation that you might have had. Then I would write a letter describing the situation and perhaps bundle it with letters from the other people that have been let go and send it to three people, your local representatives for state government (your Congressperson, senator, assembly person, whatever they call them in your state, the ones that go to your state capital and run the state, not the ones that go to Washington DC and represent the state) and the third person I would sent it to is the your states Attorney General. He/she is the top "watchdog" person in the state. And the AG may just say, "Hmmm politically I think I'd like to take a look at this." you never know. And then of course if you don't mind being the center of attention you could relay the story to the local media and see if they run with it as some kind of big bad government beating up on the dedicated workers kind of thing. Pretty much it looks like to save your job you are going to need help from someone that can shine a big light on the issue (the press) or someone who could politically crush what the person is doing which means someone in the state capital with a lot of power.
thanks - since we know we cannot get help withing our agency as we have done everything internally we can, and we have been pursuing some of the ideas you suggested - didn't think of the Attorney General though, I appreciate that suggestion.
It is definitely time to find something else. Don't quit before you have something else in hand, either in another department, another governmental agency or with another employer all together. Whatever is going on here, you're not going to win where you are, so get moving and get out before they take that option away from you. It is MUCH easier to find a job when you have one.
Tess
I would have this new supervisor investigated. He has probably done dirt somewhere else. Usually once a jerk always a jerk. Try to get him on some legal grounds for termination. He has false charges against others, he must have left other paper trials elsewhere. It is not about revenge, its about what is right.
You are absolutely right. I understand it is much easier to find other employment if you are currently employed and I am pursuing that. I appreciate your response.
This person is being investigated from what I understand. But the agency where I work tends to turn a "blind eye" in situations like this. No one I work with has a sense for revenge, but you are exactly right, we only want what is right and ethical. I am at somewhat at a loss though, if I need to pursue legal advice. This is just so against my nature. Thank you for your comments.
I think the most crucial issue for you is DO NOT RESIGN. If you resign you are going to give up any potential after the fact resolution
Hi Dave-in-NY. I have not resigned, but right now it is crystal clear some changes are in process to terminate me and the team or force us to resign. It looks to me that we are being retaliated against because we have knowledge of illegal activities. Do you know much about constructive discharge? My team and I have no problem with taking this to higher levels, as we feel at this point there is nothing to lose because we won't have jobs anyway. One of my issues is having to deal with being fired and having to explain that to potential employers.
If you go the whistle blower route, you need to be REALLY prepared for the consequences. If you think being fired is something to explain, try explaining being a problem child, not a team player and being fired. Whatever these "illegal activities" are, they didn't bother you enough to say anything about them before this point, you're not going to come off well bringing them up now. And you are definitely not going to be able to bring them up, get your boss fired and go back to a happy little team. You will lose any chance of a good or even neutral reference (regardless of what they tell you). I think it would be smarter to read the handwriting on the wall and find somewhere else to go, rather than digging yourself in deeper here.
Tess | |
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Career Tips
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