Archived Sexual Harrassment

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I am going through a situation right now and it is making me dread going to work. After weeks of a TM making comments and me trying to laugh it off. Last Wednesday he and another TM said approached me and said extremely vulgar things and what they wanted to do to me. I was very upset and tried to continue working. The one TM came up to me again and jokingly asked if I was mad...I end up reporting it. I had another TM witness it all. I called out the following day. When I returned to work I was called into HR and asked to write a statement. Also the night before I received texts calling me a snitch and a cry baby. I avoided the 2 TM, but kept seeing them in the back room. They had told half the store and went up to a TM on my team and told her some untrue vulgar things. She reported it to HR. They were called into HR for 3rd time. I was off work this weekend. When I came in Monday morning I had a chat with HR and was told not to talk about it. That it all in process. I go out on the floor to do go backs and can hear on of the TM talking crap about me loudly. The other TM made some comments about me in front of my TL and high fived another TM. I was off work today. They have been called into HR now 7 times. No write up. I want to call out tomorrow. These guys wont stop.
 
I hope you showed the texts to your HR & keep documenting everything. This is classic "hostile workplace harassment".
If your store doesn't act, they are opening themselves up to a lawsuit.
Even if they term the jerks, you may still have to deal with blowback from any of their buddies. HR should quash that too.
 
I did show HR the texts. I haven't said a word to them. These guys are walking around the store like they are untouchable.
How long before anything happens? I would have thought they'd shut their mouths.
 
If they've been called in that many times, HR is building a case through documentation.
Give a jerk enough rope & he'll hang himself.
Sounds like HR is just feeding 'em rope.
 
First off sorry for the troubles your having, some people can be real jerks. Second it sounds like your HR is dropping the ball on this to me. You said you have shown the texts and you had a witness, sorry that's end of their game right there. You said 1 of them said something in front of your TL, I hope your TL nipped it in the bud if not that definetaly needs to be dealt with. In my opinion you need to approach your HR and ask why they are still there and nothing has been done because obviously them getting pulled in is doing nothing. If your HR gives you the run around about evidence, what more do they need? Bottom line is if you don't like the way they are handling the matter call the hotline.
We had this happen at our store (not to this full extent but close). The "victim" called the hotline, we had a some regional someting HR in the building within 3 days, guilty party fired on the spot. They had witnesses and other things for proof, and its 0 tolerance. Funny part was that in the interviews with the team members and such involved she pointed out 5-6 more people that we couldn't fire on the spot but needed to get rid of them asap.
 
I am so sorry you are going through this.
Like redeye said make sure you document everything.
Keep a notebook handy and if someone says something nasty to you take out the notebook in front of them and write it down.
Not only will they shut up but you will have the information in a fresh and timely manner.
If your bosses question you about what you are doing explain that this is how you have to deal with a hostile work environment.
That will make them move a whole lot faster.

I really do think they are working on this.
There are just a lot of hoops they have to jump through and knowing that the dickwads they have to term also have buddies in the store means they have to be extra careful.
I hope they do right by you.

If not corporate will have to get involved and that won't be pretty.
 
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If they've been called in that many times, HR is building a case through documentation.
Give a jerk enough rope & he'll hang himself.
Sounds like HR is just feeding 'em rope.

Usually, sexual harassment with proof is an instant dismissal.

OP: If something doesn't happen soon, call the Integrity Hotline.
 
I am also sorry that you are experiencing this.
Don't delete those text messages from your phone.
In fact I would screenshot the messages and save them to your computer, just in case something happens to your phone.
If something isn't done about this soon then I would call the integrity hotline.

Try to hang in there, calling off is a temporary solution. Making sure that the idiots get termed and stopping them from
harassing any other TMs is the way to go.
 
Thank you everyone.

I am not going to call out today.
The STL does know about the situation, he talked to one of the TM when HR was off.
The TM told HR I was a snitch, because she told me they called me that.
HR told me they can't disclose what is being done.. is that correct??
 
Do you know if your AP team is involved?? In cases similar to this I have seen them create specific plans to keep team members safe that are being harassed.
 
Don't call out because of this TM. Thats probably what they want.

HR is probably working on it. Its just that they have to cover the butts to make sure that your allegations are true and that the store will not get in any legal trouble for terminating this TM.

But be sure to show all texts to your HR and STL. Ask to have a TM present in all encounters with this other TM. Document all improper conversations. I would even carry a digital tape recorder around; either in secret or make it be known to that TM that future conversions will be recorded.

If this TM is texting/calling you, you can either go into your phone or call your Cell Phone provider, and block that TMs number. Forward the texts out and print them out, file a restraining order against the TM if it gets worse.
 
It is two TM that did this. A third TM, their buddy was sending the texts when I was off work.
And the third TM is on my team... So it is really awkward now.
I don't think AP is involved.
I guess I'll see what happens today.
 
It is true HR can't tell you what they are doing.
I know that doesn't seem fair but it's basically a CYA move on the part of Spot so they can't be sued by the people when they fire them.
It really does sound like that is going to happen but I can understand why it doesn't feel like it's happening fast enough.
Remember to document any hostile behavior from other TMs and don't worry about labels when it comes down to reporting them.

The only way to stop behavior like this is to crush it.
If guys are allowed to keep getting away with it and the people around them back them up, you get situations like what happened in Steubenville.
 
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Holy crap. Kudos to you for being such a trooper and for putting up with this. You should not allow yourself to be a victim; don't call out of work because of these nasty asshats.
 
And sweetheart, honestly, I would call the hotline sooner rather than later. Maybe the store wants this rock-solid case against the aforementioned asshats, but it shouldn't be at the expense of your safety.
 
I was verbally and physically sexually harassed by a TM and he just got a Final for it, no term. There were no witnesses, but he was right in front of a camera when he did it and then he went and blabbed to everyone after he had a talk with HR (retaliation). I had to depend on his and my TLs to keep him away from me. Thankfully, the store leaders were on my side (apparently the final decision came from the Group level), and they made life at Spot a little less fun for him; eventually he quit. I still get nervous whenever I see a car that looks like his.

Keep pushing. They cannot tell you what specifically is happening (termination or corrective action, etc), but HR is required to keep you in the loop about the progress of your case. Stress that you feel unsafe working with these people. If your HR and STL keep bumbling about with this, call the hotline.
 
You'll have to continue to report the legitimate events that happen on a daily basis. If they say something or do something, report it to HR. It's confidential what Corrective Action the accused TM's will receive, so just because they are still working there, doesn't mean they aren't on some type of written or verbal warning.
 
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