Remember that guy I was having problems with at work??

[G.P.girl]

Good luck!!

[AmberLee]

Holding you and this situation in my prayers.

[joycenalex]

tonya, i'm hoping to read better news today

[ramanth]

Hugs and Luck!

[stacwase]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. If I were you, I wouldn't chicken out. Have you seen your company's sexual harassment policy? Have you gone through the proper channels and filed a complaint against him? If I were you I'd do it. Tell your whole story - about him stalking you etc. Then if your company doesn't support you or do the right thing, you can sue the heck out of them.

By the way - did you hit him hard? Did you leave a mark? I hope you gave him a great big black eye.

You could have had him arrested for assault. You weren't the first one to get physical - you were just defending yourself.

What a jerk. Is this guy really high up in th e ranks or something? Why are so many people on final notice because of him? If the company had any brains at all they'd see that he's the instigator and get rid of him.

[Tonya]

The reason why he has gotten away with so much is because he used to be management, and he is a snitch.

I am on final warning for using explicit language. The next time I sneeze, I am terminated. I'm in a freakin construction yard...and the first person that they've ever disciplined for language is a girl?!

He's on final warning for violence in the workplace.

I took two days off to find a good lawyer.

[Corinna]

I think the lawyer is a good idea. I grew up in a place where I was the only girl in the pack 12 guys. I know its hard to remain a "lady" . But maybe they want you to so your not as threating seeningly to some of your customers.
Not saying I agree or like it but I 've been in that type of situation once I hated it but what can you do abiout that.
But you can do something about the Jerk and his inapprpate behavior. I would go after him not the company as that could get you fired . Maybe just a call from a lawyer may shock him and make him realise he's way over the line.
What does hubby say about all this?

[lizbud]

Tonya,

I wish you luck with this. It must be very stressful for you &
your family.

I will tell you one thing, if that incident had happened here
where I work, both individuals would have been immediately
terminated. End of story. Indiana is an "at will" state. Anyone
can be let go at any time (or, at the will of the employer) If you
had not retaliated (easy for me to say, I know) your case would
have been much stronger & you probably could have sued him
in civil court as well as press charges in criminal court for assault.

I don't work in a union enviroment, so I really don't know much
about how much they can help in this case. I'd listen to your Dad's
advice I guess. Good Luck.

[Tonya]

I know, I've thought about it a million times since the incident. If I would have walked away, I would have had his job. I guess hindsight is always 20/20. It was just so shocking to have someone, especially just some co-worker say those things to me and put his hands on me. I'd already had so much hostility built up inside of me from all the things he'd done.

My hubby wants to kill him. lol. (Not literally, don't worry!) I talked to my union for a while today. They've given me phone numbers and avenues to get started. I actually kept the cards from a few months back when he was sexually harrassing me, so I do have hard proof. I also have quite a few co-workers that are going to vouch for the things he's said and done in the past.

What a mess!

On, the brighter side, all the guys at work had taken up a collection for me. (My suspension was unpaid, and we're all trying to save money right now for the strike in April.) There was $300 in a card that said "Cheer up!" and all the guys had signed it. They felt my suspension was wrongful since this guy has antagonized so many people.

[G.P.girl]

Awww how sweet of them!

[Corinna]

I'm glad to hear they all care in your shop. I would fallow the union advice .
Glad to hear hubby is angry would hate for him to be one of those deal with it yourself kind of guys. It means you;'ll havee good support. Prayers going out to you , glad you kept the evedents to get him. go for it girl.

[joycenalex]

tonya, how long does a "final warning" stay active or stay in your file? if you're clean from any infractions for a year does it go away?

[Tonya]

They said it is indeffinate; it doesn't go away.

[Tonya]

Just an update...I've made so many dang threads on this whole issue.

They interviewed everyone at work yesterday. Apparently people were willing to talk because they suspended the guy pending termination. I was worried that people would just want to stay out of it.

My union steward couldn't give me much info. She just said that they told him that he had an unpaid suspension pending investigation of Sexual Harrassment and Violence in the Workplace. She says they did tell him that it was me bringing on the charges, but they didn't give him any additional information. She said that the investigation will probably last two to three weeks.

[trayi52]

Tonya, I just wonder how they conduct this investagation? How do they collect the information they need? Just curious.