I don't write diaries very often. For the most part, I find writing difficult - funny, because as a Research Specialist in molecular virology, writing is part of my life.
But some things move me to pour my soul out to the community and this is one of them. It's less a plea for help and more, perhaps, a bit of comfort, for I am entering the most difficult battle of my life, a real David and Goliath one-man-against-the-Man sort of battle, with the life of one person - myself - at stake.
Follow me below the break, if you wish, for my tale of woe. I apologize in advance of its length and lack of pretty pictures, but perhaps there is a lesson here for you too.
It all seemed so promising when I was first hired by my employer, a major University that (for now) I'll leave anonymous. You'll see why in a little while.
It was a job, true, that paid several levels below my qualifications - I am a Ph.D. in molecular virology, and Research Specialist is basically a glorified technician. Worse, it was a temp job, ending after one year. But considering the number of professionals wasting away in unemployment over years, I counted myself extremely fortunate to have it.
During that year, I happened to collaborate with a more senior professor then my boss, and took on a second project. As my original job came to a close, this senior person offered me a 9-month extension, at higher pay, working directly for him. Even better! All seemed well.
But it was all too good to last.
The first bit of bad news was that the senior professor had taken my job and outsourced it to a facility in Vancouver - unfortunate but logical. My own scientific protocol wasn't working well, and they had a whole team that could get him the data he needed for a new grant. Nonetheless, he stated in writing - twice - that he'd keep me on until the end of my term, and help me find a new job.
Then, doing a favor for my original boss, I got into a...tiff...with an administrative assistant, unrelated to any of us, who mishandled a $1200 package. The tiff was quickly resolved (I apologized, as per my boss' instruction), and I thought that was that.
Enter a third party - see, neither of my bosses actually had any lab space of their own. They'd gotten a gentleman's agreement from a third party to provide a bench, and that had been where I was working for more then 9 months. Now that third party wanted me out of his lab. No explanation given. Nothing in writing. So I immediately packed up and moved to an office provided by my new boss. I figured that that had to be the end of the job, since I couldn't do lab work any more - I'd get my 30 day layoff notice, get my unemployment and COBRA, pack up, and move on.
But it then got a whole lot worse.
A few days after my move to the new office, I was informed that I was being put on unpaid suspension pending a disciplinary hearing in front of HR (in 2 business days!), because of "concerns" over the circumstance of my departure from my lab, and my inability to do my job.
Rather then lay me off, they were moving to fire me and deny me unemployment. There could be no other reason for that sudden change of attitude, and the sudden involvement of HR. ANYONE that has ever dealt with HR knows they serve one purpose only: to look out for management's interests. They are the iron fist, and I had a bullseye painted on me.
So what's a poor old bird to do under these circumstances?
I contacted my lesbian retired-professor aunt, who'd won a discrimination suit against her own university. (They'd tried to fire her - a tenured professor! - to deny her retirement benefits). She drafted a letter, telling my university that:
a) I would not be able to make the hearing due to lack of representation, and would contact them to reschedule it.
b) That everything was to be in writing for this point on - no email, no phone conferences, no "gentleman's agreements."
c) I was exploring my legal rights and options, including the retention of a lawyer,
d) That I was willing to negotiate, as long as it was in writing.
The letter was sent express mail, certified return receipt, directly to the HR flack assigned my case. That way there'd be no way they could claim to have lost it, and it was sent immediately, so they'd receive it more then 24 hours before the meeting.
My fears that they were dealing in bad faith were realized when they did INDEED claim to have lost it, then "found" it after I offered to provide a copy with the mailing receipts. They tried to bully me into going to that disciplinary hearing alone, even so far as lying about it being a disciplinary hearing! Threats were given. I'm on unpaid suspension indefinitely. They refused to provide anything in writing.
But I've contacted a lawyer now, one of the best antidiscrimination firms in the college town I'm in. Their consult is extremely expensive for me - $275 basically just to say hello! - but I've little choice. I've a written log, a relationship-chart of all the players, a timeline, and all emails from all parties backing up my assertions. I've got my stone and my sling, but...
My employer's strategy is very simple: starve me out. I am chronically ill (and don't think that I haven't considered that THAT may be the reason for this hostility - I cost them a lot of money insurance-wise). I need healthcare and expensive medications to survive, and I am in a state where I will never be eligible for Medicaid no matter how low my income. (A blue state turned red in 2010). And my savings wouldn't even pay the retainer for a decent lawyer, let alone billable hours necessary. It's just me, one poor working class schlub, against a University with a $500 million dollar endowment.
TL;DR: Instead of a quiet, clean layoff from a job coming to an end, I'm being railroaded, and feel the only choice I have is to fight fire with fire. But the price will quite possibly be my career and my life.
I've never felt so alone. I just hope that I don't die that way. But I have no choice; it's either fight, or let them steamroller me into the ground. Perhaps the end result is the same either way, but at least I will die with my boots on, as they say.
4:31 PM PT: Update: The recommend list? I'm...speechless. Thank you for that, Kossacks. My first time on the list, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
6:49 PM PT: I've tried to keep up with the responses, and I am deeply appreciative of all of the suggestions, advice, and encouragement. It was desperately needed. Forgive me if I don't get to all of them, only because I have to get all my paperwork together for the lawyers...I got one hour to make it all happen tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Thu May 09, 2013 at 1:48 PM PT: A final update. It appears the consultation with the lawyer was a dead end, and a very expensive one at that. By state law, the only due process I am owed is that disciplinary hearing, and since I did not attend it, the Uni can do what they want with me. So I'm going to the next one they schedule and get whatever I can, though probably what I'll be offered is "you're fired".
Thank you all for your suggestions and encouragement. The days for me are about to get dark indeed and I will keep this diary close, to remind me I'm not alone.