Quote:
Originally Posted by unguy
I was a paralegal working in a law firm.
Here are some examples:
1. A co-worker asked me if I liked to sleep around. I tried to dodge the question and get back to work but she was insistent. Fearing that she was hitting on me, I replied "no, I don't sleep around" thinking what's the harm? Her reply was to say that she believed in free love and that my thoughts were now harassing her. Management bought her story and asked me to move my desk.
.
2. ....Finally, one day she threw a tantrum about a missing letter. I knew it was not on my desk. Finally, I asked her - don't you have it? Didn't I give it to you a few weeks ago? It's on your desk - I'm sure. She went ballistic and I became panicked. To end the tirade, I got up and went to her office, looked on her desk, saw the letter and brought it to her. I complained that she had been harassing me for months. I was fired even though my manager and her bosses had a reputation for harassment.
3. I had a temp secretary job and a new female temp was repeatedly rude. Finally, I said "don't talk to me like that." She was inept at everything but office politics. She would start arguments and blame me. Unfortunately - again - my boss was a woman who asked me to explain my behavior after the other temp complained daily.
.
Sadly, it seems that people enjoy doing this to me, as if I am less than human. I suspect that since I am gay there is also anti-gay prejudice involved. .
|
1. is rather ridiculous, but I guess they split PC hairs over everything in the legal profession.
2. sounded like they were just looking for an excuse to get rid of you.
3. was a temp job and those jobs are very "fire at will". I was let go from several temp jobs for the slightest reason.
What part of the country do you live? In most places, I agree there's an anti-gay prejudice. I'm an older celibate bachelor and consider myself straight (I haven't had gay sex or relationships and don't wish to), but coworkers habitually treat me as though I'm gay which is to say they treat me badly. Coworkers will always try to find an advantage, often by means of social/sexual status rather than work performance.
Some ideas. Get out of the legal profession. Legal beagles seem to welcome conflict as a general rule. Move to a city like San Francisco. Make sure your new boss is a male before taking any potential new job.
Quote:
|
I am at my wits end. I just want a job where I can work hard, collect a paycheck and go home.
|
Amen to that. It's been a long draught for me in that department too.