My 17 years as a senior support person at a health system was going well until I needed to assist my family members, due to old-age and illness. Then the trouble began. I worked for a place that promoted wellness, ethical culture and was totally against bully bosses. I found out it could not be further from the truth.
There was no understanding that I needed to receive phone calls from family to get them an ambulance for my ailing family member, or the trips to the hospital to meet the ambulance. I always returned to work and went to the hospital again after work. The boss turned into a bully. I wound up in the hospital myself due to stress and the boss didn’t care, just wanted to know when I would be returning.
It continued to go downhill to the point where I asked to be transferred because I couldn’t take the stress of that situation; it was making me sick. At first they said they would help me find another position, but then I could see that they were not going to help me. I was out ill for two days and the bully boss demanded that I come back, or he would have to get someone to take my place. He suggested I could work in another area of the department, where there was another bully that the bully boss protected time and time again. Of course I refused.
I always gave more than 100% to that company and couldn’t believe the way I was being treated. The bully chose not to understand what I was going through with my family, even though I had helped the bully’s family and employees throughout the years with their issues. There was no way I was choosing the job over family.
I went in when I was better and packed up my stuff, left and got in touch with a lawyer, which was the best thing I ever did. I received the severance and medical benefits that I wanted and never had to see those people again.
At first I was very depressed. It took a few months to settle down and realize how much better I began to feel. Today I’m having the time of my life.
