I resigned from a position due to stress caused by Hostile work environment do I have recourse

I was employed by the Comm. of Mass/DDS for four years. I was a Residential Supervisor 2, I managed two group homes for individuals with MR. After working my first year successfully, I notice, as did coworkers that my immediate supervisor was rude, brash, hostile, towards me. Only me. I asked to have a mtg to discuss my observation. That only made her madder. From that point on, the next three years were terrible, my EPRS was not completed so I did not reflect her attitude. In the past two years running the houses became more and more difficult, both houses being medically involved, and with staffing issues, I became ill, stress induced and my supervisor tried to have me removed from my position stating she was concerned for the safety of the individuals. I was eventually cleared by my PCP to return to work, I used up ten weeks of accrewed comp time and sick time. I returned to work and was brought in for Show/Cause hearing that I did nt do my work correctly and had made mistakes in various places. I had repeatedly ask for assistance and more staff, I was informed repeatedly that there was a hiring freeze on and no more staff would be hired. I returned to work in August 2011, I resumed work, and that supervisor removed from covering my houses, the new supervisor picked up where that one left off and immediately found an audit error from 2009 and wrote me up on charges for it. I was never made aware of such error, nor given the opportunity to review it. With the same concerns as the prior administration and with the same stress, I resigned my position effective 11/21/2011. This pervayor has now split the two houses and given each house a manager and its own staff. Each is its own entity now!
This is what I had requested long ago and was told due to budgeting constraints it was not possible. Do I have any recourse, along the Harrassment/Bullying/ guidelines, they should be responsible for my 10 week comp time useage, they caused the stress.

1 answer  |  asked Dec 2, 2011 1:58 PM [EST]  |  applies to Massachusetts

Answers (1)

Kevin McGann
If you have physical symptoms caused by stress at work, your claim should be under Worker's Compensation law, and you should get a lawyer who specializes in that.

The term "harassment" in the employment context usually is connected to sexual harassment. There is no employment law preventing manager from being nasty to employees, unless it is on account of race, creed, etc.

You can legally be fired from a job just because they do not like you.

posted by Kevin McGann  |  Dec 4, 2011 4:08 PM [EST]

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