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Look elsewhere on the DL and start documenting.

mrsconn23mrsconn23 member
First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its First Comment
in Wedding Woes
Dear Prudence,

I’ve worked as a part-time employee for more than 15 years at the same place. I’ve been passed over for full-time positions four times, and the last time, all of my colleagues told me they felt guilty and terrible that I was not selected. Some co-workers said I was screwed over. Over the years, I’ve noticed my supervisor express a number of racial microaggressions, and he has never hired a nonwhite person in his 18 years as a manager. I am not white. If I went to his bosses, it would be obvious it was me, and I fear retaliation. But my employment options are severely limited in my field and city, and I’m not in a position to move. I’m at a loss.

—Should I Quit?
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Re: Look elsewhere on the DL and start documenting.

  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Start documenting and ask a trusted colleague to do the same if you feel safe doing so. But also look for a new job. 
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
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    Ugh, that does sound like a rock and a hard place.  I wonder if having a meeting with the direct supervisor, along with the higher-ups would have any results/give insight.  Or could that potentially lead to retaliation also.  Sounds like an awful, toxic workplace...however, you slice it.

    Maybe also look for a job in a different field/industry.

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  • PrettyGirlLostPrettyGirlLost member
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    short+sassy said:

    Ugh, that does sound like a rock and a hard place.  I wonder if having a meeting with the direct supervisor, along with the higher-ups would have any results/give insight.  Or could that potentially lead to retaliation also.  Sounds like an awful, toxic workplace...however, you slice it.

    Maybe also look for a job in a different field/industry.

    Probably not. 

    Nondiscrimination employment laws and clauses and guidelines have been in place forever now.  Dude hasn't hired a minority in the 18 years he's been at this company. . . I'm sure the higher ups know what's going on, and if they cared about diversity or were worried about a lawsuit they would have dealt with Dude long ago.

    Obviously they all feel pretty safe with the situation.  Unfortunately, I'd bet there would be a negative outcome if the LW went to the higher ups.  Which sucks since she is royally getting screwed.

    Her best course of action very well may be to try to switch companies and industries :/

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


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  • CasadenaCasadena member
    First Comment First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    PrettyGirlLost said:
    short+sassy said:

    Ugh, that does sound like a rock and a hard place.  I wonder if having a meeting with the direct supervisor, along with the higher-ups would have any results/give insight.  Or could that potentially lead to retaliation also.  Sounds like an awful, toxic workplace...however, you slice it.

    Maybe also look for a job in a different field/industry.

    Probably not. 

    Nondiscrimination employment laws and clauses and guidelines have been in place forever now.  Dude hasn't hired a minority in the 18 years he's been at this company. . . I'm sure the higher ups know what's going on, and if they cared about diversity or were worried about a lawsuit they would have dealt with Dude long ago.

    Obviously they all feel pretty safe with the situation.  Unfortunately, I'd bet there would be a negative outcome if the LW went to the higher ups.  Which sucks since she is royally getting screwed.

    Her best course of action very well may be to try to switch companies and industries :/


    I would still try for that meeting.  It's unlikely, but maybe this issue has never formally been addressed before and the higher ups may have a different opinion when forced to confront the facts.  The worst that could happen is termination - which would not necessarily be a bad thing given the information we have. 

    In the meantime, for sure start looking for other options. 

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  • cupcait927cupcait927 member
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    kerbohl said:

    Can she do said meeting with the higher ups and just ask what she can do to be considered for the next FT position? If she brings it up like she is being proactive about future jobs but also brings up the background of working PT for so long and being passed over four times, it might make the higher ups question the supervisor without her directly accusing the person.

    As to the microaggressions though, is there no HR that she could go to about that? Could her sympathetic coworkers go in with her to mention it and complain?


    If it's a small employer, there's a fair chance that there is no HR office to go to. I work with employee benefits and manage a book of small group clients (<100 employees) Many of them have no formal HR. Even the small company I work for has no HR office or even an HR rep.
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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
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    cupcait927 said:
    kerbohl said:

    Can she do said meeting with the higher ups and just ask what she can do to be considered for the next FT position? If she brings it up like she is being proactive about future jobs but also brings up the background of working PT for so long and being passed over four times, it might make the higher ups question the supervisor without her directly accusing the person.

    As to the microaggressions though, is there no HR that she could go to about that? Could her sympathetic coworkers go in with her to mention it and complain?


    If it's a small employer, there's a fair chance that there is no HR office to go to. I work with employee benefits and manage a book of small group clients (<100 employees) Many of them have no formal HR. Even the small company I work for has no HR office or even an HR rep.
    Yeah we don't have a dedicated HR office at the non-profit; we have roughly 120 employees (full & part-time) so different members of our management team handle HR issues. It's a terrible set up, but there is no money to do anything different. 
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  • bubblylovebubblylove member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Before jumping to any conclusions I would like to know whether there have been minority applicants. I mean it's possible this person isn't a good worker or has some issue the manager doesn't like. Honestly why would you stay at a place part time for 15 years? I would have found different employment long ago where I could move forward. 
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