The Smell of Tyranny
My place of employment had another work function at the illustrious Colombia Tower Club. 76 stories up, one can survey the entire City of Seattle, Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains. From the Women's bathroom one may survey all of the "Eastside" which as the City of Bellevue, Mount Rainier and far down the I5 corridor. The sun broke through clouds in an ethereal dance across the water; truly a sight to make one believe in a higher purpose.
The food is just so, so, but one really isn't there for exquisite cuisine, even at the astronomical prices.
The DJ is playing some nice Sade as we munch our appetizer. And as usual, by boss begins to dance and dragging everyone out of their seats to do likewise. My scenario goes as thus:
Boss: (taps my shoulder and extends a hand).
World Girl: No, I'm not dancing tonight. I'm not feeling well. But thank you.
Boss: You can't say "no" and forces his hand in my direction.
World Girl: Actually, I can say "no" and I'm not dancing tonight. But thank you.
World Girl turns away from boss and continues to munch her Caesar Salad. Her boss stands behind her for awhile, as if she hadn't said 'NO'. Boss finally walks away.
As far as I am concerned, I will never dance with my employer again. Last December, what used to be a comical happence at work events where he dances with his female employees turned into ugly sexual harassment. I genuinely wasn't feeling well on our Christmas cruise ship. My boss approached me and said "Dance with me" and I said no, and he lifted his hand and hit me hard across my butt. It was actually painful and left a mark.
I was later to find out, there were two other such incidences. I wrote to three lawyers, with no reply to my inquiries as to what we could do. I spoke with an HR friend at a different company and she said unless I could prove a pattern, I didn't have a case. So, apparently it is OK for my employer to sexual harass me on occasion, as long as he doesn't go too far, and it isn't a pattern.
Last night, my boss hit another female employee on the ass, and she turned around and said, don't ever touch me like that again. No pattern? Well, he's never going to touch me again. It is a sad fact that I have no recourse about this sort of shit in 2005, but there it is. Instead I send out c.v.s in search of other gainful employment. I'm to the point where giving notice without another job lined up might be best.
Weighing my options looks like this: Poverty and dignity or financial stability?
And I am just one woman, with one story, with the ire of centuries boiling in my veins.
World Girl
The food is just so, so, but one really isn't there for exquisite cuisine, even at the astronomical prices.
The DJ is playing some nice Sade as we munch our appetizer. And as usual, by boss begins to dance and dragging everyone out of their seats to do likewise. My scenario goes as thus:
Boss: (taps my shoulder and extends a hand).
World Girl: No, I'm not dancing tonight. I'm not feeling well. But thank you.
Boss: You can't say "no" and forces his hand in my direction.
World Girl: Actually, I can say "no" and I'm not dancing tonight. But thank you.
World Girl turns away from boss and continues to munch her Caesar Salad. Her boss stands behind her for awhile, as if she hadn't said 'NO'. Boss finally walks away.
As far as I am concerned, I will never dance with my employer again. Last December, what used to be a comical happence at work events where he dances with his female employees turned into ugly sexual harassment. I genuinely wasn't feeling well on our Christmas cruise ship. My boss approached me and said "Dance with me" and I said no, and he lifted his hand and hit me hard across my butt. It was actually painful and left a mark.
I was later to find out, there were two other such incidences. I wrote to three lawyers, with no reply to my inquiries as to what we could do. I spoke with an HR friend at a different company and she said unless I could prove a pattern, I didn't have a case. So, apparently it is OK for my employer to sexual harass me on occasion, as long as he doesn't go too far, and it isn't a pattern.
Last night, my boss hit another female employee on the ass, and she turned around and said, don't ever touch me like that again. No pattern? Well, he's never going to touch me again. It is a sad fact that I have no recourse about this sort of shit in 2005, but there it is. Instead I send out c.v.s in search of other gainful employment. I'm to the point where giving notice without another job lined up might be best.
Weighing my options looks like this: Poverty and dignity or financial stability?
And I am just one woman, with one story, with the ire of centuries boiling in my veins.
World Girl
posted by World Girl at 3:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home