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What Every Target of Workplace Bullying Needs to Know

Target of Workplace Bullying Labelled SCHIZOID

by Lucas

I was bullied once. I was twenty six years old and came to Melbourne from Queensland. I was going through a divorce and also left my job. A friend of mine found me a position in Melbourne. He got me a job in the same company he worked and different shift. I was assigned to the mail room. He let me rent his unit until I got some money together for a place of my own. I was in the company nine months when someone decided to give me a hard time.

Her name was Julie and she was my supervisor. At first she liked me and often asked me out for drinks after work. I was going through a very rough time with a divorce and I didn't want to get involved with anyone else for a while. I knocked back two, three and even four invitations to go out and have drinks and then maybe hit the town. She turned on me and it all started with a list going on the wall.

The list was about, who could open the most mail and get it upstairs for processing the quickest! I was always last on the list but it didn't bother me I was doing the best I could until one day my name wasn't there at all. I asked my supervisor where's my name? She replied, "Everyone knew I was last so it didn't matter if I was on there or not." I took it personal and decided to not try so hard.

About a month later I was called into a meeting. I was told packages were being handed out but there wasn't any point giving me one as I wouldn't get anything so it was up to me if I wanted to stay or get help looking for another job somewhere else. I was interested in knowing why they wanted to move me when I wasn't even there a year. Julie my supervisor sat up and said, we think you might have some problems working with the other staff. I was then asked if anyone in my family had a mental illness.

The company wasn't corporate or some fancy important out in your face type of place but still it was a job and my job at that. I was curious to know why it was being asked. To my surprise I was given a heading and told to go home and read up on it because my behaviour described what had been written. The word was SCHIZOID. I was told I could be suffering from a mental illness but am not aware of it. The following day, with my head held high I went back into the office and handed my resignation! I thanked them for telling me what they thought about me and making it known before I had been there a year as that way I could avoid putting it on my resume. I said that if this is how you see me then I chose the wrong career and wish to say good bye.

Two months later I found a job in insurance. Four months after that I had enough money to rent my own place. Today, four years later, and I am proud to say at almost thirty one years old I not only work for the same company but am considered for a position as team leader in their house and contents cover, department.

Comments for Target of Workplace Bullying Labelled SCHIZOID

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Being Groomed
by: Trinity

You survived a rather cruel and illegal bullying campaign and you have got your best revenge: you are living your life better than what it was when you were working for that other place. My last team leader was always phishing to find out what my sexual preference was, I was flatting with another female, when my flatmate went interstate my team leader said 'oh you have broken up?', I ignored her, and I think that was behind her increasing victimisation of me, she thought I had rejected her. I am hetero but in the workplace my sexuality is ambiguous because I am professional and I don't groom people for sex.

Comment
by: Linda Guirey

I have to agree, you have been on the receiving end of illegal bullying behaviour. In NZ you could have gone down the constructive dismissal route and even contacted Human Right Commission because of how they treated you.

You have moved on, with your head held high and I commend you for that. Sometimes it isn't worth the stress of the fight - you have to look after yourself first. Although you do wish that somehow they can be held accountable for how they treated you.

Well done for doing what you did.

Been there
by: Anonymous

I have been through a very similar scenario at my previous job. I was the victim of a very insidious group of people that knew they could label me as schizo to get away with psychological abuse, namely workplace mobbing. When I attempted to stand up and call out the bullies, they ramped up the mobbing behavior forcing me to leave my job. The worst part of it is people think I'm mentally ill, but don't realize what I have been the victim of. It's very difficult for someone to think that a group of people can be so insidious. Conversely, it is easier for people to think that mobbing victims are simply paranoid and are imagining things.

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