An Educator...  

October 2007: Still this Devastating Bullying Trend Continues... I'm glad to know that there is a grass-roots organization formed to combat this kind of abuse.  

Cost to employer: Loss of untapped talent that could potentially correct internal flaws in workflow and increase productivity; failure to retain people of integrity, people who actually do their jobs. Inaccuracy in accounting measures, which translates into loss for both the customer and at the bottom line. Competitive advantage lost in the global market.   

Cost to target:  A fragmented resume inaccurately reflecting stability and work ethics of a potential employee; loss of employability based on slander and liable that Bullies get away with. Talent and career path is stifled because of bully’s insecurities, therefore loss of potential income.

A Federal Police Officer...

Like many folks, I would have never imagined that this would happen to me. I am a federal police officer. I recently transferred to a new position. I would have never believed that I would become a target. After a year of stress I am currently trying to resign and move on with my life. Even that task has been opposed by my bully supervisor. He wants to teach me a lesson by firing me. I had to hire a lawyer to resign. I'll find out next week if I can resign. Note I have been with the same department for 28 years without any issues until now. I had to seek counseling for stress and I came close to losing my family. Every morning I wake up and say to myself that I can't believe this happening. This has truly been a nightmare.    Trevor

An English Teacher...
 

I am an English teacher, injured by an abusive school superintendent.  He was a serial bully who practiced psychological violence with impunity.  Within 10 months my bully dismantled my successful 20-year career working with immigrant students.  I was stalked, physically threatened, and terrified by this man who stripped me of my First Amendment Rights.  I was given an arduous workload and treated differently from my colleagues.  I was an outstanding educator.  I am now disabled with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.  My PTSD has converted to myoclonus, the involuntary contraction of voluntary muscles.  Under normal stress I become spastic and my speech becomes distorted by stutters, slurs, and tremors.  After 7 years of painful litigation, I was awarded $150,000 for Worker's Compensaton with no “hush clause.”  My Freedom of Speech is not for sale.  I am a shadow of my former self, but I work voluntarily as an advocate for other targets and an activist for legislation to promote a bully free work environment for us all. This bill would compel employers to finally recognize and stop work abuse which is presently legal and ignored in our culture. Shirley, A Disabled Teacher

Worked for the largest private University...

While working for the world’s largest private university for over 5 years, I observed and experienced exploitation, bullying, and systematic discouragement as a way of doing business.  After being lured by false promises, “Come early, stay late” (and you’ll earn a lot more money), and finding it to be a lie, I launched a class action lawsuit to be paid overtime for the extra hours we all worked. The lawsuit took two years to settle, but then, within weeks after the company settled out of court and agreed to pay overtime nationwide,  I was “released from my employ”.  I was under the care of a therapist for over a year, spent 3 months out on medical leave, and battled depression as I put my life back together and found other employment. A conservative estimate of cost in legal fees, medical expenses, and lost company income equals $562,500 with personal cost of over $10,000 to me.  I am so glad I found the California Healthy Workplace Advocates to help support legislation to stop this kind of treatment.

We all deserve a bully free workplace.----Elizabeth

Worked for a HUGE, well known clothing manufacturer...

At age 59 and single, I became unemployed from my 13-year job with a highly credible and respected clothing manufacturer – an icon in the apparel industry.  I'd worked my way up in Product Management to a team position responsible for generating a third of the company’s annual revenues.   My performance and strong work ethic established me a favorable reputation among peers and upper management. In 2000 I became the target of a psychologically violent supervisor with a known history of bullying. I immediately reported the first incident to my manager, to HR, and to the company nurse. In retaliation my bully gave me an arduous workload, redefined my training, denied me training, and created false disciplinary action and performance evaluations for 2.5 years that were contradictory to my professional behavior and credibility.  I was discriminated against, treated differently, and isolated from my peers. My psychological and physical well being deteriorated. After 10.5 years as a valued employee, I became documented as unprofessional, a poor performer, unable to meet expected standards, and unable to get along with others. In 2003 I was WRONGFULLY terminated and unemployed for 1.5 years. My financial stability and medical coverage were threatened, as my health needs dramatically increased. I continue intensive, one-on-one and group therapy as I try to resolve issues of depression, anger, fear, humiliation, guilt and shattered self-esteem.  Participation in group therapy sessions brought me face to face with countless other working people unprotected from legal recourse, suffering, and dealing with harassment in the workplace.  I am shocked at how common work abuse really is.  Sadly, Lilah

Never had a bad review until...

To make a long story short, I have been ostracized, criticized, bullied, brow beat, had accusations levied against me and then told I could not go in search of the truth.  I’ve been lied to by my supervisor and other sworn personnel, but then it’s only my word against theirs.  I have brought up safety issues in public buildings along with many other items, presented them to my supervisor in the form of an email, only to never receive an answer. When liability issues and the amount of work I was attempting to handle began to have an effect on my physical and emotional well being, I began seeing a psychologist. My evaluation/step increase was withheld for 5 ½ months and then after I kept pressing the issue, I received an evaluation that reads more like a character assassination.  My 2 prior evaluations from my previous supervisor’s had been stellar. I also had been awarded employee of the month and given a special award by my peers for dedication to my profession. The fact is some people are corrupted by power and if there are no viable avenues of protection against the unethical abuse of power, individuals and organizations will continue to suffer in innumerable ways. We need legislation to protect us. Steven

A California State Employee:

I am a prior state employee, constructively discharged in 2004 for "Whistle blowing" on a state department. A racial comment was made about me to a coworker; after I approached my supervisor about the comment, she began blocking assignments. Management labeled me an "outcast" and coworkers began ostracizing me. I wrote to the "chain of command," asking for assistance but continued to be shunned by management. After several requests to be transferred from the department, management moved me to another supervisor in the same bureau, who continued  bullying attacks!  I  interviewed for another division, was offered a position, but the manager slandered me to the hiring department head, who then withdrew the position. The work environment became so unbearably hostile my only recourse was to leave.  To make matters worse, I became privy to fraudulent activities amounting to hundreds of thousand of dollars. Management tried to hold me accountable for a 5 million dollar error that had a derogatory affect on the neediest of Californians, but I refused to participate. I tried to reinstate, but am blocked to due to a negative evaluation in my personnel file. To date, no department will hire me. In my opinion, the state needs to address the mismanagement in state government agencies, as no one is "managing the managers."   Lynn