Would this be considerdered harassement? Via email? ?
Posted by admin | Filed under Etiquette
In our office we have a lead position, essentially the one in charge before you get to upper management. This person tries very hard to be politically correct in all her tasks due to an utlrasensitive staff who often take things to heart, etc. We are all on a mass email, when little things become a trend, sometimes in effort to keep things on track there will be very kind reminder emails, acting as a reminder to keep the group on task.
My concern? This lead is a new person, 2 months old in the position. One of our staff keeps blasting personal emails back to this person and letting her have it. Yesterday this happened agian where a group email was sent to us, and the hot head let her have it again.
I understand she was in the administrator’s office yesteray, and it’s well clear she told them this is harassement. SHe has recieved 3 emails of this nature, one only after being in her new position 2 weeks, this last one made personal pokes about some of her errors, and of couse it’s cc’d to the entire management team. Her claim of harassement can be supported as I hear know that she has journaled verbal interactions with this person, who often dispells personal issues with other staff in open areas.. well heard around. The email though attacking in a sense to a semi suprior… is harassement or an attemp to intimidate?
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:09 pm
attemp to intimidate
February 6th, 2009 at 10:28 am
that’s harrassment. And i think the person who s sendss this stuff out doesn’t even know what she is doing. I think she needs to be at least notified – and if she raises her voice, then try something else.
February 7th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Both.
Constantly letting people have it for doing their job is really intimidating, and if this intimidation pokes at her personal like eg. family, friends etc. Then it probably could be harassment as well.
February 9th, 2009 at 4:47 am
That’s very inappropriate behaviour. Your leader is within her rights to complain. the subject should be and needs to be addressed. It could be classed as victimisation.
February 12th, 2009 at 6:59 am
It is insubordination. The person can be fired after numerous warnings.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Sounds pretty childish to me, confront her and tell her how immature she is being, either that or just plain ignore her, in time things have a way of working themselves out!
February 15th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Harassment or not…it’s insubordination. Plus this mean person is just messing it up for herself, cause she is literrally documenting how unprofessional she is. The lead won’t have any problem getting her fired and the harrasser won’t be priveleged to unemployement either. I say you keep your distance from the insubordinate…she’s digging her own grave.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
I don’t know about harassment but intimidation yes. It is really disgusting when people use personal attacks or rude excuses to make up for their lack of work. They constantly feel the need to personally attack people when they feel intimidated or know that they are falling behind. It is easier to lash out than to buckle down andg et the work done. Usually its older men who lash out with vicious nasty email chains. I have had a few nasty IT bosses who felt the need to have a power trip about things. I always cc everyone so it can be know their type of character.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Harassment IS an attempt to intimidate (legal definition), so you’re right on both counts. The person is creating a hostile work environment, which is all that’s required to prove harassment allegations, and stupidly did so in a way that everyone could see and attest to. Bad for them, but good for the person being harassed. It’s good that she kept a log of the other occurrences; once you can show a pattern, you’ve proven your case and management has to act or possibly face legal action themselves!