Do I have job protection rights against someone who is trying to sabatoge my career?
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Do I have job protection rights against someone who is trying to sabatoge my career?
I have a co-worker trying to sabotage my career because she believes I will get promoted before her. My bosses ask me what did I do wrong to her. We are both managers for different departments, trying to both get promoted to the next step. I haven’t retaliated back, however I have already reported this to my bosses and they tell me that I need to end this dispute. I don’t know how to end it. It is now to the point where she is taking pictures and making things up. I have no control over her taking pictures on her personal cell phone, and the stuff she wants to make up. She has created so much work place drama, she is constantly in my bosses ears, and when I go to report it, it’s like my bosses don’t care to hear what I have to say. Because I cannot talk to my bosses about this, I have ignored the drama, I watch what she does, I have confided in another co-worker who is a manager for a different department, and I have remained business cordial with her as in saying good morning, good bye, and having business discussions with her during meetings. I have not spoken to her about personal things, business issues, and I have not confronted her yet about any of the drama or pictures. Do I have any protection legally with this?
Asked on March 24, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, Florida
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
An employer can set the conditions of work much as it sees fit, absent some form of legally actionalbe discrimination. Accordingly, if your superiors have informed you that you need to figure out how to maintain a professional work relationship with this co-worker, you would be well advised to do so. Unless you have some protection under the terms of a union agreement or employment contract, the fact is that most employment is "at will", which means that a company can terminate an employee for any reason or no reason at all, with or without notice.
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