They're Going To Kill Me!

by Nicole
(Ottawa, Ontario)

It started about 6 years ago. I work with one of the biggest retail stores in the world with an excellent reputation.

I was hired as a manager for a dept. In my first year it was going good that they gave me a raise twice, they were impressed with my work dedication and my accomplishments. I work with ranks of management higher then me. The middle management quit a few came but left then we finally got one didn't know much about the dept's but we try to teach him.

He was being a little hard on me but I was holding my end and trying to learn more and please him. One day I got a call from the doctor in my dept and my middle manager was there, doctor wanted to see me and I said I didn't have time but would book an appointment when time was right, the nurse told me I had no time, in my blood work they found cancer cells and they needed to see me now. My boss beside me look at me, I was in shock and told him what the nurse said, I might have cancer, he then turn and said "your not going to start taking time off". I said I didn't know and no I wasn't.

Within that week, my boss started to tell me I should step down I have to much on my plate. I told him we didn't even know the stage or anything yet. But I wasn't stepping down. Every day he come at me asking me to step down, he was even there on his day off. I didn't know what to do, so I went to the director and told him, in reply he said "it's not a daycare here" and to fix my problem.

It got worse every day, I was starting to have problem breathing when he talk to me, I didn't know what was going on. Then I started to cry (just like that) he kept telling me to step down, but I wouldn't. I wasn't sleeping much anymore, but I know I was afraid but I didn't know of what.

This when on for days, weeks months. Until one day he said to me if I got one thing wrong on my inventory I would be looking to work at McDonald. There was nothing I could do. I step down and my doctor pulled me out before the surgery for stress.

With my time off and waiting for surgery, I wrote an email to the CEO, he then return my email to our office, they made an investigation within the dept with my manager present. My employees were afraid one said he add two kids in University he paying for along with a mortgage and couldn't afford to lose his job, they were told not to talk to me and I was told to stay away from them.

With all this time I kept pushing my surgery to fight with this, the doctor advice me if I didn't get this surgery I had 6 month to 18 months to live within a few weeks I had the surgery. Within a few weeks of returning home from the hospital I started to write again to the company head office telling them this was not right. They in return, told me with their investigation nothing was found and just a miss understanding between my boss and me, and my employees said nothing ever happened. I was puzzled.

So then my doctor told me what they did was illegal, I then told them. In return they asked me what I wanted I said I wanted my job back but at a different building.

After a year and a half, I return to work. I was scared still not sure why. I was giving back my pay and gave me same task but as in manager in training didn't get my full title back, but I gather they were allowed to do this.

Under new management,I return to work, I was healing great, mentally. But couldn't forget what happen not knowing why, this happen. Within three months of my return back to work this new management got promoted and my old boss came here. It started gently. After the new management was fully gone and my old manager was here I was alone with him, and it began again. This time I when straight to the head office told them what was happening, I was told I should reconsider every thing I've been through to step down, my life would be easier he said, I said no, I like my job, he then said I am getting old, I should take an easier job, again I looked puzzled and said I would think about it. Weeks went by and my manager asked me if I made a decision, I was confuse about, about me stepping down because I am getting old. Wow… I said no.

In the two years to follow, I got shingles (in summer) that was odd the doctor said, doctor said I must be under stress. It continue, I was accuse of being a liar, I was scream at (coming out of the office, other manager would said holy sh@t) they could hear it and couldn't believe it, they would swear after me, accuse me, even something as a Christmas party he invited all manager but me (that OK) but I was push aside, he didn't want me in the office to do my work he yell at me to get out, so I was having problems learning and doing my jobs.

He stop other levels of managers to stop talking to me, they were uncomfortable to be around me, they told me. One manager gave me a key once and told me to do not go to the office use this key and use the back office so he won't see me. By then I was getting in bad shape.

It was my week before I was going on holiday and I have been having chest pain for a long time now, but these ones were different when I breath it would hurt. So on Friday before my vacation, I was debating of going in I was not well, figuring it was my last day for a week I go set things in my dept.

He called me in the office, and there was two high manager screaming, yelling at me pounding the chair, they want me to sign a written paper because one of my employees climb and he wasn't suppose to, but I told him I wasn't there, he kept calling me a liar, he told me every one laughing at me at the head office, I was a joke, but I never sign it, this went on for at least over an hour and if I try to talk he said he write me up for subornation, I stop talking.

About 15 minute after I walk out of the office I was then having severe chest pain. I asked him if I could leave he said no, he said I was a coward and if I left it would be abandoning my post. So I called my husband he came and got me.

I did go to the hospital and I was diagnose with Pneumonia in July Then I got stone in kidney needed another operations. I called head office and told them what happen, well he said I wasn't going to be fired cause I had papers from the doctor I was gone for 3 weeks. I return and he started again the yelling, the swearing so I went to the doctor and she pull me out on stress leave and I saw a psychiatrist for a year and a half.

I then return to work again when he left. Again all was good and within 3 months or so the old manager came back, I told the director I cannot work with him, he said I had to figure it out. I told the director I don't know how, because he rape my mind, he said that harsh, but to me that was the truth.

So now with this other boss, I know it continues they put me in a position that it about impossible for me to accomplish my work, I need to work about 16 hrs a day if not 7 days a week to accomplish it. They are labeling me to my employees saying I am not organize and more.

Lawyers are expensive and we are not protected enough against workplace bullying, and even more when lawyers find out who I work for some won't even touch me, but do say I have a case. So I know now, no one can do anything for me . There a manager once told me the job would get the better of me, and now I believe this, this job will kill me.

I am not leaving I am over 50 years of age been there for only 10 years and I cannot get another job that would pay this wage. So if I die with insurance that would cover the mortgage on my house that been in the family for over 188 years or if I leave for another job and lose my family home of 188 years because I had to do bankrupt.

I guess I know what I am willing to sacrifice to keeps what right. There a lot more they did, but I just gave the basic.

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