Legal Question in Employment Law in Maryland
e-mail character attacks and name calling at work
A senior level coworker has been sending e-mails to my boss
complaining about me, the work that I do, statements that
she may overhear me say in the hall etc. In these e-mail
she reports on my body language at meetings and usually
calls me names such as ''clueless'' or ''idiot.'' My boss
engages in these e-mail with this senior level coworker and
as recently begun what I feel is an attack on me that has
nothing to do with my work or performance, which has always
been excellent. I believe the attack is rooted in more
personal feelings and I am now being made to think that my
job is in jeopardy. Do I have any legal
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: e-mail character attacks and name calling at work
Legally, you might have a claim for defamation and/or interference with business relationships. However, your more practical approach might be to try to work this out at work before it gets worse. You can either check the policy handbook to see how to make a complaint, or approach the manager and try to talk out the issue, or take the matter to HR or a trusted manager and ask them to intervene.
In any case, you need to handle the matter professionally and calmly. Do not be belligerent or accusatory. Rather, state that you are aware of the emails (as long as you have legitimate access to them), state your side of the story, make it clear that you are offended by the personal attacks and they must stop immediately, and ask what if any actual complaints about your work exist. If there are any, discuss what you need to do to address these.
If you can't get anywhere with this approach, consider taking it higher up in the company. If not, you can consider sending a legal demand to the company CEO or attorneys.
If you feel the need to hire an attorney, please call for a free consultation.
Good luck.
Jeff Sheldon
Jeffrey L. Sheldon, Esquire
The Sheldon Law Firm
17804 St. Lucia Isle Drive
Tampa, FL 33647
813.986.7580
(f) 813.986.7489
(Admitted in Fl., MD, D.C., and Pa.)
http://www.SheldonLawFirm.com
Disclaimer: This posting does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice. It is not confidential, nor is it privileged, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult with an attorney for advice specific to the facts of your case.
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
