I have worked for this company for 16 months. The owner is female and her husband is also part owner. They are going through a nasty divorce. The podiatrist that works there was going on maternity leave for 6 weeks in Nov. 2008, and the other three employees(incl. myself) ended up being laid off as well due to the podiatrist's leave and the faxt that business was slow. We were informed we were being laid off 2 days before the lay off was to begin. The Christmas holidays were not so rosey for me, while I was waiting for my first unemployment check to arrive. I was told the office would be re-opening on the 12th of Jan .2009. I did get a phone call from my boss stating she decided to open the clinic for a few patients. Her schedule was growing, and she wanted a "break", so she asked me to work one day for 5 hrs.. That day didn't go well, since my boss left me alone in the office doing the work of at least 2 people. I discussed this with her and we both decided I would just come back to work on the 12th of Jan... Well that day came and I retrned to work, but I did get a phone call 3 days before(the friday before) telling me I would only be working on a "flexible" schedule of 3 hrs. a day, then maybe less depending on if she needed me-seems she had some court hearings coming up. I worked 3 hrs. on Momday, 3 hrs. on Tuesday-this is when the bullying began.
It started first thing in the morning. Only me and one other employee were running the office, because my boss had to leave. I needed to call my boss to ask her a question, then I mentioned on the side of the building I was working on there was two patients that were being treated, and I couldn't take care of both of them. I mentioned I would need the other employee to come over, but that she was busy taking care of the podiatrist's new born baby. I was told by my boss that she would be back in a few mins. and that I needed to "Deal with it." When my boss came back she told me if I didn't like my job or the way things were running around here I should Quit. This turned into her yelling that I should be able to handle it, in front of a nurse and a parent of one of the patient's. Then I was asked to go into my boss' office. She asked me what my problem was. I mentioned the abdoning issue, the fact that I was laid off with only 2 days notice, and how when I thought I was coming back to work full-time after 8 weeks off-then finding out it's just for a few hrs. a week. How I was promised a Christmas bonus and never received one. And once again she told me to quit. I told her I will not quit, she would have to fire me first, and she has no grounds. She agreed and said she has always been happy with my work. She asked me to come in the next day (Wed.) from 11am-2pm. So I did just that, only to find out at noon it would be just me and her in the office. As soon as the other employees left she told me not to speak to her husband ever again. She asked me if I was servicing her husband, and I told her "No." She told me I wouldn't want to know what it is like on the woman's side of a divorce, and that it isn't pretty. Then she told me she can make my life hell, call my husband and tell him something. That I had better hope he would believe me over her. That she didn't want to play athe game like this, but that I left her no choice. By this time I refused to open my mouth and say anything to her. She told me she never expected this from me. She is disgusted and speechless. Then there were no other patients and I could go home. As I walked to my car she was in the parking lot yelling "you'd better resign now it's in your best interest. I drove away. Thurs. I called out, and Fri. I didn't call out, I didn't go into work. My work place is not the same, and I do not feel comfortable with the things my boss says to me.