Asked over 3 years ago - Seattle, WA
Flag18 months working under a manager that has created a hostile work environment with the classical "managing out" techniques of constant non-constructive, negative feedback, no input or feedback on specific items, causing project delays which I'm responsible for, adding more projects to derail me, the list goes on. I have been working very hard and delivering good results. I have confirmed through a 3rd party that both he and his manager (my skip level) have been trying to manage me out for 12-18 months. They have recently doubled down efforts and have plans to push me out in the new year. I have good documentation and have set a meeting up with HR to ask for guidance. I'm ready to get a lawyer. What should my next step be?
In law, "hostile work environment" does not mean simply that the employee is treated badly at work. The hostility must be because of a prohibited basis (such as the employee's race, gender, religion, whistleblowing, asserting a statutory right, etc.). That is, there is no law that requires an employer or its managers to treat every employee in a nice manner.
If the hostility being directly at you is because of personality conflict between you and the supervisor, there may not be anything unlawful being done.
You can review the information provided by the WA Human Rights Commission to see if you may be unlawfully discriminated against. Its site is www.hum.wa.gov . The EEOC is the federal commission handling the federal employment discrimination statutes. Its site is www.eeoc.gov . The HRC and EEOC generally work with each other once a complaint is filed at either place.
Discrimination can sometimes be hard to prove or discern. You should review your specific facts with your attorney to see what your legal options are.
As I'm not licensed in your jurisdiction, I can only opine with general information. While I'm concerned that you've seemingly been targeted for removal from employment, it would be beneficial to understand the specific types of conduct you've been subjected to relative to the creation of a hostile working environment. If you believe that there is a discriminatory purpose behind the alleged hostile working environment, I would encourage you to consult with your local EEOC office to determine if the employer's conduct is actionable in that regard.
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