What price can I put on bullying in the workplce?
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What price can I put on bullying in the workplce?
I was a guitar teacher at a guitar center and the managers bullied me for 6 months. They would make me clock out early for every one of my guitar students that didn’t show up for their lesson; that’s stealing from my wages. Also, when one of my students would did not show up, the managers would then glare at me and walk towards me to where I wouldn’t know which way to step out of their way. They wanted me out of the store in the 110 degree weather waiting for my next student.
Asked on June 14, 2018 under Employment Labor Law, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
There is no price that the law puts on bullying and no compensation for it. The law of this country is "employment at will": among other things, that means that the employee has no right to a job or to be treated well or fairly at work, and the employer can make the job as unpleasant or downright awful as they like. Your boss may be mean to you or treat you badly and your only recourse is to seek a different job.
Furthermore:
1) You can *never* get compensation for someone "glaring" at you: the law provides compensation for actual physical harm or economic loss, not for hurt feelings.
2) It is legal to have you clock out when there is no work for you to do (e.g. no student); that is not stealing.
3) An employer can tell you wait outside in the heat--there is no obligation to make you comfortable; if you don't like doing that, again, your recourse is seek other employment.
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