Woman Gets Put On Probation at Work Because Her Boss ‘Doesn’t Like to See Females in Traditional Male Roles’, She Sets Up a Meeting with HR in Response

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Nov 30, 2024 9:00 PM EST

As much as we all like to think that the corporate world is getting better at providing equal opportunities to men and women, women are still far from being treated the same way as men in the workplace. As women, we can all name at least once when the mere fact that we are women got in the way of our journey at work. 

It is enough of a struggle to be a woman in any work environment, so we can't imagine what it is like being a woman in a male-dominant work environment. Still, this story supplies us with a general idea. The woman who wrote this story, was shocked when she learned that the reason she was put on probation at work, was because the co-owner of the company didn't like to see her, a woman, in a traditionally male role. She was told that she had to prove herself to him, otherwise she would be fired. Luckily, she didn't let this obviously illegal course of action get any further…

Keep scrolling to read the full story. After you are done, click here for a story of a woman who got back at her cheating boyfriend with a series of clever revenge acts.

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  • 01
    It is apparently my duty to prove to the co-owner that I am worth keeping on board by forcing me to be on additional month's probation.
    via DGraPX
  • 02
    My supervisor just told me I'm close to being fired because I'm a woman.
    via mxqueen976
  • 03
    I am a 29F industrial mechanic at a bread factory. The co-owner of the factory is a very old man who is "old school" and hasn't liked my presence from day 1.
    via mxqueen976
  • 04
    I am still in the probationary period (2 out of 3 months done). I was told today that my probationary period will be extended to 4 months instead of 3.
    via mxqueen976
  • 05
    Not because of job performance. Zero complaints. Not because of attendance. Never been late or called off.
    via mxqueen976
  • 06
    But because I am a woman and the co-owner doesn't like to see females in traditional male roles. It is apparently my duty to prove to the co-owner that I am worth
    via mxqueen976
  • 07
    keeping on board by forcing me to be on additional month's probation. I already paid my initiation union fee to Local 701, but they
    via mxqueen976
  • 08
    apparently can't help me because I'm not fully in the company they represent yet. So I'm at a loss. I will either be let go next month at my 90 day mark, or be in
    via mxqueen976
  • 09
    probation limbo while still stuck paying union dues to a union that can't help. No one is hiring right now. I'm trying to flee before it's too late. I regret ever joining the trades.
    via mxqueen976
  • 10
    EDIT: I am in Illinois, and I just sent a text to my supervisor asking for clarification about our prior verbal conversation. I will post an update if he responds! THANK YOU GUYS! I really needed some guidance, and you all came through for me!
    via mxqueen976
  • 11
    UPDATE: My supervisor responded, he said he's going to arrange a meeting with HR to discuss this further.
    via mxqueen976
  • 12
    stormbeard1 • 14h ago • Get that reasoning in writing if you can.
    via stormbeard1
  • 13
    mxqueen976 OP • 14h ago • I don't know if I can, my supervisor told me to my face with a smug laugh. I don't know if he'll put that in writing, but I will try.
    via mxqueen976
  • 14
    superfly-whostarlock • 14h ago • Definitely get this in writing. Look to see if you're in a one party consent recording state. If you are, record all your conversations. If you get a recording of this or get it in writing and then get fired this is going to be an employment lawyer's easiest case ever for wrongful termination.
    via superfly-whostarlock
  • 15
    mxqueen976 OP • 14h ago • I am in Illinois, sadly it's illegal to record without consent. If only it were that easy, I bet I could get him to repeat that sh again.
    via mxqueen976
  • 16
    d1ll1gaf 13h ago • Send him a message saying "As per our conversation where you informed me that my probationary period would be extended because being a woman I need to prove
    via d1ll1gaf
  • 17
    that I can do the job as well as a man, can you give me any information on the best way to accomplish this?" By getting him to reply he will hopefully inadvertently admit to discrimination.
    via d1ll1gaf
  • 18
    mxqueen976 OP • 13h ago • Holy sh that is perfectly worded, thank you so much! This is why I posted to this sub, you guys know how to fight these bulls companies! I will be sending this! Thank you again
    via mxqueen976
  • 19
    justisme333 .12h ago • Question: Regardless of reason, is it legal to extend a probationary period? Also, can you ask for a refund of your union fees, seeing as it seems to be a waste of money to pay them until you are 'officially' hired.
    via justisme333
  • 20
    mxqueen976 OP • 12h ago • Just looked it up; it is ILLEGAL to extend my probationary period under these circumstances in Illinois! I don't meet the criteria for a legal extension.
    via mxqueen976
  • 21
    I will ask, but I'm pretty sure there was a clause in the contract that it is non-refundable. We shall see though!
    via mxqueen976
  • 22
    iammaline 9h ago What trade?
    via iammaline
  • 23
    mxqueen976 OP • 9h ago Welding and industrial maintenance
    via mxqueen976
  • 24
    Loknar42 8h ago • Why did they hire you in the first place? Doesn't really make sense. If they could have found a man to do your job, why didn't they just hire him instead?
    via Loknar42
  • 25
    mxqueen976 OP • 8h ago • THANK YOUUU, I've been wondering the same thing all night. They hired a guy 3 weeks ago, and he told me today that they're trying to push him through his probation period sooner (less than 3 months).
    via mxqueen976
  • 26
    He has zero maintenance experience and didn't know what a PM was until I told him. Did I also mention my locker is in the men's locker room? There were none available in the women's room, so I had to settle for that. I do not use it at all, it creeps me out a bit.
    via mxqueen976

Tags

boss workplace-stories employee fired woman manager job tales-from-the-workplace reddit story ceo overworked-employees workplace Reddit company women
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