No Help

by Bobbi
(Abilene, TX, USA)

I got a divorce four years ago and found I could not support myself on my income of Disability Social Security. I have Anxiety and PTSD. I went through a few jobs over the last four years not finding anything that I really wanted. I found a job 2 months ago and it is a perfect job for me. At the first I asked for the night shift but they said I had to be special certification to do that shift but offered me another which I took.

It started out ok I liked it very much and the people seemed nice at first.

Three weeks maybe down the road is when all the harassment and belittling started. They would make fun of me and exclude me from work related things. Example we have to carry a walkie talkie to communicate with each other and they would not answer me at all but would with each other. I confronted the main girl who did this and asked her if she was going to and she said no. They would make me do their work and get on the talkie constantly asking why I wasn't doing my work as they sat in another room. No one would talk to me on any level and made sure I felt excluded. I finally went to HR and she acted like I was making it up even though another girl was there on another shift who was a witness for me. (Now this girl will not speak to me.) They held a meeting on being professional and changed me to night shift. Well the night shift didn't want me there as I overheard and one girl even stated swearing. I felt so small. (Did I mention I cried everyday.) When I stuck up for myself I was told I was making a scene and being a crybaby.

Some of he girls would pretend to befriend me to get me to say something and then the next day act like I was a fungus.

I went to other people for support but the only thing I heard was that it would get better and no one really cared.

The final straw for me before I walked out three days ago was a confrontation with my co worker on nights. She called our supervisor and woke her up and told her she was going to quit if she had to work with me and she couldn't handle me anymore even though she acted like my friend the night before. When I tried to stick up for myself she would shut me down and walk away. I felt stupid as she is 30 years younger than me but I was so shocked and trying not to lose it with the supervisor on the phone. The supervisor was saying this was immature to me and they were investing a report against me and she was getting dressed to come there. I was so upset I broke down and fell to the floor crying like a maniac. I ran to my locker and left before she got there.

I'm scared to go back to get my locker things which I kept a log of the abuse. I might have a police escort. And I have called disability rights to try and file a harassment claim since they knew I am disabled.

I'm waiting to hear their decision and I want to go to the DOL and file a civil suit. But I feel like I am just somehow not letting it go and being too sensitive. No one will talk to me and anyone who did agree with me at work won't speak to me. I have sat here depressed and no one for moral support.