#WorkplaceSafety #HarassmentSupport #KnowYourRights
Hey there! It sounds like you had a really troubling experience at the farewell party, and I’m sorry you had to go through that. What you described—your boss touching you inappropriately and then inviting you to his hotel room—is completely unacceptable. It’s totally understandable to feel confused and stuck in such a tough situation.
Here are some thoughts on the issues you’re facing and some suggestions on how to move forward:
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Feeling Unsafe: It’s natural to feel uncomfortable and unsafe after an incident like this. Your instincts are telling you something isn’t right, and it’s important to listen to those feelings. 🚫
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Fear of Retaliation: The fear of backlash for speaking up is very real, especially in a workplace where power dynamics come into play. This can lead to feelings of isolation and anxiety about your job security. 😟
- Concern About Future Evaluations: It’s hard to feel confident in your boss’s evaluations or oversight after such an incident. It can impact your work relationship and performance evaluations. 🎭
Possible Solutions:
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Document Everything: Keep a detailed record of what happened. Write down dates, times, locations, and any witnesses. This documentation could be useful later if you decide to report the behavior. 🖊️
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Talk to Someone: Since you’ve already called a trusted coworker, that’s a great first step! Talking to your current boss is also important, as they might be able to help you navigate the situation. 💬
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Contact HR: While it may feel daunting, HR is there to protect employees. Share your experience and express your concerns about the current situation. They should take your claims seriously and help ensure a safe working environment. 🔒
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Set Boundaries: If you feel uncomfortable being alone with your new boss, it’s okay to communicate that. Consider ways to keep your interactions professional and limited. ✋
- Seek Support Networks: Connect with colleagues or groups who share their experiences. Sometimes, just knowing you’re not alone helps. 💕
So, I’d love to hear your thoughts: What is your biggest concern about addressing this situation? Have you ever faced similar experiences at work? Please share your experiences or any tips you might have for navigating this kind of tough spot. Remember, you have every right to feel safe and respected at work! 💪
Let’s support each other through this.
NAL. First I’m so sorry this happened to you.
Wildly inappropriate behavior. You should absolutely talk to HR, and if you don’t trust HR to handle this without retaliation you should consider speaking to a lawyer just in case and I would escalate this to senior or executive leadership, you were groped, that’s NOT ok.
An investigation will happen, but the only way this behavior stops is if this guy is confronted with the consequences of his behavior.
Would it be wise to get police involved to supeona the video from the hotel? Or maybe a lawyer could make them retain the video and get it for you.
Having gone through a similar situation, I can tell you that when confronted by HR, he will 100% deny everything and paint you as a liar who has something to gain. I would document everything first. What was said, time, date, who was there. I would try to find the bartender and ask them for their name and phone number to get a witness statement. Keep screenshots or records of texts to friends. Then go to HR. Might be worth having a lawyer on standby.
NAL, but have a lot of corporate mgmt experience.
If you do go to HR, make sure that you have the interaction with him documented AND all of the conversations with HR are documented as well. For example, after any verbal conversation with them there should be summary of the meeting and actions in writing which both you and HR have access to (e.g. email/doc). This goes double for any conversations with your boss.
This might sound obvious, but companies want to minimize legal risk and having a clear paper trail is an important way to hold them accountable to following their internal processes fully.
FWIW I absolutely think you should not ignore this, otherwise the same thing can just happen again.
NAL, but I hope you nail this POS.
I wish you well in this endeavor. Good luck.
N
I feel like there is still time to steer this in a neutral zone. As someone who has gone to HR AND dealt with it on my own I always give an opportunity to renege before I climb the ladder.
I personally feel like if you’re getting creeper retaliatory vibes, go all the way HR but be mindful. A company will stand behind a man like that and move you or send you on our way for the betterment of the company. Even tho you may be IN THE right, hr is not there for you. Hr is there for damage control at the interest of the company.
Reported sexual harassment can go either way depending how important that person is. I’m sorry your going thru this because thinking about it has me just as concerned for you.