You recently complained to your boss about sexual harassment from your clients, or you took an issue with a reasonable accommodation request to human resources.
Now, you’re worried about retaliation and think your employer may be planning to fire you (whether it is legal or not).
4 signs your boss is definitely planning to get rid of you
Employers are not oblivious to their obligations under the law. They know that firing someone who recently reported workplace harassment or discrimination could bring scrutiny. If they still want to fire you, they usually try to build a “trail” that can be used to try to justify their actions if you pursue a wrongful termination claim. Here’s how they do it:
- You’re suddenly getting a lot of feedback (and none of it is good). If your manager is suddenly checking over your work and pointing out the smallest mistakes or just generally expressing concern about how you approach your job, that’s usually a sign that they’re trying to find fault.
- You’ve noticed other people seem to dislike you. People talk, and word that someone’s performance is being questioned can get around. If you notice that others are keeping their distance, they may have already caught wind of the fact that you’re in disfavor.
- Your manager has started to copy themselves on all communications. If your manager suddenly wants carbon copied on all your emails and they seem to be keeping a formal record of all their work communications with you, they may be building a file on you that they hope to use as documentation of your faults.
- You’re put on a performance improvement plan (PIP): PIPs are supposed to give an employee a guideline for improving their workplace performance. In reality, it’s often a way to simply document an employee’s failures. You may be assigned impossible goals so that your termination can be justified.
If you believe that you’re about to be wrongfully terminated, it would be wisest to seek experienced legal guidance as soon as possible.