“I worked in the information science profession. Did you know that libraries and archives are some of the most toxic working environments in the United States? I was a digital archivist at a corporate archive living with PTSD. I requested time to seek treatment after observing and having to intervene in several instances of workplace abuse directed toward my colleagues. I used the open-door policy and brought the issues up to my supervisor and his supervisor as well.
The bullying started focusing on me after I took short-term disability leave because my mental health was severely impacted by the blatant abuse from my colleagues that aggravated or flared my condition’s symptoms (Jump scares, secret meetings, etc.). My supervisor accused me, a salaried employee, of time theft after I received my insurance payout when I was forced to return from leave.
The day he accused me of stealing time was a day I worked remotely to have my doctor sign off on my leave again so I could receive my benefits payment. I ended up having to prove to him I worked during the timeframe he accused me of not working. I also confronted him about his behavior and explicitly told him he was behaving as if he didn’t want me to work there anymore based on his increased efforts to discipline and micromanage me.
I went on to state that based on my conversations with coworkers, he seemed to only be strict about time worked and medical appointments with me.
After proving I worked during the remote day, I submitted a complaint of discrimination and harassment about my supervisor. I was retaliated against swiftly. Human Resources accused me of making a minor and normal conversation into a racial one through a series of intimidating and mean-spirited emails.
I was told my concerns would be addressed, only to have the company tell me they involved a mediator — their attorney — and wanted me to speak with him. The conversation was the company’s attorney trying to see how liable they were. I tactfully expressed this perspective to the attorney and the vice president of operations, who chose to sit with me throughout the interrogation as an intimidation tactic.
I was told my concerns would be addressed, only to have the company tell me they involved a mediator — their attorney — and wanted me to speak with him. The conversation was the company’s attorney trying to see how liable they were.
After this interview, my supervisor attempted to have me sign an updated employment agreement that I had voiced concerns about. The concerns remained unaddressed. The day after, when I left a doctor’s appointment, the head of Human Resources contacted me to tell me not to come into work the next day and fired me. They told me they hoped to discuss a severance package with me.
I filed an EEOC complaint along with other coworkers who experienced the same behavior at this company. They were somewhat helpful but chose not to investigate the company and instead issued me a letter saying I had a right to sue my former employer. I’m currently seeking an attorney to represent me. Employment attorneys in this state seem to all have a heavy caseload. I’m currently engaging with the End Workplace Abuse team in Georgia to find ways to bring awareness to workplace abuse and pass the Workplace Psychological Safety Act (WPSA).
The WPSA would be a game-changer for employees struggling with the intersectionality of the causes of abuse in the state. I’m a Black, disabled, female veteran, and each time I have been on the receiving end of a micro-aggression or workplace bullying/mobbing tactic, I wonder which of my identities is being hated on, disregarded, or stigmatized.
When you encounter workplace bullying or psychological abuse, be sure to report the abuse as soon as possible to the EEOC. It’s the first step to possibly resolving the problem and seeking accountability.”