Ask Amy: Nightmare bosses bust through boundaries
I made the in-room coffee and said that gave us a little extra money to work with and I would like to get my own breakfast, but she said she did not like the in-room coffee.
I would rather go out to a less expensive coffee shop and order what I choose to eat, but I am locked into her preferences. She once suggested I should stay with her brother when I traveled to another city in order to save money. I refused. (Oh, did I mention she bought a million-dollar home this year?) I am actively seeking other employment, but I would appreciate any advice.
– Old Lady Undercover
Dear Undercover: Your boss sounds like a nightmare.
I strongly recommend that while at breakfast, you should get busy brushing up your resume and also researching this behavior, which I believe easily rises to the level of legally actionable.
Your boss has created the very definition of a "hostile work environment." She may find that defending herself against a lawsuit would easily eat up all the money she is saving by forcing an employee to share a hotel room.
You can learn more at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's website, eeoc.gov (search the keyword "harassment").
(December 2011)
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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
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