Bullying is Legal: A Survivor's Story by Dominic Richardson - HTML preview

V: The Harassment Escalates

OCTOBER 19TH-NOVEMBER 2ND, 2009

The sexual harassment and hostile environment increased dramatically. During this period and onward, the sexual harassment and hostility would occur literally in every moment of my work day. People were constantly making inappropriate statements in close proximity to my cubicle, following me around the different sections of the building, and literally making a joke out of every step that I took at the organization. During this period, Sherry Valle, (Lead Data Entry Technician) collected processed prescriptions, as assigned, and placed them in a plastic bin. When she got to my cubicle she asked if I could bag my completed prescriptions. I had so many prescriptions completed that it was difficult to fit all of them into a plastic bag. As I was trying to stuff the paperwork into the bag, Sherry said “It looks like it’s too big to fit, Charles. That sounds like a personal problem.” This statement was highly sexual, inappropriate and was stated in my personal space. It made me feel very uncomfortable. Daisy Pry, Lynn Mora and Frankie Dill used this as ammunition for ridicule. Sherry Valle went around collecting completed prescriptions on another day and stated, “Here we go again, Charles. Do you always have trouble sticking it in?”

Lynnette Williams, Francis Dill and a third woman approached my cubicle early one morning, and stated that it was “too dark” in reference to my skin color, and that it was “so dark in the room, I can’t find my way to my desk.” Daisy Pry and Lynn Mora proceeded to ridicule throughout the workday about the dry skin on my hands. By this time, Lynette Williams was sitting in the cubicle north of mine (we shared the wall that the computer screens were on) and she would lean closely to the wall and make inappropriate comments continuously throughout my work day. Lynette Williams would say “Come on. Work harder. Make that money to pay your husband’s bills”, “Keep working and he’ll have sex with you during your lunch break”, and other inappropriate statements. The next morning, Frankie Dill accused me of opening one of the drawers in her desk and moving a picture of her daughter. When I denied her accusation, Frankie Dill, Daisy Pry, and Lynn Mora called me a “child molester” and made references continuously to child molestation for two days straight, and would bring it up thereafter for laughs.

At this point in my career at PPI, I had never taken a day off work, paid time off (PTO) or sick day. However, I decided to call in one morning to handle a family emergency. The company’s policy is that you need to leave a message on the supervisor’s answering machine if you cannot make it to work on time or if you will be absent. I left a message on Heather Bradley’s answering machine describing my situation as a family medical emergency. When I returned to work the next day, the harassment escalated. Brian Green (Data Entry Lead Technician) came to my desk with another employee and started discussing family medical emergency situations stating “It’s such a shame when grandma has to go.” “Sometimes you have to just pull the plug on grandma”, “We all have to go sometime”, and “Getting cancer is no big deal. You’ll get over it.” Lauren Steffans stated “It’s okay that your husband contacted HIV. Because he is your husband, and you will be there for him”, “Of course this will make your love life difficult, but you have to be willing to make sacrifices.” Daisy Pry stated “I’m going to the hospital tonight to give my husband a massage,” “After I go see my husband tonight at the hospital, I may call off work tomorrow”. Entire work days involved multiple workers making these outrageous statements literally every minute of the day. These statements were made aloud and everyone near my desk could hear them.

NOVEMBER 2ND-14TH, 2009

I reported the sexual harassment and hostile work environment conditions to Heather Bradley (as mentioned in paragraph number 2 of this document) after I confronted two Lead Data Entry Technicians (Jessica Graham and Lindsey Patrick) and another co-worker (Jessica Hall, Phone Pharmacy) about the harassment (outlined on pages 6, 7, and 8 of the attached 8-page handwritten harassment claim filed with Samantha Mack in Human Resources *NOT ATTACHED TO THIS DOCUMENT DUE TO CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT. Heather Bradley assured me that a report would be filed with Human Resources and that disciplinary action would occur against workers who continued to exhibit hostile behaviors, but the report never reached Human Resources.

NOVEMBER 24TH, 2009

I suffered temporary blindness and excruciating pain in my right eye. I asked Heather Bradley and Mike Lee if I could have the next day off to see an optometrist. I informed them that it was difficult to see the screen regardless of how bright it was, and that I was having difficulty seeing all the time especially at night ever since the unidentified substance was sprayed at my cubicle. After Heather Bradley said that I could use paid time off (PTO) for the following day, Christina Damon came to my cubicle and said “You know you’re not going to get time and a half for being absent tomorrow, right?” All present employees would receive time and a half the following day as holiday pay because it was the day before Thanksgiving. I told her that I was more concerned about my vision than receiving holiday pay, and she grunted at me as she walked away.

NOVEMBER25TH, 2009

I saw Dr. Aaron Benjamin at “CENCORSED” Eyecare and he diagnosed that I had astigmatism in my right eye and that I would need glasses with special coating in order to reflect bright lights for more accurate vision.