A Michigan employee in her 40s alleges that her new manager tried unsuccessfully to have her fired. Then, when that failed, he resorted to slowly stripping away her compensation, autonomy, and authority. The company shifted 15% of her salary to a bonus that she had no hope of receiving, since it had no measurable targets or KPIs and was completely discretionary on behalf of the employer. Meanwhile, a younger direct report was given a pathway to leadership, then was promoted and given some of the employee's previous responsibilities.
"I was asked to create a performance plan for this report and develop a path for them to be promoted…"
In spite of all of this, she has never received any negative performance feedback. But she is being increasingly excluded from decisions, effectively being demoted. She feels like she is being forced out. The cause? Well, she suspects it is discrimination. But everything has been quietly happening off the books and not in writing, without written explanation. Leaving her worried that this is an effort to get her out.
When you work in “at will” employment, it can be tricky to substantiate any sort of unfair treatment and hardship, they can quite simply get rid of you at any time they feel like it. Anything else an employer might pile on top of that is just for show, really. Not necessarily there for the fired workers, but for the ones that remain. There to make the employees feel as if there is some level of fairness involved. Some level of controlled process protecting them and their jobs. But there isn't really.
However, in some cases, all of this extra show can backfire for employers. In cases where they more or less create a paper trail that shows unfair treatment. Being singled out for no reason with inconsistent policies and dubious explanations that begin to paint the picture of someone who is being discriminated against for reasons that blur actual legal boundaries.
Does she have a case here? Well, maybe. But it will be hard to substantiate, and unfortunately, even then it depends entirely upon the specifics of Michigan employment law, being that it too is an at-will employment state.
The employee shared her situation with a popular online community to see whether or not she had any legal recourse or whether she was just stuck.
The subordinate shares her ideas with the boss, which he gladly accepts.
Representative only. Actor portrayal.
Boss tried to fire me (unsuccessfully) and is now trying to make me quit
Story / Vegetable-Way-2772
Location: Michigan, US
Earlier this year, the person who hired me left for another role, and I got a new manager. I was given a heads-up that my boss had gone to our CEO to have me fired and was told "no."
Since that happened, my manager has retaliated against me by restructuring 15% of my salary into a target bonus that I will realistically never get because it's based on their opinion of my work and company performance. No specific metrics, no defined expectations. Originally, I was told it was because I make too much. Then they backed off of that and said it was to bring my compensation into alignment with other managers.
In addition, my manager has also been gunning to promote my direct report who is half my age while functionally demoting and sidelining me. They've commented on how this individual is "young" and "enthusiastic." I was asked to create a performance plan for this report and develop a path for them to be promoted.
Meanwhile, I've never received any real feedback on my performance. The draft development plan I put together was retrofitted to enable this individual to be promoted immediately.
Direct report has been promoted officially and is now taking ownership of areas that I used to manage. No discussion, no explanation.
I'm a female in my 40s. Manager is also aware that my husband is fighting a critical illness (protected by ADA). I believe that they assume that I do less work because of my husband's situation, which could not be further from the truth. I've given so much to this company and have met every expectation. Prior to the change in management, there was no question of this. Even now, there has been no reason provided for anything regarding my situation.
It's clear my manager is using every lever at their disposal to try to push me out while trying to position my report to replace me. Unfortunately, I'm being silently shut out of things in a way that leaves me with little in the way of sort of documentation of my justification for these actions.
Do I have any legal recourse?
The boss gives instructions to the employee and her favored subordinate.
Featured likenesses do not identify those mentioned.
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