I have had a major problem with a supervisor before involving sexual discrimination and related grossly unfair treatment. I took the advice of a relative who is a labor relations lawyer and started a journal of everything she did, big or small, that was related to my complaint in any way.

To be legal binding, if it comes to that, this journal has to be in a bound (not loose leaf) notebook with numbered pages. You can find these in any office supply store. Use ink. Do not erase, only cross off to make corrections. Write in every line and on every page, no skipping. Always mark the date and time of the entries. If you are writing recollections, use today's date and comment that it is a recollection from date x.

It did not take very long before my boss called me into a disiplinary conference. I told her I had extensive documentation of her mistreatment of me and another man in her group. (This was an exaggeration. I had only recently begun the journal.) She immediately dropped all complaints about me, and most shockingly, she apologized. She even eventually assisted me in getting a promotion.

I can't recommend this highly enough. Others have told me how well documentation helped them, too. It even makes you feel better as you are doing it. It is like accumulating ammunition for the coming battle and feeling secure that you are well armed.