Your comment reinforces the research that says that people rarely quit a company, but that they quit their boss. I’m so sorry to hear of your situation.

From my experience it is very difficult to pursue a legal response to this boss. Most people, as you have already seen have left or are thinking of departing. Unbelievably, a boss like that can often survive by manipulating the relationships and information flow to her bosses. They get a filtered view, i.e. she’s not the problem but people like you are.

You indicate that you are in a great company. That indicates to me that there are good people there and good aspects to the culture. So look for safe sources of appeal. Sometimes there is appeal through human resources. Sometimes a company will have an internal employee evaluation process. There also may be another leader in a lateral position who could offer advice on how to handle this.

And though this would require some guts and a big risk, it may be that someone has to speak to her boss.

If there is no recourse, if she has so consolidated power that she is immune, then your choices are few: 1.) accept that this is the way it is and learn to live with it; 2.)confront her and risk her ire or the loss of your job, or 3.)move on. Nothing that you haven’t thought of, I am sure.

Above all, pray for her. We are to love those who hate us. And then be reflective of your own heart and thoughts. What you don’t want is to let a difficult situation create bitterness or anger in your heart. That just injures you. If you leave, leave with a clear conscience. If you confront, present the truth in love, not anger. And if you stay, stay with forbearance, patience…waiting for the right opportunity to come along side of her to speak a word in season.

I’ve been in these situations. In some I’ve stayed too long. In others, I’ve departed. And I’ve been fired for no cause. Stay humble. Keep a clear conscience. And don’t lose sight of your value. And don’t let the actions of another determine your attitude.

It’s never easy. And there are no easy answers. In our day and age we have options. Think about it, for some people in other cultures who are enslaved, there are no other options. And the only thing they can control is their own heart and spirit.

You sound like the sort of person that will make a wise decision. Let us know how things turn out.

Best regards,
Dan

I’m currently working for a boss like that. I recently joined the company I am working for. And have had a great time till of late.

My direct boss is great. Could improve, but is still great. However, the boss above him is a complete nightmare!

She is rude, condescending, mean spirited, every word in the book. Her behavious borders on emotional abuse, because every time you interact with her, you are left feeling inadequate and emotionally fatigued. I have never come across people like her before and I am finding it very difficult to deal with her.

Fortunately, my boss also finds her impossible and since she has joined the company, we have lost a whole department (about 8 people).

I am lucky in that I am based in a different location, but I have had to deal directly with her in the last month and I have had enough!

My company is great, and had imagined myself working here long term, but at this rate, I am ready to throw in the towel just after 8 months.

Is there a law to protect employees against such treatment/harassment/abuse? Or some way of bringing such people to stop?

After dealing with her, I am still in shock that in a professional setting, some people are allowed to behave in such a manner.

I’m fed up.

At the moment,

It all started when she wouldn’t let me train on a sensitive assay to perform my job. She got frustrated and put me on a two month program, then let me flail for six more weeks due to constantly changing the goals and refused to accept that my results were within the range others had seen (even to the extent of mocking me that "why can’t a sr. associate scientist do what an intern can do?") or acknowledge the group was dysfunctional in communication and cooperation.

I took it upon myself to discover that not only was she wrong about my performance, she was horribly mismanaging me and misrepresenting information to the project team.

End result: She’s throwing me under the bus to save herself. I spoke with her supervisor who gave me her support. Except something changed that no one will tell me, because now HR is involved and I’m being put on double secret probation. Needless to say, I’m looking for a job. Not because of the company or my compensation, but because my boss commutes to and from hell. Anybody need a molecular biologist? Cuz I’m available.

So we know the symptom. But what is the cure? In other words, if your supervisor is an overbearing, abusive bully what the hell can you do?

This hits me at home because I work for such an individual. My boss is cruel, course mannered, unfair and mean. He runs the department like a sweatshop. I cannot even use the bathroom except during lunch breaks. I made several recommendations, such as regularly scheduled breaks but he scoffled at them.

I would have quit years ago except that the economy is so crappy and I really need the money.