The (fairly new) anti violence in the workplace legislation (Bill 168) that the province brought out a few years back addresses and prohibits this. I would do my best to try and get witnesses and/or a recording of any threats. Do not respond back by returning the threat. If you feel afraid, contact the Ministry of Labour and explore your options.
Verbal harrassment at work
- Thread starter jw01
- Start date
First, go see a doctor and get a note and go on stress leave. You can go on long term disability due to stress at work. Your companies insurance will pay. Then, go and get a good lawyer for yourself.
okay but what VP or Director say shit like "I'll kill you"? The VP and Director of the Wiseguy crew from Jersey?
If he's fucking up, there's things like performance improvement plan and remedial stuff like that. What are these guys? Thugs? C'mon.....nothing justifies shit like this.
Update your cv, plenty of jobs out there. When I worked in IT years ago I had a director getting snippy with me and I told, "You won't get anywhere with me impersonating my wife."
Also, if you boss is a boy, tell him," Its okay, I'd be like that too if I had blood dripping from my cock."
Don't take bull from anybody. The boss bullies you and as soon as you push back they become the victim. Make their lives miserable.
jw01....does your company has a HR department? Can you filed a complaint against them? If not, you can always check with the labour board/department for advices....
As many others have said, written documentation is very important for this issue. I think anything less is considered "hearsay" so a co-worker as a witness is probably not good enough. Get as much detail as possible and keep a running log. Save all (print it if you can) correspondence between you and your boss regardless of its contents. Same goes for phone conversations and voice mail if you're technically able to do that. I think you can find digital or tape recorders that plug directly into regular phones. Obviously, be careful with these devices since your boss or HR will not like you recording conversations. You can also send an e-mail to him after any meetings where you summarize what you talked about. Getting a reply is not so important as you having traceable evidence that you brought this matter to his attention. In other words you tried to resolve the issue professionally, but he did not respond.
Be careful what you say in person, the phone, or e-mail i.e. anything remotely negative or condescending because it can be used against you. Needless to say, don't expect a reference from your boss. You may want to ask your fellow co-workers or former bosses to be references. In this day and age, it's so simple to keep in touch.
Be squeaky clean while you're dealing with this issue since the company will try to find the slightest dirt to terminate you with cause. No more long lunches, smoke breaks, coffee breaks, etc. Also, start cleaning out your desk because your days are numbered. Kind of sad things have to end this way, but this is standard operating procedure for many companies these days. Get your files in order, speak with a lawyer, take legal action if necessary and get out of there. Winning a case against your boss will be a good thing, but don't stick around (no matter how much money you make, how much you like your job, etc.) because your life will be miserable.
I personally wouldn't even accept a transfer to a different department since the company seems to tolerate this kind of behaviour from its managers.
Be careful what you say in person, the phone, or e-mail i.e. anything remotely negative or condescending because it can be used against you. Needless to say, don't expect a reference from your boss. You may want to ask your fellow co-workers or former bosses to be references. In this day and age, it's so simple to keep in touch.
Be squeaky clean while you're dealing with this issue since the company will try to find the slightest dirt to terminate you with cause. No more long lunches, smoke breaks, coffee breaks, etc. Also, start cleaning out your desk because your days are numbered. Kind of sad things have to end this way, but this is standard operating procedure for many companies these days. Get your files in order, speak with a lawyer, take legal action if necessary and get out of there. Winning a case against your boss will be a good thing, but don't stick around (no matter how much money you make, how much you like your job, etc.) because your life will be miserable.
I personally wouldn't even accept a transfer to a different department since the company seems to tolerate this kind of behaviour from its managers.
It's a bullying culture at this guy's workplace.
Fuck those managers. This kind of shit should be dealt with head on, and yes, I agree with you Serpent, management has to counter with ways for the employee to improve and not just shit on him.
Refer to your company's HR policy manual or Health & Safety Plan. The latter should contain provisions against Violence & Harrassment in the work place. The old-school bully bosses may have violated such policies.
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Foreman once threathen me, I climbed down the scafold ASAP and got in his face and said "When and where ?" with a little bump. He backed off, later apologised.
You do have to confront them but I don't think it's wise to counter with such profane comebacks.
Better to say "Are you really threatening me?" Intelligent come back remarks make them think twice. But one needs to be prepared and have balls too.
Just curious... OP, are you sure they are sincerely threatening your life/well-being? Seems weird that not one, but two managers are making serious physical threats to an employee.
Or are they saying it like how some guys say "My wife is gonna kill me if I'm not home by 8pm!".
I ask only because many, many years ago, my father (who at the time was a recent immigrant to Canada) was told by his boss that if he messed up, the boss "was going to kill him". That expression was not used where my dad was from, and he interpreted as a serious threat to his life. Fortunately his boss saw his reaction and realized my dad didn't get that it was a joke, and explained it.
Or are they saying it like how some guys say "My wife is gonna kill me if I'm not home by 8pm!".
I ask only because many, many years ago, my father (who at the time was a recent immigrant to Canada) was told by his boss that if he messed up, the boss "was going to kill him". That expression was not used where my dad was from, and he interpreted as a serious threat to his life. Fortunately his boss saw his reaction and realized my dad didn't get that it was a joke, and explained it.
While the old adage says that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, every boss knows you catch the most with shit.
In my experience, honey AND vinegar work better than either alone. Reward success generously and punish failure harshly.
My employees usually hate me at first because I am really hard on them and very demanding. Then when they succeed I shower then with praise and where appropriate, small bonuses.
It takes a bit of an asshole to be an effective manager but someone who was previously being shit on for their shortcomings who gets praised very publicly for doing a great job gets a massive morale boost.
Also, hard working employees secretly enjoy watching the boot come down on a slacker.
In any case...
Threatening any kind of violence, even as a joke, is really dodgy. The manager needs to find a more appropriate way of expressing his dissatisfaction, assuming he is just using it as an expression and doesn't actually intend physical violence.
Yes nobody123, I got that adage slightly wrong.
Bullshit old-school tactics don't work anymore.
I've seen good people leave because they hated their bosses and joined the competition. Some ARE even the competition.
While being an effective boss is not necessarily a popularity contest, treating people like shit is a de-motivator. You can correct or discipline without having to personally offend employees.
Absolutely. The harsh words should be "we really expect more from people than that, you won't be here long if you keep making those kinds of mistakes" not "you are an idiot" etc., certainly not "I am going to kill you".
Punish and reward the behavior, not the person.
You already have an incredibly good case to bring a Human Rights Tribunal complaint against the individuals and the company.
http://www.levittllp.ca/resources/articles/abusive-bosses-be-forewarned
Contact Howard Levitt's office for a free consultation. They are the leading employment law firm in Ontario and you will get good advice. Do not try to figure this out on your own either. Each situation is unique and you need the advice of a lawyer with broad employment law knowledge to decide the best course of action.
Levittllp.ca
http://www.levittllp.ca/resources/articles/abusive-bosses-be-forewarned
Contact Howard Levitt's office for a free consultation. They are the leading employment law firm in Ontario and you will get good advice. Do not try to figure this out on your own either. Each situation is unique and you need the advice of a lawyer with broad employment law knowledge to decide the best course of action.
Levittllp.ca
