-help (for the love of God)

I have to also mention a power tactic that she employed on me and my replacement:

1. “If you don’t understand something, please ask me.”
If you ask her, then
“You do not understand you’re job.”

2. “If you cannot finish a task by a deadline, let me know.”
You let her know, then
“You are inefficient at performing you’re tasks and therefore that is why you are not going to meet the deadline.”

My boss used these tactics to put me in a no win circle. You’re day-to-day becomes a living hell and you are trying to justify everything you do. It’s also easy for the bully to make you look incompetent to HR and higher levels of management.

This individual expected me to work long hours while the other employees could leave during key moments in our work cycle. In fact, I was prevented from going to doctors appointments.

My boss showed a completely different face to her peers and upper levels of management. She was also a mutli-performance award winner which seemed to give complete immunity. I had to see a medical professional for anti-anxiety medication to deal with the stress of the situation.

What was truly scary was that prior to my reporting this person, people would get promoted her department and disappear after a while. Rumors got back to me that departing employees talked about what a fake person she is.

I made mutliple attempts to report the abuse to her bosses and I was brushed off. She was a darling with HR because of the fake demenor and employee awards and “whatever it takes” mentality. I fought back but realized it was useless and found another job – what is amazing is how upset she was that that my workload would have to be somehow shifted to other members of the team.

I’ll never forget how this organization protected this sociopath. My boss crafted an image with those that mattered and then chose one member of the team to torment. My new company showed me what truly good managers are.

The person that eventually replaced me was tortured worse than me.

It’s gotten to the point now that they have secluded my office from the other two women I work with and they seem to somehow be enjoying the treatment I receive. My boss will go out of her way to thank them and gush over their handling of their workloads while at the same time question me as to why this or that is not done. I work hard if not harder than the other woman in the office.

But, come one, one of these women is going on 61 and the other (including my boss) is approaching 60! I’m just a secretary (52) who needs my job.

I did file a complaint with the EEOC after my boss took and kept some of my personal belongings that had to do with a divorce case I was going through. The divorce proceedings were at the office next to my building so I had a notebook that I was to take to the lawyer’s office and pictures of my household belongings, my husband’s retirement and stock holdings, personal financial statements and other things (a stack about 1 1/2″ thick) came up missing. I saw them sticking out of a drawer when I went in to file paperwork. She had given them to a co-director and he later admitted not knowing what they were. When I asked him why he took them, she said “I did!” I asked her why she had kept them five months – by then I thought I had lost them and could not use them for my hearing. Her answer was a thrice repeated, “why did you have them here?”

What is this woman’s problem. She continues to exhibit mean spirited interaction with me. I need my job and the market is such that in my town there are no jobs available.

I was a competent, intelligent, attractive administrative assistant when I walked in that office. She came two years later and I am now a depressed, medicated 55 pound heavier and much older looking woman than I was three years ago. I just don’t understand her motivation.