For background, I work as a contractor for an NIH IC in Montgomery County, Maryland.
My direct supervisor has, to date, belittled work I have done (as one co-worker put it to me, "nothing is ever good enough"), called me a liar (I was told to do something, I did it, she said I didn't) then not twenty minutes later told me she watched me do what she said I didn't, made snide comments about my lack of computer skills (I have very advanced computer skills, and use them often) - most often when it is circumstances out of my hands, such as my system crashing or stalling (usually it's due to a virus scan, which happens to everyone during the day), when the color printer/scanner-copier/color copier stop functioning (these are shared printers; I do not have a functioning printer at my desk as most of the employees/contractors do), demanded work within an unreasonable time frame (to the point where she once told me to copy something, and when I got back to the copy room(which my desk sits across from) from her office, my phone was ringing - I answered and she demanded to know why the copies were not yet made), has assumed I would work until 6-7 at night when I am not approved for overtime without prior scheduling and approval - and had the gall to tell me to stop making personal plans when I said once "I can't stay late today, I have a previous engagement" (I was asked to stay late, at 5:10, when I was already technically off the clock and was delivering some copies I'd just finished), and in general treats me as though I am a completely incompetant employee.
In looking up harassment and hostile work environments, I have found that this fits within it due to "perceived hostility that affects work performance" - which it has, and I contacted my contractor company to request a reassignment, and explained details about what's been going on. They are looking into whether my contract can be broken due to the circumstances.
I am aware that I personally take things very personally, and I am usually easy to hurt. I do want to know, however, if this is actually considered legally "work harassment/hostile environment".
It affects my work by making me no longer want to come to work just to avoid the hurtful comments, makes me hope every morning that the printers/copiers are functioning, and sometimes I just hope that my supervisor will not be in so I do not have to deal with her. I come in with a sense of dread every morning, and it has gotten to the point where I don't even want to get up in the mornings.
Since I am a perfectionist, I also dread actually doing the work, as I am afraid she will either hand it back and tell me to do it again, take it and tell me it'll do, or take it and tell me that now she will have to do it because I didn't do it right.
My direct supervisor has, to date, belittled work I have done (as one co-worker put it to me, "nothing is ever good enough"), called me a liar (I was told to do something, I did it, she said I didn't) then not twenty minutes later told me she watched me do what she said I didn't, made snide comments about my lack of computer skills (I have very advanced computer skills, and use them often) - most often when it is circumstances out of my hands, such as my system crashing or stalling (usually it's due to a virus scan, which happens to everyone during the day), when the color printer/scanner-copier/color copier stop functioning (these are shared printers; I do not have a functioning printer at my desk as most of the employees/contractors do), demanded work within an unreasonable time frame (to the point where she once told me to copy something, and when I got back to the copy room(which my desk sits across from) from her office, my phone was ringing - I answered and she demanded to know why the copies were not yet made), has assumed I would work until 6-7 at night when I am not approved for overtime without prior scheduling and approval - and had the gall to tell me to stop making personal plans when I said once "I can't stay late today, I have a previous engagement" (I was asked to stay late, at 5:10, when I was already technically off the clock and was delivering some copies I'd just finished), and in general treats me as though I am a completely incompetant employee.
In looking up harassment and hostile work environments, I have found that this fits within it due to "perceived hostility that affects work performance" - which it has, and I contacted my contractor company to request a reassignment, and explained details about what's been going on. They are looking into whether my contract can be broken due to the circumstances.
I am aware that I personally take things very personally, and I am usually easy to hurt. I do want to know, however, if this is actually considered legally "work harassment/hostile environment".
It affects my work by making me no longer want to come to work just to avoid the hurtful comments, makes me hope every morning that the printers/copiers are functioning, and sometimes I just hope that my supervisor will not be in so I do not have to deal with her. I come in with a sense of dread every morning, and it has gotten to the point where I don't even want to get up in the mornings.
Since I am a perfectionist, I also dread actually doing the work, as I am afraid she will either hand it back and tell me to do it again, take it and tell me it'll do, or take it and tell me that now she will have to do it because I didn't do it right.
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