Legal question

[Greco101]

My gf has been extremely stressed out lately about going to work. She works at a grocery store filled with mostly older women with a couple 16-20 year olds. With all this estrogen flowing around, you're going to have problems.

Rumors spread quickly and there's a 16 year old guy that is telling everyone she's anorexic (shes not...) and the older women say "she gets what she wants because shes pretttty."

Basically, it's the whole store (even managers) talking **** about her and literally conspiring against her trying to get her in trouble. For example, one of the managers daughter was talking on the phone when they first opened up and everything was extremely slow... My gf was texting me and the girls mom that was on the phone goes and tells one of the head honchos "shes sick of her texting," then yells "STOP TEXTING SIERRA" from 20 feet away while her daughter is talking on the phone with a customer in here line (none at Sierras).

Sierra also asked for specific days off (wed and thursday) so she can go to school. One of the workers claimed(lie) to have seen her not in school and that they wanted that day off since Sierra really doesn't need it.\

The other day, "Pops" and old (nice) guy that works in the deli gave sierra 2 cookies. They had raisins in them (sierra doesn't like) but she didn't have the heart to say no so she gave them to a special ed kid that works there who is also picked on. One girl and the manager's daughter (same one from before) actually had the nerve to steal the cookies from him!! (seriously...) They were confronted by one of the head honchos and they said, "well, we used to like him (the special ed. kid) but now he went over to the wrong side..." (sierra's.) -He did nothing about that.

The gossip level there is way beyond what you could ever imagine... trust me... and the bosses aren't doing anything about it. Is there some kind of legal action she can take or at least threaten them and/or the managers with that will make them straighten up? This is complete bs and I'm tired of seeing my gf nearly in tears when she has to go to that hell-hole.

[xRyokenx]

I would get a lawyer and talk with them about it... that's what we did for my whole court thing earlier this year.

[Xpirate]

She probably shouldn't be using her phone to text you while she's at work. I know that other folks there probably do it, but you are usually better off if you follow the rules and limit handling personal business at work.

I would advise her to start over with a new job. Legal action will not change the culture of her workplace. It will still be a hell-hole and lawyers will just make it worse for her.

I should have left my last job as soon as I got it, but I stayed there for about six years. The corporate culture just got worse every year.

[AJ@PR]

Get up and leave.

It's a life.
She's wasting her life in that toxic dump.
Toxic Dump.

I enjoy every day I come to work, and I look forward to getting to the office and interacting with my coworkers.

Just, quit.

[Luke122]

Absolutely.. if it was me, I'd make sure I let EVERYONE know how pissed I was at them for treating me that way, AND contact the BBB (Better Business Bureau) about the workplace conditions. :)

I'm an angry guy sometimes.

[Airbozo]

Document EVERYTHING and talk with a lawyer. If there is a union where she works, talk first with a union rep and if the rep is one of the "offenders" ask for a non-partial person to be involved in the meeting.

Best bet? Find another job, because once you start standing up for yourself at a company like that things only get worse before they get better.

[Bopher]

That's not cool at all.

I go with everyone else, quit. Myself I don't let people try and play favs where I work and when they do I try to stop it. I would tell her if she wants to go higher. If its a bigger chain store then take a look around for a number she can call. Our company is small but being linked to Wendys we have a number the employees can call if they don't feel something isn't being handled the way they think it should be.

She might be able to get harassment charges brought up but again that would just make it harder to work.

[AJ@PR]

Document EVERYTHING

I think this is crucial.
Great point AB.

When she gets home, she should make it a habit of sitting down (if it applies), and writting to the best of her memory, what happened.
Try leaving out completely 'feelings'.
State it as it happened.

It has a great amount of weight when a person shows 2 months worth of accounts in a 'diary'... versus a person just saying 'this and this happened... don't remember the exact day, but it happened.'

Dates, times, people involved, etc.

But again, IMO, quit.

[Ironcat]

I don't know you so I have nothing against you and nothing against your GF but it seems to me from reading your post that your GF may be exxagerating the situation.

You didn't say how old she is but your profile says you're 18 so I'm guessing she is 16 to 19, right in the middle of growing up, hormones going crazy, and feeling pulled in every direction at once.

You also say that it's her going to work and not you or the both of you so you're just hearing her side of it. I am not saying that it's impossible for her to be picked on, but look at your whole post as an impartial observer.


With all this estrogen flowing around, you're going to have problems.
Okay so it's now become a women's problem. Caused, or contributed to by estrogen? Does the problem become worse when the red tide rolls in? Again, hormones, and maybe your GF is reacting to them rather tyhan to any real slights.


Rumors spread quickly and there's a 16 year old guy that is telling everyone she's anorexic (shes not...)
He's 16, you've got to have at least one friend under 18. YOU make him quit spreading rumors.


Basically, it's the whole store (even managers) talking **** about her and literally conspiring against her trying to get her in trouble.
I've managed people. managers don't conspire to get you in trouble. They either make your life miserable so you quit, or they make a paper trail and then fire you. If management had a problem with her, she'd know.


For example, one of the managers daughter was talking on the phone when they first opened up and everything was extremely slow... My gf was texting me and the girls mom that was on the phone goes and tells one of the head honchos "shes sick of her texting," then yells "STOP TEXTING SIERRA" from 20 feet away while her daughter is talking on the phone with a customer in here line (none at Sierras).
Okay, so the manager's daughter is the one she has a problem with now. if Sierra is at work, regardless of how many people are in her line or not, she shouldn't be texting, she should be working. Got time to lean? You have time to clean.


Sierra also asked for specific days off (wed and thursday) so she can go to school. One of the workers claimed(lie) to have seen her not in school and that they wanted that day off since Sierra really doesn't need it.
have her bring a note from the school and the case is closed. Unless she doesn't really need it.


The gossip level there is way beyond what you could ever imagine
Isn't that what you're doing here?


Is there some kind of legal action she can take or at least threaten them and/or the managers with that will make them straighten up?
yes, call your local labor board and complain. If it's a hostile work environment and a valid complaint they will take action.


This is complete bs and I'm tired of seeing my gf nearly in tears when she has to go to that hell-hole.
She doesn't have to. There are probably 50 other places she could go and get another job. If she's staying there and dealing with it, she has a reason for wanting to be there... so either tell her to fight for what she wants, or give it up, but crying doesn't solve anything.

[D1337]

She probably shouldn't be using her phone to text you while she's at work. I know that other folks there probably do it, but you are usually better off if you follow the rules and limit handling personal business at work.

I would advise her to start over with a new job. Legal action will not change the culture of her workplace. It will still be a hell-hole and lawyers will just make it worse for her.

beat me too it, anyways tell her to leave because in the end she will have wasted her/her familys money with a lawyer and get no where in court.

Unless they physically touch her or the handi-capped kid then it's useless taking it into court.

[Greco101]

My mom works there too and is one of the managers so she defends her as much as possible and also tells sierra what's all being said behind closed doors.

I guess you're used to managing in a more professional atmosphere but these people will be talking to one another cussing up a storm in front of customers, take 15 breaks throughout the day, etc... it's far too much to explain but trust me, it's not an exaggeration.

My gf is a cashier and it was in the 1st 10-20 minutes of opening where there were literally only 2 or 3 people so there was nothing for her to do besides wait.

I'm not giving biased information... sadly, it really is the way I put it. I talked to her on her break and she'll be putting in her 2 weeks soon, but she's going to start documenting everything as some of you suggested just in case something does happen.

thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate it.

EDIT: And I don't have any friends under the age of 18 :o\ I can't get in trouble just scaring him a bit myself though can I?

[Zephik]

Phew, man, I tell you what, once teenagers have a personal vendetta against someone (especially girls) its just better to pack your stuff and leave. I'm sure your girlfriend is capable of working elsewhere, its pretty obvious that she would be much happier elsewhere as well. So better just do exactly that, save a headache for everyone in the long run.
..........


My mom works there too and is one of the managers so she defends her as much as possible and also tells sierra what's all being said behind closed doors.
Well thats good that your mom works there and tries to defend her, but I don't think that her telling Sierra whats being said behind closed doors is a good thing.

I guess you're used to managing in a more professional atmosphere but these people will be talking to one another cussing up a storm in front of customers, take 15 breaks throughout the day, etc... it's far too much to explain but trust me, it's not an exaggeration.
heh, I'm not. I know what your chick is going through. It seems that all the girls I date or have dated or am even just friends with have had problems with other people. Theres usually a reason why people gang up on other people and/or single them out. In my case, its usually because the girls that I associate with have tattoos and fit in the emo/punk category. They also seem to have a bit of attitude, whereas I don't. So I'm usually off peoples radar most of the time.

My gf is a cashier and it was in the 1st 10-20 minutes of opening where there were literally only 2 or 3 people so there was nothing for her to do besides wait.

I'm not giving biased information... sadly, it really is the way I put it. I talked to her on her break and she'll be putting in her 2 weeks soon, but she's going to start documenting everything as some of you suggested just in case something does happen.
Well, as her boyfriend, you are biased in this. Like I said, there is always a reason why people single out other people. Whatever the reason is in this case, I'm sure its obvious that it doesn't matter because they aren't treating her the way she deserves. So if thats the case, then better to just pack up and move on.

thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate it.

EDIT: And I don't have any friends under the age of 18 :o\ I can't get in trouble just scaring him a bit myself though can I?
lol Well I don't recommend doing that. It seems that the law takes the phrase "by the book" a little too seriously. So even if you are in the right, you'll still be in the wrong. But, I'm sure you can find SOMEONE underage. Someone... who is underage but doesn't look underage. Like one of those big freakishly muscular 12year olds who look like they can take down a full grown man. lol