I was accused of taking a photo of someone's backside while I was sitting at my desk and looking at my phone. Obviously, I was probably just looking at my phone without my reading glasses (so holding it on my crossed knee) and have no idea when this supposed incident occurred. There are no cameras in our building to help solidify my case. HR looked through my phone after I voluntarily handed it over and has seemingly dismissed the claim as the misunderstanding it was. However, a handful of co-workers (all ladies) are giving me hateful looks. My company doesn't require a reason to let me go since I live in an At Will state. I'm worried that not only does this group of work-friends think I'm some sort of creep, but that they might make other false accusations or intentionally make my job difficult out of some sort of comradery for this perceived violation. I can't approach them as that seems very inappropriate and I don't know any of them well enough to clear it up myself. My direct management says not to worry, but I absolutely dread going to the office now. I'm always looking over my shoulder and trying to be hyper-aware of my actions, but I can't live with this stress forever. My wife called a lawyer and it turns out that I really can't protect myself and have no legal avenue for protecting my job. Short of asking my employer to install security cameras does anyone have any advice or similar experiences?
If you don't talk to the people arround you then this won't be resolved. Your manager should be helping you through this. What I would recommend is that you start having 1:1 with each and include you manager. Keep it short but say " I understand there has been some mis-understandings and I want to help make this a comfortable place to work" then see what the issues are. Don't get into a confrontation but hear them out. Then assure that they if they have concerns they should just reach out.
HR can't disclose who made the claim (rightly so). I can only deduce that it was someone from the lone group of women on my floor. I suppose I could ask HR to reach out to the person to facilitate...
You said your getting looks... Start with them. This will only get worse if you don't address the root of the issue
This is wrong at many level. You didn’t do anything wrong . It is your choice how you hold and look at your phone. You didn’t have to hand over your phone. Are you different race than most of the female staff on your floor ? Did you have a creepy guy on your floor ? ( who did something similar)
Nope. Just a plain, awkward, 30-something white guy. I'm not a neck-berd as my wife would say. Lol.
I don't know of any problems in the past. I've worked there forever, but our office layout changes a lot, so it's possible that there was a creepy guy in another dept., But I can only speculate.
You’ll have to switch jobs now! This is 2019
My problem with that is that giving up doesn't really fix the problem. Ladies shouldn't have to go around thinking guys are creeps and I shouldn't have to worry about just sitting at my desk.
Why should he take abuse ? Him switching could send a wrong message to his predators
Either switch jobs, ignore it, or start filing bullying/harassment complaints. Your employee handbook should spell out what forms of exclusion and looks constitute harassment.
"I was accused of taking a photo of someone's backside" you have no expectation of privacy at your place of work, tell that b!tch to stfu. and also don't worry, they aren't going to do jack sh!t, just look them dead in the eyes, they will look away, women are rarely confrotational. also if your manager is telling you that it's going to be ok, it's going to be ok. I know because I get dirty looks as well, because i'm ugly, but they can't do sh!t. Giving a person bad look is not harassment, however keep everything documented, written down in a google doc somewhere (on your personal account). It will give you leverage in the future, guaranteed, even if it seems like it won't at the moment.
as someone who just completed a training on this issue... To safeguard your job, you should turn this around and play the victim card. Take offense at repeated looks you get, at being shunned, not invited to group lunches, etc. Register your gripes with HR. This is a hostile environment they have created for you.
BTW. The company name is my wife's, not mine. I need this to be anonymous.
Why would you say this? Now we know who you are!
How? Wife's employer is huge... Mine is not. Using her profile to ask the question. Am I missing something?