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What Every Target of Workplace Bullying Needs to Know
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Federal Government Employee Being Bullied

by Sparky
(Washington, DC)

I've been with the Feds for 14 years (including 4 years in the military). In my first 4 years with my current agency I received Sustained Superior Performance Wards TWICE. Coming out to the field office five years ago, it was clear from day one these folks didn't want me here.

Recently my boss has joined the mob of 15. My boss blames me for the issues I'm trying to deal with. When I first brought it to him, he did nothing! Over the last several years it has gotten so bad my depression, panic attacks, service connected disability and PTSD has taken over my life. I don't sleep. My wife and small child are victims. I have nowhere to turn.

I've spoken with an attorney who specializes in Fed Employment Law. She said I have nothing actionable. I cannot quit or find a another job. I NEED HELP!! I'm afraid to contact EEOC or my department. What should I do? Thinking of contacting the ACLU. I read somewhere that 35% of all employees are bullied.

Comments for Federal Government Employee Being Bullied

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Federal governments bullies
by: Anonymous

MATE!!! GET OUT, TRANSFER BEFORE YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY HAVE DRAINED YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU CAN'T WORK.
WHAT PIGS!!! NASTY PEOPLE YOU DO NOT NEED THIS, AND WHAT A STUPID COWARD ATTORNEY.
SORRY MATE, I HONESTLY FEEL FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO HELP YOU
I KNOW NOTHING OF YOUR COUNTRYS LAWS I JUST KNOW YOUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF YOUR FAMILY IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN WORKING WITH A PACK OF THUGS DETERMINE TO MAKE YOUR LIFE A MISERY.
GOOD LUCK FOR THE FUTURE.
DONT LET THUGS DO THIS TO YOU, YOU DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS.
US FED Employee/Not Aussie Employee
by: Sparky

Morning, Thank you for your comments. I'm a US Gov't Fed Employee, not with the Aussie Gov't. It's funny, the State of Queensland (In Australia) is the only state to out law Bullying/Mobbing. It will spread in Australia and eventually our own US Federal Gov't will have to step in to help those bullied. Yes, I need to get out.
I'm with the feds too
by: Anonymous

I have been with the federal government for 1.5 years. All was well until my lead, who was flirting with me, asked me on a date and I turned him down. Up until that point he told me my work was great and wrote letters of recommendation. (Which I kept.)

After I turned him down, he became antagonistic and started criticizing my work. I went to management and they intervened. My branch chief said I should have come to him sooner so they could nip it in the bud. Now things have gotten so bad my lead is actually defaming my work to other organizations. (I have the emails) In fact, it looks like my project is not going to succeed because of him; he actually has been stirring up the test organization with false accusations and they are now saying my project is in the red. I would sue him but lawsuits are very pricey things.

I cannot believe this is happening; for the first time in my 30 year career, I am staring a bad appraisal in the face.

At first the union sided with me, but now they refuse to help me out.

Management doesn't care, and he just acts like a crazy person who is allowed to do whatever he pleases. I guess I'm going to have to walk away from this job.

I never experienced anything like this in the private sector.
Dept. of Energy bully
by: Anonymous

I'm glad and sad to hear others are being bullied. I too have had major kudo's from work. I recently changed to carpentry where I met the employee from hell. Since day one it has been horrible, like the others who have written I have experienced lack of sleep and high anxiety. My boss talked to the employee who just changed his tactics. Now my boss wants me to shut up, or should I say man up. This same guy just got his third DUI and is still driving. He tells the crew he pleaded the 5th and wasn't required to take the breathalizer or give blood. He has a relative who is an attorney and believes he will escape his latest blunder. After I wrote the first letter to my boss, they left that guy as my supervisor. You can imagine how bad the went...I don't know what to do, maybe I should go public with this?? Management has failed me so badly.
Fed Govt - Mobbing and Sexual Harassment Grounds
by: Anonymous

I was, also, bullied, sexually harassed, stalked and endured a hostile working environment. I was told by the harassers I was sensitive and they continued with the hostile work environment and sexual harassment. My supervisor was illegally manipulating information in computer with the coworker which should have been training me, but took out time to sexually harassing me. I told her what she was doing was wrong and she proceeded to dump her work and her supervisor's work on me. My sexual harasser was given a green light to continue on, since this person was the boss' friend. I went up the chain of command only to be given an extremely dishonest reprimand including being reprimanded for turning the sexual harasser in. I couldn't take it any longer. I left, filed a lawsuit, couldn't get unemployment (due to the pack of lies this supervisor spun) and I am now being blacklisted by the agency with the blessing of the management, and I am still being stalked by the sexual harasser with witnesses and pictures for evidence. Do you have any thoughts how I can get around this supervisor, since I worked there for years? This whole agency is corrupt. They are trying to paint me as unstable, when it is the group of them which are dysfunctional and unstable.
Fed's Lie
by: Anonymous

So sorry for your situation and I completely understand. My ex-sup was vindictive and is trying to ruin my life.

If you can retire, I'd take that and move on somewhere peaceful. Peace has more intrinsic value than stress.
vet working for Asheville
by: Anonymous

I was bullied the first day I hit the floor ...I had a nurse stick her finger in my face and scream at me...about the 3th time I asked her firmly and straight forward to get the h out of my 3 feet of space or I was gonna stomp her, after 8 months of lies and being bullied and me being counseled...finally she let the floor now I have this Rn in my face over everything I do..I am a nurse too...I get letters of appraisel as well as flowers from the family , cards I have been a nurse for 19 yrs, she inactivated her lic for 21 yrs and has only been on the floor for 4 yrs....I refuse to speak to her socially but I am polite but curt about work information. And I'm the one that's in trouble cause as she puts it " I won't talk to her" I dred going to work! All the vets get picked on by management esp. and they are not vets.
Federal Workplace Bullying
by: Anonymous

I have worked for the Federal Government for 5 years. In the last three, I have watched a friend fight all levels of management to keep from being harassed. From his direct supervisor, all the way to the shop superintendent. All because defended himself when he got his first written reprimand in his 10+ years here. Then he made the mistake of filing an EEO complaint against his harasser. It's just been one write up and suspension after another, and his union is a joke. He wrote to OSC, then Merit Staffing. OSC at least replied and directed him to Merit Staffing. That was in February and he has heard nothing. The biggest problem is that I keep hearing "move on and get another job". Why should anyone have to get another job to please the sick attacks of simple-minded power-hungry jerks? Why should the victim become a victim twice? The "get another job" answer is just plain wrong. It gives them more power to keep doing it to others.
IM STANDING MY GROUND!
by:

I WORK FOR THE IRS AND MY MANAGER HAS BULLIED ME FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS! IT ALL BEGAN WHEN SHE WAS NEWLY INSTALLED AS A MANAGER IN OUR UNIT. SHE WALKED IN HATING MANY. SHE DEMANDED MY PASSWORD AND DID WHO KNOWS WHAT. WHEN I APPROACHED HER SHE THREATENED WRITING ME UP! SO SHE BEGAN TO BULLY ME AND SPREAD VICIOUS LIES ABOUT ME. UPPER MANAGEMENT JOINED HER EFFORTS AND TRIED TO FIRE ME. I FILED AN EEO CASE WHICH WAS SELECTED AND IS NOW IN JUDGES CHAMBERS. SHE AND HER BOSS WERE CAUGHT! NO ONE HAS TRIED TO STOP THE BULLY AND HER COHORTS. I LOST MY HOME,HEALTH AND FAMILY. THEY STILL BULLY ME, LIE ABOUT ME,TRY TO TRAP ME LEGALLY, AND POISON ME. THEY SLASHED MY TIRES AT WORK AND NO ONE CARES AT WORK! NOR THE LAW! ITS REALLY BAD OVER HERE. PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING AND I SEE IT. ITS THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE.

I WILL STAND MY GROUND TO HELP OTHERS WHO ARE SUFFERING WORSE THAN ME. I AM NOT ALONE FOR GOD IS WITH ME. :)
Civilian Fed Contractor Being Raped, Tortured, Lied About
by: Anonymous

God help them when they face Judgment and their deaths. Only Jesus could withstand these things and see his role in God's work.
Ex US Federal Govt Employee
by: Linda

After reading your bio I greatly empathize with you since I was in the same place -- between a rock and a hard place -- just a short time ago.

I ended up filing a formal EEO complaint in January 2013. After investigation the EEO Investigator sided with me on every single allegation I submitted. At the end of the day all 14 allegations were found to be true. I also know what it's like working in a hostile work environment. Working at my US federal govt agency was so stressful that I had panic attacks even in anticipation of even reporting for work. I was finally dismissed after being written up for the fourth time. However, in my defense I had panic attacks and couldn't always report to class or work due to these incidents. I was still written up anyway and disciplined. In my last informal complaint, instead of firing me (removal from federal service) they offered to allow me to resign after almost 13 years of federal govt experience provided that I dropped all disputes against them. I refused and was subsequently fired the next day. I had never been written up for anything before coming to this agency. Just the opposite; all other agencies wanted me to reach the top ranks and was a GS-14 before moving down to Huntsville.

At this time there is NO US federal govt law which outlaws bullying in the federal govt workplace. However, under the American Disabilities Act, as amended, you are eligible to file as mental disabled due to your panic attacks. If you stay at your current agency they will end up firing you as well. Instead leave this agency and then file your EEO complaint. You have 45 days in which to file any incident. In the questionnaire make sure you cite ALL incidents to demonstrate that there is a history of work place abuse.

Senator Paul Rand has recently published a book available at Amazon.com which addresses govt bullying. I just ordered it and strongly suggest you might also want to read it. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Best regards,
Linda
Long time bullying
by: Anonymous

I have been bullied for 24 years by the same male coworker. He has had other bullies join him to attack me. I'm not sure if it is jealous.
BEING BULLIED TO DEATH BY THE FAA
by: Atti Asks

I have been bullied and stalked by the FAA for six years. I am 62 years old, never been in trouble once, own home and business here. Called in 2009 to ask if the student pilots could stop doing stall maneuvers over our homes. Within one hour, after 11 years of not one jet over our area, we were being bombarded by every aircraft he could find. We are stalked through our phones, atm cards, computers. He flies military jets and helicopters, commercial jets and private planes over us every single place we go. He flies over our home all night even though our airport closes at 10pm. Hundreds of pilots are willing to bully someone to suicide. Why? I need help before it's too late. I WANT TO DIE EVERY DAY. Please, someone help me. This is premeditated murder of a good citizen by the FAA. We have contacted everyone we can think of in 6 years. I CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE. HELP PLEASE. This is sick.
Work Place Bullying
by: Anonymous

After reading all of the comments I can see I am not alone.
I have been bullied in the past 3 jobs in federal government.
It seems to be the protocol on how to handle things today.
I have seen a big change after sequestration; furloughs, moral
is at an all time low.

I was selected best qualified in all 3 jobs,when I go there it seems they did not want me there, why doesn't management and HR just admit to discriminating openly that way everyone can save a lot of time and money.

They begin to dump everyones work on me.

It's sad I get my work done, a few others but the majority of people just sit and collect a paycheck with union behind them. Management actually discourages work productivity, they want to justify why they can get more funding for the upcoming FY, and bonuses.

I had seen captains, directors intimidate federal workers, contractors in order to perform the way they want them too.
In the end it creates a high turnover rate.

Just my opinion I feel there are some supervisors, directors , and leads that may have PTSD, under stress or sociopaths, that need help. HR, EEOC and the Union does nothing about this. I had the Union president call me at home during election ,she said " Don't forget about me" and hung up, who does that, while collecting $9,000 in union bonuses.

As others have stated health , sanity, and happiness matters the most. My management tried to set me up to fail and eventually get me written up and/or fired. I have never gotten a reprimand in my 20 year career, received multiple awards for outstanding work. I did not give them the benefit, instead I voluntary resigned.

I am currently unemployed with a family of 3.

When I joined federal service it was about honor, following the constitution, and serving the American public it's a shame to see what it has become.
I'm Transgender on Whidbey Island, WA.
by: Anonymous

WOW, you all have caused me to strongly feel that much of my 20 plus years of brutal atrocities and 24/7/365 covert stalking and complete life destruction must be influenced greatly by my own Federal government. I've had my suspicions to this for some time seeing how so many of the state of the art technologies would have to be US Navy supplied. I'm not a government employee but these creeps have ruined me financially and forced me to shut down my very successful business of 15 years.

Strange how every!!! local, state and Federal agency slams the door or CLICK on the phone when I try in desperation to end my 20 plus year nightmare that John Carpenter would scream and Cringe at if ever subjected to my horrors.

Please would someone just kill me and end my nightmare from hell.
Bullied to death by the John Wayne Airport
by: Anonymous

We have been spied on, stalked and bullied to a point of illness and staying with neighbors because if you are a woman in Orange County, CA and you call your airport to ask about noise, etc. they will stay on you wherever you go, buzz you with jets at 6am when the airport doesn't open until 7, they will track you through your atm and credit cards so wherever you go, they can send something way too low over you. This is the sickest thing we have ever seen. 7 women so far, We are going to hand our flyers to see how many others. They want me dead and I am moving without my husband, etc., just to keep this tumor from killing me. Death by the FAA is unbelievable. Where does someone go?
Mobbed
by: Anonymous

I worked for the govt in various places for 22 years with outstanding records and performance. The last two. Years was a living nightmare. I was bullied by a man who did not get the job I applied for. In addition my Supervisor and another woman manager stuck up for him. It became a mob of bullies. Within 2 years my career was ruined and I was forced to resigned. It has taken one year to heal from the mental and emotional abuse I encountered. My only advice is to get out as quick as possible. Managment only protects themselves. Nothing changes.
Isiah 54:17
by: Anonymous

If you pray about your situation God will answer it if your patient. Harassment happens and the only way to beat it is staying focus on God and what he wants you to do. I hope that everyone that has to go through this type of unjust act makes it through it because this is a tactic of satan and he has a lot of them. My situation is a lot like what some of the comments talk about but it does NOT effect me anymore. The problem I have is who is doing this? Good luck everyone and God bless. No weapon formed against thee shall prosper. Isiah 54:17
US Federal Employees
by: Sandra G.

As a federal employee, you have several options. You can contact the MSPB (Merit Systems Protection Board) as well as the OSC (Office of Special Counsel) before going outside to the EEOC. If you quit your job, you have nothing. If you fight back, you stand to gain a great deal. No one EVER has the right to bully you; and you have every right to stand and fight back. Be sure to document EVERYTHING, including the Who, What, Where, How and Why of each event. Be sure to keep your actions and emotions in check because you don't want to give them a reason for taking any action against you. There are advocates everywhere, which may be beneficial to you in dealing with this nonsense. Hang in there!
THE FAA WILL BULLY YOU TO DEATH AND NO ONE WILL STOP THEM
by: karen fountain

Citizens of Orange County, we need your voice. People are being bullied by employees of our local airport. If someone calls in a noise complaint, they get a jet path over their home instantly, illegally low. We had our first jet within 15 minutes of our first very polite call in 2009, asking if the student pilots could stop doing stall maneuvers over our homes. It's illegal. For the past 7 years and 4 months, we get jets from JWA way too low all day, jets way too low from LAX all night every night. We lived here 11 years before that fateful call and never had one jet over this hill. (It seems that sleep deprivation is one of their favorite bully tactics - read the attached article from another woman here getting the same treatment "Fuming Over Jet Noise" in Laguna Beach paper June 24, 2011.) We are awakened almost every night, we get X marks the spot chem trails over our home, dive bombed by private planes every day several times at home, restaurants, bookstores, church, the beach, etc. It's been going on for too long. Our new director, came to our county from LAX on November 13, 2015 stating he was going to stick to the curfew. We were so hopeful and praying that he wouldn't be another monster. WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE FOOTAGE OF WHAT HE DID OVER OUR HOME FOR HIS ENTIRE FIRST WEEK 24/7 until he realized we were taping (we will have a link to YouTube in the future to watch this and to experience the entire story with video and audio). We are over 20 miles from JWA and we never had one jet over our hill before we called, just like the other people being bullied by them, and we are over 100 miles from LAX!!! We should never hear jets from any airport this far from one. This is bullying at a level most people can't imagine. Our neighbor calls this Lord of the Flies on steroids. Abuse of power by the John Wayne Airport is becoming more prevalent here in Orange County. We have found 5 other women who are dealing with the same thing here. When you call the airport and ask them about flights before and after hours (they are suppose to open at 7am and close at 10pm), they will tell you these are international flights. Didn't we all vote to not have an international airport? They do whatever they want no matter what the citizens say. Please WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T CALL OR EMAIL THE AIRPORT!!! Instead, please email the Mayor of Mission Viejo, Frank Ury, and ask him to stop the bullying by JWA. There are suppose to be two flight paths here in Orange County. One over the ocean and back north under Dana Point and one due north from the airport. There should never be flights up the middle of our county, there should never be chem trails in our city skies. These are to bully people to death, literally. There are many organizations for bullying if you are a child, but not one for adults. This needs to change. Please, save an American dream and save a life by sending an email to Frank Ury, Mayor of Mission Viejo, at fury@cityofmissionviejo.org and ask him to stop the bullying. Thank you.
Bullying
by: Anonymous

They said to quit if you cant handle it. So I did all that health issues and stress for retirement? No thanks. Most of them will not enjoy their retirement. Probably die from disease and accidents. Bullies will get what they deserve. Or they children will.
Useful resource
by: Jenna Murphy

I messaged you because I came across a site that has alleviated my frustrations and has proven to be rather accurate for my own purposes. The site, courtsystem.org seems to have a complete database of listings for all emergency, legal and law enforcement government offices in the country – with working phone numbers directions (at least for the ones I’ve tried!). I wanted to share the site because it has saved me a few headaches and I’m sure it would be useful to others as well, so when I saw your I thought it might go well there. Figured someone else might find it useful as well – and save them the frustration I’ve endured in the past.

Thanks for taking the time to listen to me and improve our community.
UNFAIR CYBER BULLYING AT SFVAMC
by: Anonymous

I have experienced workplace bullying at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Hospital=Fort Miley. I am a RN, MSN >26yrs and a Veteran. I have been in my position for some time and I say an expert in my field. I have never experienced this type of "ABUSE" in my life!!!! I went to my boss for over 2 yrs who did NOTHING, and then to the UNION, who told me that "both of you are in the union so we cannot represent you." My boss(MD) did talk with the Union Rep. who lied!!!! He said it was a "issue between two professionals, who will have to work it out" Well it WORKED OUT!!! the employees worked it out, by the less senior employee "BULLYING" the senior employee (female) until she was SMART enough to leave the facility and NOT return UNTIL the abuser was gone!!
But instead the boss (male), slapped his hand and moved his physical location!!!!
Supervisor not even in my Specialty
by: Anonymous

I am being targeted by a well-known bully at a VA outpatient clinic. This person is THE most disliked person in the entire (very large) clinic.
However, she looks good on paper and it is well known among employees that the "numbers" are all the VA cares about nowadays. I was informed of that person's formal complaint "on behalf" of a member of my team (who had not made a complaint and had no idea what this was about.) The bully is well known for making up lies, exaggerating and generally being disruptive. I have no idea why the administration has allowed this to continue. The Union is now involved and I am considering legal action.
Abuse of Power Willful Neglect Left with a disability
by: Gunters

I was injured on the job at ... Army Depot . I was not allowed proper health care . Dr ... Head of UAB neurology dept professional documentation says I was not given a proper work up. I had moderate to severe compression on my the al sac and root nerves for 5 months. Leaving me with nerve damage and neurogenic claudication. The Union VP of the local ... sent me to the Congressman office. I was put under high scrutiny because they thought I was faking. They fired me and only then did I get proper health care, Dr ... did a lamamectamy L4/L5 L5/S1.
The director of ethics and compliance called me and gave me an apology on behalf of the Army and said " you should not have had to go through that".
Granted a mediation where the settlement authority was in Huntsville Alabama, her headquarters, and said that the Army had did nothing wrong. Director of ethics and compliance sent me an email ending in " you're not alone". That is the slogan for one of the biggest suicide prevention organization, my Father was killed on Christmas Day when I was 8 as a FCI worker. Very distasteful timing to do mediation , Dec 17th, and the email ending in "remember you're not alone". I have documentation and emails to back all this up. I have lost what little I had in saving and retirement losing feeling in my feet, DDS urged me to see a Dr as soon as possible, as my SSDI was denied only because it has not been a year, since I was I injured. My wife is a Nurse at ... , I was a mechanic supporting our warfighters. My agency would actually influence the attempted Dr visits, again it was ONLY when I was terminated did was I allowed to have the surgery needed! Nov 26 2019 till May 22 2020 I had moderate at levels and severe at levels of compression. major clinics, Grandview, St Vincents, TOC, Documentation used at first was from a ... said "back pain" same Dr used for Disability Determination.
Something to consider
by: Anonymous

Maybe, instead of constantly trying to fight the matter, DIG A RABBITS HOLE!... One horrible coworker, that harassed me for years (I’m glad he’s retired), I found his uncle was in a position above the office I worked in. (That explains why he was a "Teflon Don"!)

At another event, I took a manager to arbitration! Months later, just curious, I dug my hole. I found the manager had the same uncommon last name as the person who worked at the Labor Department! This person, from the Labor Department represented the defense at Arbitration.

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