Possible Harassment

[Reygul]

I need a second opinion because I feel like this is targeted harassment from my TL. I suffer from medical conditions and my TL has been using this as an excuse to “baby” me and give me write-ups.

I’ve been with this company for 2 years and it feels like I’m being targeted because of my condition. My position is guest services and I’ve been trying to get more leadership roles such as closing cashier/ cash office and other roles. My condition doesn’t hinder my work but I do have to see the doctor for appointments which they’ve stated is unreliable even if I’ve scheduled it off or took time-off for my appointments. Recently though, it's come to the point where they’re bringing me into their office just to yell at me for simple things. I talk too much to employees ( I was helping them with the mydevice), Talking too much with customers, was late to work (I called ahead because I couldn’t find my keys), I take too many days off (I have to go to appointments and even my doctor says I don’t have as many as other patients), I took a slightly longer lunch break (it was only by a few mins because I was talking with HR about something,) and now I was late to work which I called in because I was getting a new car after I had a car accident which they KNEW about. Now, my co-workers have had similar lates and even no call no shows and wasn’t spoken to. My TL has also said very demeaning things like “Are you ok being the closing cashier? It's ok if you want to switch with XX '' which was said in a tone of speaking with a child. During the daily office meetings, it always circles back to my condition; being late must be because of your “condition” or having so many off-days because of your “condition”. Believe me when I say it's not my TL being worried about me and if they were why would they bring it up so often when most people shy away from that topic. I’ve been a closing cashier before and I’ve taken control of the stage when the TL is off and ran the show perfectly before. My friend said it was possible because I lived close to them when they were in a relationship with another TL and casually spoke to them about it, not knowing about the relationship policy. They weren’t in the same department or anything and the other TL left the company a few months ago for another job. I don’t think this is the case but I’m putting this here because it may be possible.

Now during the 4th quarter my co-workers have called in more and more and it's apparently my fault? I’ve been asked to stay late, do extra work that I “wasn’t up for” before but now there is no one else so the TL is pushing it on me. They continue to bring me into their office about simple things like my shirt not being red enough (I’ve worn this shirt before and it's a dark red/wine and they didn’t say anything then) making me wear a vest but I fear he’s just giving me warnings in all different forms to try to get me to quit or fire me. I feel like they’ll fire me soon because I’ve been in their office almost everyday for over a week.. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t want to go to work anymore and I have panic attacks. I really love working at Target and some of my coworkers are so nice and friendly. Other than my TL and their lackeys, the rest of the team and other departments are friendly and understanding. It‘s just this TL who has a problem with me. Someone please help me either understand or help me with what I should do? I don’t really want to call corporate incase they say it's a false claim.

 

[redeye58]

Sounds like your TL is trying to performance you out by browbeating you.
It sounds like the rest of your leadership is accommodating your medical condition.
I'd talk to your ETL-HR about your TL creating a 'hostile' workplace.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

Document, document, document with dates, times, and any witnesses present. Ask for a meeting with your ETL-HR and present your case, keeping calm and sticking to the facts (not your feelings or assumptions). Having panic attacks counts less as "feelings" and more as "fact" because it can be confirmed with a diagnosis.
It may be that this TL has caused problems for other TMs and HR is aware but unable to do anything because they don't have anything solid to go on. Can't really tell from what you said (and please don't feel like you need to provide more details), but medical conditions can qualify as having a disability. In that case, discriminating against you or creating a hostile work environment because of it would be a violation of federal law.
I know it's hard, but until this can be resolved, try to focus on the parts of your job you like and the people you like working with.

 

[commiecorvus]

Document, document, document with dates, times, and any witnesses present. Ask for a meeting with your ETL-HR and present your case, keeping calm and sticking to the facts (not your feelings or assumptions). Having panic attacks counts less as "feelings" and more as "fact" because it can be confirmed with a diagnosis.
It may be that this TL has caused problems for other TMs and HR is aware but unable to do anything because they don't have anything solid to go on. Can't really tell from what you said (and please don't feel like you need to provide more details), but medical conditions can qualify as having a disability. In that case, discriminating against you or creating a hostile work environment because of it would be a violation of federal law.
I know it's hard, but until this can be resolved, try to focus on the parts of your job you like and the people you like working with.

I don't really have anything to add to this.
Just quoting it to point how good the advice is.
All of it.
Go do it.
Now.

 

[Dream Baby]

I had another thread about a TL harassing me.

Up and quit/Sexual Harassment

Worked for Target for over eight years, earlier this year I transferred to a different store in a different state. The store was a s$&t show as was the management.Even though I knew how the Bullseye worked , every store is a little bit different. I wasn’t introduced to anyone, not even team...

www.thebreakroom.org

As others said document everything and report it to HR.

I would follow up after with HR and ask them if they talked to this TL. HR will not tell you what they did however.

If HR doesn't tell you whether they talked to this TL I would talk to the SD AND tell them you will go to corporate if it seems they are doing nothing.

 

[Tessa120]

I can't add anything more to documenting and talking to HR. At this point you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by speaking up and scaling the chain of command.

Because of my disability I did not have open availability and I phrased it as an ADA accommodation. I had open availability 6 days a week and one day off so that I could schedule all my doctor appointments on that day. It was easier and less nerve-wracking doing it that way than try to request time off and hope someone got around to approving the time off. It also was very good when I needed a doctor NOW and I didn't have to worry about an already printed shift.

 

[Dream Baby]

Target needs to realize a TMs availability is personal and the reason why I don't certain times is none of their concern.

Target is good at stating the more open availability the more hours you will get scheduled which is not true.

 

[happygoth]

Target needs to realize a TMs availability is personal and the reason why I don't certain times is none of their concern.

Target is good at stating the more open availability the more hours you will get scheduled which is not true.

I sort of agree with the first part - but unless you're a spy or run a cockfighting ring or something, letting them know why you can't work certain times will help them be more diligent about not scheduling you, especially if it's a change in your original availability. Just deciding on a whim that you don't want to work Saturdays anymore and expecting them not to ask why seems kind of rude.

100% agree with the second part, complete bollocks.

 

[Tessa120]

It is not rude to not tell a corporation what has changed in your life. Work is work, life is life, don't cross the two and don't mistake a business entity to be a friend.

People don't need to justify how they live their life to a business. That includes people shouldn't feel social pressure from other people to blur the lines between a work entity and friendly people.

 

[happygoth]

It is not rude to not tell a corporation what has changed in your life. Work is work, life is life, don't cross the two and don't mistake a business entity to be a friend.

People don't need to justify how they live their life to a business. That includes people shouldn't feel social pressure from other people to blur the lines between a work entity and friendly people.

Good lord. It's common courtesy. Everyone acts like big bad Corporate Target is out to get them. You don't have to give them the gory details, but if I was hired with a certain availability and that ability changed, I would give them at least a generic explanation.

 

[IWishIKnew]

In addition to the advice above, it wouldn't hurt to contact employment attorneys in your area. Many will offer a free consultation to see if this rises to the level of something you should pursue through the legal system, or if they would be able (for a reasonable cost) to send a letter to your HR ETL.

Disability discrimination is not something Spot is going to want to fuck around with for a single TL.

 

[Tessa120]

Good lord. It's common courtesy. Everyone acts like big bad Corporate Target is out to get them. You don't have to give them the gory details, but if I was hired with a certain availability and that ability changed, I would give them at least a generic explanation.

It's not just Target. If you are in a position where you can have flexible hours then your reason for changing how you are flexible is yours alone. Courtesy is for other human beings who are acting on their own behalf, and even then there's no entitlement. Courtesy is not needed when the human being is actually the face of a business. People are allowed to be private and have private thoughts and private lives.

 

[Dream Baby]

It's not just Target. If you are in a position where you can have flexible hours then your reason for changing how you are flexible is yours alone. Courtesy is for other human beings who are acting on their own behalf, and even then there's no entitlement. Courtesy is not needed when the human being is actually the face of a business. People are allowed to be private and have private thoughts and private lives.

I could have worded the first part of my post better. I was trying to state the reason I am not available certain times isn't Target's concern.

Of course Target can always deny my availability change without any reason.

I worked at a call center years ago. When hired they told you would work a certain schedule so you knew before starting.

However they also said if you wanted to change your schedule you would have to wait until a "departmental shift bid" so could ask to have a new schedule.

A lot of departments never did that so people were stuck with their schedule until whenever.

 

[can't touch this]

Longer lunch breaks should be the easiest fucking thing on earth to accommodate because you’re literally off the clock for a lunch and being off the clock is how they prefer you anyway. Every single job I’ve had they could never not bitch and moan for no reason about an extra UNPAID 30 minutes as if that very thing wasn’t their biggest kink all along. Presumably this is the same reason my Target store was always schizo about enforcing the attendance policy bc they couldn’t figure out if they’d rather let callouts slide or write mfers up for not showing up for a shift that they’d rather not schedule you for anyway 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

 

[Fluttervale]

Have you filed for intermittent FMLA?

 

[Bonnie Dundee]

Have you filed for intermittent FMLA?

I was going to suggest this as well.

 

[Tessa120]

That is a good idea. A lot of people don't know that it can be taken in tiny increments. And also not commonly known it means that calling out for the reason you are on FMLA means attendance can't count against you.

 

[Plasma]

In addition to the 'document and present' advice given earlier; its probably not that feasible, but honestly if I was being harassed on the regular Id start carrying around a recorder and compiling an audio record of the stuff they say to you. The amount of storage on recorders nowadays are massive especially given their size.

Im probably not going to climb the target ranks, or any retail for that matter, because honestly I'd rather just clock in, do my shit properly, clock out, and not have to worry about drama. Lucky I was around for my new TL to have worked along side me for a while as a fellow TM so it gives some perspective.

Im surprised some of these locations and dole out as much bullshit as they are, considering that pretty much everyone is looking for employees.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

In addition to the 'document and present' advice given earlier; its probably not that feasible, but honestly if I was being harassed on the regular Id start carrying around a recorder and compiling an audio record of the stuff they say to you. The amount of storage on recorders nowadays are massive especially given their size.

Im probably not going to climb the target ranks, or any retail for that matter, because honestly I'd rather just clock in, do my shit properly, clock out, and not have to worry about drama. Lucky I was around for my new TL to have worked along side me for a while as a fellow TM so it gives some perspective.

Im surprised some of these locations and dole out as much bullshit as they are, considering that pretty much everyone is looking for employees.

Recording conversations depends on state law.

 

[GMTM]

Recording conversations depends on state law.

And in some states it doesn’t matter what you’ve got recorded, if it wasn’t two party ok’d and you’re in a two party state, you’re sol.

 

[Tessa120]

And in some states it doesn’t matter what you’ve got recorded, if it wasn’t two party ok’d and you’re in a two party state, you’re sol.

And can be charged with a crime.