Workplace ‘feedback’?

[Anonymous]

Every workplace I’ve worked in, has talked disparagingly about myself and/or other colleagues, that they perceive as ‘loners’ or not fitting - ALWAYS in their absence.

A number of jobs I’ve worked in, have assumed based on appearance that someone isn’t good enough for the corporate job AFTER hiring them, and gossiped and speculated about their ability etched , rather than discussing their actual quality of work.

For eg - my last employer fired a colleague because she only put her camera on for 10% of the time during COVID. They speculated it was with her because she was fat/ugly, or hiding something. The entire company was talking about this, speculating daily and laughing at her behind her back (including the CEO). They eventually fired her, as her “energy felt weird” and as they couldn’t really see her house, regularly see her face from the zoom camera. Nobody ever fed this back to her - just fired her after 8 months with no notice.

Nobody found this strange, so I wondered if this is all normal in workplaces, and people feel it’s justified to fire people for reasons such as this/ for (what I perceive to be) superficial reasons, that have little to do with the paid job?

[ArtemisSilver]

You should have made recordings and passed them along to the person they were targeting so that she could sue them. Yes this kind of petty shit happens all the time and should be dealt with harshly.

I've had a few jobs where this kind of thing happened to me, but I definitely made them regret their behaviour.

[Asker]

I live in the UK, and actually there is no legal recourse for that kind of behaviour. This is also why I started to wonder if it is common place /considered ‘normal’, given the high incidence and lack of legal protection, against such behaviours/ experiences

[Asker]

May I ask how you made them regret their treatment of you?

[ArtemisSilver]

There's no legal recourse for workplace harrassment and wrongful dismissal? Sounds unlikely.

[Asker]

In the UK, if you work as a freelancer then you have little to no employment rights. You are only protected against racist or disability discrimination. Bullying and harassment on it’s own isn’t covered, by employment tribunals.

[ArtemisSilver]

Oh how did I make them regret it? I built a case against them and compelled them to settle out of court for a large sum of money. Bastards paid me over a year of wages for the privilege of pissing me off.

[ArtemisSilver]

Ah well, shouldn't be agreeing to freelancer shit in the first place unless you're a solo contributor and not beholden to anyone.

[Asker]

Do you mind me asking if you live in the UK?

[Asker]

Also, just out of interest- did you accompany your case against them with evidence?

[ArtemisSilver]

I'm Canadian, so we have similar legal systems. The only evidence I needed or used were a few hostile emails my boss had the indiscretion to send me.

[Asker]

You mentioned that you have experienced this a few times in workplaces - do you have any view on why this sort of treatment is commonplace?

[ArtemisSilver]

Because people think they can get away with it. Since the decline of unions it's basically a free for all and few people have the grit to defend themselves in such situations.