DISCUSSIONS

Discrimination! I worked at a family owned company (in FL). I was constantly put down, yelled at and much more. This caused me severe anxiety and chest pains. Which of course affected my work productivity. My last day I was asked if I had ADHD, I shouldn’t have replied but my anxiety & fear had me feeling like a child having to answer my parents. I said, yes & that I didn’t have my medication. then after I finished payroll and was leaving a ‘boss’ as the entire company referred to as, she tossed a paper across her desk, not even looking at me. With my 20 years of Human Resources I read the paper & it was confusing. So I asked if it was a write up or termination. She said, ‘BOTH’ still not looking at me. So I asked again what did the letter mean. Am I terminated as of now, she said YES. I refused to sign the paper, packed up my belongings and left. Again, this was the same day she asked me about my health.

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Anonymous

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Discrimination! I worked at a family owned company (in FL). I was constantly put down, yelled at and much more. This caused me severe anxiety and chest pains. Which of course affected my work productivity. My last day I was asked if I had ADHD, I shouldn’t have replied but my anxiety & fear had me feeling like a child having to answer my parents. I said, yes & that I didn’t have my medication. then after I finished payroll and was leaving a ‘boss’ as the entire company referred to as, she tossed a paper across her desk, not even looking at me. With my 20 years of Human Resources I read the paper & it was confusing. So I asked if it was a write up or termination. She said, ‘BOTH’ still not looking at me. So I asked again what did the letter mean. Am I terminated as of now, she said YES. I refused to sign the paper, packed up my belongings and left. Again, this was the same day she asked me about my health.

What are your thoughts, advice or refer me to an attorney?

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  1. Anonymous

    PS I’m a woman, 52 and we are different ethnicity’s.

  2. Sonya Easley, CMP CMM

    You must contact EEOC ASAP. Make sure you give them a detailed account of everything. Documentation with dates of occurrence are critical. EEOC has to be within the last 6 mos. Also, contact the ADA and report this as well. Your rights have clearly been violated.

  3. Stephanie Branch Lekowski

    Definitely contact an attorney. Not only were you bullied/harassed, but they forced an ADHD "confession" out of you.

  4. Melissa

    Nicely put! ‘Forced a confession’

  5. Anonymous

    Terrible and unethical

    contact an employment lawyer

  6. Anonymous

    Get a lawyer.

  7. Julie E

    Talk to a lawyer.

  8. TCJDTV

    I hope you have been documenting each instance of harassment.

    I’m not a lawyer, but actual “discrimination” is based on protected classes (age, gender, race, disability). If you didn’t disclose that you have a disability (ADHD) and/or ask for accommodations, it’s hard to say if the law would consider it discrimination. Definitely worth speaking to a lawyer.

  9. Anonymous

    I do have documentation because I had a the HR feeling, LOL

    I actually did tell the lady who trained me because she’d go so fast that I’d get dizzy. I’ve been wondering if she told ‘the boss’.

  10. Anonymous

    Family-owned businesses are the worst, and tend to play favorites (hiring their kids or people who will toady to management). Many play fast and loose with laws, and don’t even have a proper HR department in place. Get a lawyer for sure.

  11. Anonymous

    You can pursue with a lawyer if you want, but the best revenge is living well. See if you can obtain another position in a somewhat larger company. I have faced this before several times in my career(s), and moving on is the best advice I would give. No use to give any more time or space in your brain to these undeserving people.

    One time when this happened to me I ended up doubling my salary in the next three years, which would have never happened if I had stayed with the original company. Additionally, if you do decide to pursue the legal angle, do think carefully of the possible ramifications for your future employment if you want to stay in the same industry segment. The legal settlement may have to be substantial to offset the informal networking among companies.

    At any rate, wishing you the best and pursing something positive is probably the best way to move forward.

  12. Rebecca Milliken

    Get an attorney. If you have an ADHD diagonoses, your company is supposed to provide accomodations to help you.

    Once you told them you had ADHD, if they didn't previously know it, and they fired you for it that could be a violation of the ADA. At least consult with an employment lawyer or the EEOC. Good luck.

  13. Anonymous

    Only if you disclose. A company can't provide accommodations without and from the post, it reads that until that day, she had never disclosed.

  14. Anonymous

    I disclosed to the manager who trained me

  15. Anonymous

    You can talk to a lawyer, but if the have documentation that you had been spoken to repeatedly and if you never formally disclosed your ADHD, it likely won't go anywhere.

  16. Anonymous

    It means people who essentially kowtow to management so they have a cushy job too. I speak from experience, and after my last job at a family-owned company, vowed to never go that route again.

  17. Anonymous

    I'm not the OP - but I work for a family owned small company now, never again!

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