camperspampers1
Est. Contributor
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- Diaper Lover
After successfully avoiding a former workplace bully for over a year, I learned today that he died after fighting lung cancer for 6 months.
Our relationship was not always bad. In the beginning, it was very good. He was my boss, and I was a new employee. During the recession of 2009, I was the only employee he didn't lay off. Even though I had the least experience, I worked harder, and kept my job on merit. When he changed companies, he arranged a sweetheart deal as enticement to follow him.
Then things began turning sour. We achieved great success, but rather than hiring people to handle the resultant workloads, he added to my workload to the point it resulted in health problems. After bringing my doctor's concerns about extreme workloads to the attention of HR, my workloads were reduced, but I was told I would never be promoted, ever. My workloads started growing again, and I started looking for comparable employment, unsuccessfully. I was expected to perform all OT in my department, whether a work task was my responsibilty or not. I worked myself to another health crisis, quit, sued, and was liberally awarded severance and damages for my suffering.
My boss was not the only manager responsible for my suffering, but was either actively or silently compliant in the actions that caused it. I considered him a friend at one point, but recently felt I didn't care if I saw him again. I'm conflicted about how I feel. I was his workhorse and trusted colleague, and he complied with or actively participated in demonstrable workplace discrimination and abuse resulting in significant harm, and hence my lawsuit damages award.
How would you feel if a friend turned enemy died of cancer? I don't think cancer is proportional karma and would not wish it on him, but I'm not sure where I fall on the spectrum of happy, sad, or relieved. Maybe a weird combo of all 3, or even more emotions. It's a strange feeling.
Our relationship was not always bad. In the beginning, it was very good. He was my boss, and I was a new employee. During the recession of 2009, I was the only employee he didn't lay off. Even though I had the least experience, I worked harder, and kept my job on merit. When he changed companies, he arranged a sweetheart deal as enticement to follow him.
Then things began turning sour. We achieved great success, but rather than hiring people to handle the resultant workloads, he added to my workload to the point it resulted in health problems. After bringing my doctor's concerns about extreme workloads to the attention of HR, my workloads were reduced, but I was told I would never be promoted, ever. My workloads started growing again, and I started looking for comparable employment, unsuccessfully. I was expected to perform all OT in my department, whether a work task was my responsibilty or not. I worked myself to another health crisis, quit, sued, and was liberally awarded severance and damages for my suffering.
My boss was not the only manager responsible for my suffering, but was either actively or silently compliant in the actions that caused it. I considered him a friend at one point, but recently felt I didn't care if I saw him again. I'm conflicted about how I feel. I was his workhorse and trusted colleague, and he complied with or actively participated in demonstrable workplace discrimination and abuse resulting in significant harm, and hence my lawsuit damages award.
How would you feel if a friend turned enemy died of cancer? I don't think cancer is proportional karma and would not wish it on him, but I'm not sure where I fall on the spectrum of happy, sad, or relieved. Maybe a weird combo of all 3, or even more emotions. It's a strange feeling.
