Damaging rumors / defamation, intimidation, and harassment?

[glassgirl01]

I recently quit my job of several years. New owners took over several months ago, and I've had problems with one of them for the last few months.

I am hearing that a lot of very derogatory things are being said about me, none of which are true. The night I quit, even though I never so-much as raised my voice, they called the cops and were leaving "do this or else" messages on my cell phone.

Last night, the owner I've had issues with started sending me text messages, making unreasonable demands, telling me he'd have the sheriff at my door, and various other open ended threats. (He was smart enough not to make any physical threats, but that didn't make me worry any less.) At one point, I told him I felt like he was harassing me and trying to intimidate me and that he needed to stop. However, he persisted, so I called the police and asked them to intervene. They did tell him he could not contact me anymore.

This was just a part time "for fun" job that I genuinely enjoyed until the hostilities came about. Now my "general location" has been put over the airwaves three times for anyone with a scanner to hear and since I have the ONLY house on the block in this very small town, rumors are starting to circulate outside of the related business, it's employees, and customers.

To make things worse, my husband is a local business owner and I help him out, and the rumors that are flying could be damaging here, since many employees with one of our repeat accounts havce scanners and I have a lot of concerns that the rumors and untruths will affect my ability to find another part time "for fun" job in the area.

I know first hand that the owner I had issues with is not careful about what he says or to whom, and from what I'm being told, he is the source of some of the new rumors floating around.

While I worked there, nothing was ever said to me about my performance or any issues, so do I have any recourse with these unfounded tales and what documentation might I need to back it up? (I do, of course, still have copies of the text messages.) I want to control any damage to my reputation as quickly as possible.

 

[dee_dub]

You can send them a "cease and desist" letter to quit spreading false information about you. They might just laugh it off, but at least you'll have your objection on record. And who knows, they might actually pay attention to it.

Other than that, you don't have a lot of recourse unless you can prove that they've damaged your reputation. Proving defamation damages is very difficult, and your case seems no different than most. You have a lot of supposition but very little evidence. You haven't tried finding alternate employment yet so you don't know what the rumours have done to your employability, nor do you know what they've done to your husband's business.

I'm not sure I understand what scanners have to do with this. If you mean that your location has been mentioned over police radio, which might have been heard by some third parties, who might then draw a negative inference about your character... I doubt liability for that could be fixed on your former employer.

 

[army judge]

I recently quit my job of several years. New owners took over several months ago, and I've had problems with one of them for the last few months.

I am hearing that a lot of very derogatory things are being said about me, none of which are true. The night I quit, even though I never so-much as raised my voice, they called the cops and were leaving "do this or else" messages on my cell phone.

Last night, the owner I've had issues with started sending me text messages, making unreasonable demands, telling me he'd have the sheriff at my door, and various other open ended threats. (He was smart enough not to make any physical threats, but that didn't make me worry any less.) At one point, I told him I felt like he was harassing me and trying to intimidate me and that he needed to stop. However, he persisted, so I called the police and asked them to intervene. They did tell him he could not contact me anymore.

This was just a part time "for fun" job that I genuinely enjoyed until the hostilities came about. Now my "general location" has been put over the airwaves three times for anyone with a scanner to hear and since I have the ONLY house on the block in this very small town, rumors are starting to circulate outside of the related business, it's employees, and customers.

To make things worse, my husband is a local business owner and I help him out, and the rumors that are flying could be damaging here, since many employees with one of our repeat accounts havce scanners and I have a lot of concerns that the rumors and untruths will affect my ability to find another part time "for fun" job in the area.

I know first hand that the owner I had issues with is not careful about what he says or to whom, and from what I'm being told, he is the source of some of the new rumors floating around.

While I worked there, nothing was ever said to me about my performance or any issues, so do I have any recourse with these unfounded tales and what documentation might I need to back it up? (I do, of course, still have copies of the text messages.) I want to control any damage to my reputation as quickly as possible.

Gossip against a private person (YOU) is generally not actionable under tortious conduct.

If you believe to the contrary, consult a couple of local attorneys about your specific situation.

The initial consultation is normally provided free.

My usual suggestion stop people who wish to sue for defamation is just stop listening.

You can't hear what you refuse to talk about!