She Was help: What should I do about a screaming, unstable boss?

enkindled

What should I do about a screaming, unstable boss?

I just got a new job a month ago. It’s the job of my dreams, really, but the boss is starting to get to me. For the first 3 weeks she was nice to me, but I noticed her giving my coworker a lot of grief over trivial things. She would get super upset, scream and threaten him. So THIS week she’s pretty friendly with the same guy, but now she seems to be after me. Tuesday instead of “hello” she screamed at me for wearing contacts to the lab. (I’ve been wearing them the whole time and we’ve discussed that I was changing my eye prescription and everything). So now I wear glasses. But everyday since it’s been one thing or another that sets her off about me. Friday she blew up completely, accused me of lying about my hours and not following directions. She says I have one week to “straighten up” or I’m out of a job. I honestly have done nothing to provoke this woman and have done my absolute best there. I don’t know what to do.

This open post was written 12 months ago | V/U/S: 520, 10, 6 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post

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Since writing this post enkindled may have helped people, but has not within the last 4 days. enkindled is a verified member, has been around for 2 years, 1 month and has 18 posts and 88 replies to their name.

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Replies (10)

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Dr. Jackson 43 #
An Unknown Location | 12 months ago (49 minutes after post)

Are contacts or glasses important? Like does it make a difference in your job?
More so I should tell you that she may be using fear to control you and her other employees, I’d suggest talking to her manager/boss about this.

Help me with: Making a profit off of currency exchange rates.

nononono123456789 0 #
An Undisclosed Location | 12 months ago (1 hour, 7 minutes after post)

sounds like you need to get with another employee you can trust and go the her boss

Anonymous #
12 months ago (1 hour, 51 minutes after post)

Tell her to stuff it and find a better job!

verge 134 #
An Unknown Location | 12 months ago (3 hours, 30 minutes after post)

Humor her, she’ll find someone else to pester eventually.

Help me with: What if we knew that we were good?

Ahhotep 7 #
An Undisclosed Location | 12 months ago (3 hours, 36 minutes after post)

If she can’t or isn’t likely to actually fire you then don’t sweat it.

Help me with: Why are you not sleeping?

The Sherlockian 39 #
An Unknown Location | 12 months ago (4 hours, 10 minutes after post)

OK, listen up. Write a “Memorandum for Record.” Write down everything that you’ve witnessed, and everything that she did to you. Sign it and date it, and put it away. Then go to HR and say that you feel that your boss has created a “hostile work environment.” Use those EXACT words. That gets them to jumping–because allowing a hostile work environment to exist is grounds for a lawsuit, and companies hate lawsuits.

Do it now, before this woman destroys your self-esteem and gets you thrown out of your job on the basis of her feverish emotions.

In your MFR (which you keep until it’s time to play a “trump card”) and in your talk with HR, let them know that she screams and makes unfounded accusations.

The woman is unstable. Unstable people have no business being in a supervisory position.

Remember: whoever goes to HR first has the advantage. If she goes first, your goose would be cooked. If you go first, she’ll be told to change her ways.

Tell HR you want to remain anonymous, but that they need to interview people under this woman’s supervision so they can find out what’s going on. Say “hostile work environment” several times for emphasis. And if push comes to shove, you whip out your signed and dated MFR and say, “See, I wrote this down while my memory was still fresh . . . you can see the observations I made, and you can see when I made them.” That’s your proof.

When dealing with a nut case boss, document EVERYTHING!

Help me with: I made it home for Christmas!

The Sherlockian 39 #
An Unknown Location | 12 months ago (4 hours, 10 minutes after post)

Do it now, before this woman destroys your self-esteem and gets you thrown out of your job on the basis of her feverish emotions.

In your MFR (which you keep until it’s time to play a “trump card”) and in your talk with HR, let them know that she screams and makes unfounded accusations.

The woman is unstable. Unstable people have no business being in a supervisory position.

Remember: whoever goes to HR first has the advantage. If she goes first, your goose would be cooked. If you go first, she’ll be told to change her ways.

When dealing with a nut case boss, document EVERYTHING!

Help me with: I made it home for Christmas!

enkindled 2 #
An Unknown Location | 12 months ago (2 days, 2 hours after post)

Dr. Jackson wrote:
Are contacts or glasses important? Like does it make a difference in your job?
More so I should tell you that she may be using fear to control you and her other employees, I’d suggest talking to her manager/boss about this.

Well, I work in a laboratory. Certain chemicals can bind contacts to your eyes, or melt them completely. But I’ve been wearing goggles there the whole time, which I feel provides more protection than my little prescription glasses.

Help me with: Did I lose my shot at a job offer?

enkindled 2 #
An Unknown Location | 12 months ago (2 days, 2 hours after post)

Vacation from Stress wrote:
If she can’t or isn’t likely to actually fire you then don’t sweat it.

It’s a new job and I’m temp to perm. It’s a work at will state. She can do what she wants.

Help me with: Did I lose my shot at a job offer?

enkindled 2 #
An Unknown Location | 12 months ago (2 days, 2 hours after post)

chev.jame wrote:
OK, listen up. Write a “Memorandum for Record.” Write down everything that you’ve witnessed, and everything that she did to you. Sign it and date it, and put it away. Then go to HR and say that you feel that your boss has created a “hostile work environment.” Use those EXACT words. That gets them to jumping–because allowing a hostile work environment to exist is grounds for a lawsuit, and companies hate lawsuits.

Do it now, before this woman destroys your self-esteem and gets you thrown out of your job on the basis of her feverish emotions.

In your MFR (which you keep until it’s time to play a “trump card”) and in your talk with HR, let them know that she screams and makes unfounded accusations.

The woman is unstable. Unstable people have no business being in a supervisory position.

Remember: whoever goes to HR first has the advantage. If she goes first, your goose would be cooked. If you go first, she’ll be told to change her ways.

Tell HR you want to remain anonymous, but that they need to interview people under this woman’s supervision so they can find out what’s going on. Say “hostile work environment” several times for emphasis. And if push comes to shove, you whip out your signed and dated MFR and say, “See, I wrote this down while my memory was still fresh . . . you can see the observations I made, and you can see when I made them.” That’s your proof.

When dealing with a nut case boss, document EVERYTHING!

I’ve started documenting. So far I only have 2 entries of her outbursts. Plus there is one entry about her doing something very unethical with data. So, yeah. It’s weird, because the first time she screamed at me she apoligised. I told her I know she’s stressed and I was ok. But now it’s like no holds bar and I’m under constant attack. I spoke with her today about it and she was furious telling me to leave and to leave my badge at the door. Then I reminded her that the only other person that she has to help is on a 3 week vacation and that it would be a lot of work for her to take on herself. So I still have a job, somehow, for now. If it happens again, though, I’m going to HR and her manager. The problem is…HR for this company is online and her boss is based in another state. There is absolutely no oversite for her.

[quote chev.jame]OK, listen up.  Write a "Memorandum for Record."  Write down everything that you've witnessed, and everything that she did to you.  Sign it and date it, and put it away.  Then go to HR and say that you feel that your boss has created a "hostile work environment."  Use those EXACT words.  That gets them to jumping--because allowing a hostile work environment to exist is grounds for a lawsuit, and companies hate lawsuits.

Do it now, before this woman destroys your self-esteem and gets you thrown out of your job on the basis of her feverish emotions.

In your MFR (which you keep until it's time to play a "trump card") and in your talk with HR, let them know that she screams and makes unfounded accusations.

The woman is unstable.  Unstable people have no business being in a supervisory position.

Remember:  whoever goes to HR first has the advantage.  If she goes first, your goose would be cooked.  If you go first, she'll be told to change her ways.

Tell HR you want to remain anonymous, but that they need to interview people under this woman's supervision so they can find out what's going on.  Say "hostile work environment" several times for emphasis.  And if push comes to shove, you whip out your signed and dated MFR and say, "See, I wrote this down while my memory was still fresh . . . you can see the observations I made, and you can see when I made them."  That's your proof.

When dealing with a nut case boss, document EVERYTHING![/quote]
I've started documenting. So far I only have 2 entries of her outbursts. Plus there is one entry about her doing something very unethical with data. So, yeah. It's weird, because the first time she screamed at me she apoligised. I told her I know she's stressed and I was ok. But now it's like no holds bar and I'm under constant attack. I spoke with her today about it and she was furious telling me to leave and to leave my badge at the door. Then I reminded her that the only other person that she has to help is on a 3 week vacation and that it would be a lot of work for her to take on herself. So I still have a job, somehow, for now. If it happens again, though, I'm going to HR and her manager. The problem is...HR for this company is online and her boss is based in another state. There is absolutely no oversite for her.

Help me with: Did I lose my shot at a job offer?

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What should I do about a screaming, unstable boss?

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