My boss called me a pig.

[Anonymous]

Wow, these comments are so inappropriate. She's directing a lot of hostility toward you. Sit down and document everything, then take this to someone who can act- HR, union, etc.

[Anonymous]

I think the comment is wildly inappropriate but I think the people suggesting it creates a hostile work environment are over-reaching. The comment was not based on OP being a member of a protected class, e.g. female or an ethnic minority.

[Anonymous]

I would respond by simply, "call me anything other my name again, and you and I are going to problem. One that's going to require lawyers to solve."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not just rude, it could qualify as a hostile work environment. It is not appropriate for a person in a management position to speak this way, particularly not to a subordinate. How are you supposed to feel fairly judged by this person when it comes time for performance review? You may need to raise this with HR or with your boss' boss. Or it may be that the best thing to do is confront her - politely, but firmly - just to nip it in the bud. She may have just had an awkward moment. I would contact an employment lawyer in your area for advice on the best way to handle this.

Highly unlikely a hostile work environment, legally speaking. Weight is not a protected class under the law. Boss may be a boor and rude as hell and HR may or may not want to deal with that but I doubt any cognizable legal claim based on what we know here so far.

People use "hostile work environment" very freely, when it is, in fact, a legal term of art when you're talking about something being actionable (as opposed to just plain rude, which is bad enough).

[Anonymous]

How did a social idiot like that become anyone's boss? Oh wait, nevermind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did a social idiot like that become anyone's boss? Oh wait, nevermind.

Exactly!
OP, if I were in your shoes, I'd just say: "Excuse me?" and hope she'd get the message.

[Anonymous]

I hope she doesn't say stuff like this to the kids!

[Anonymous]

OP, this is totally out of line, but you need to stand up for yourself. Next time she says something like that say something like "Exactly what do you mean by that?," "Wow, was that an inappropriate comment," or as another poster suggested "Is that supposed to be funny?" Bullies pick on people who won't fight back. If you confront her own behavior she'll likely stop.

[Anonymous]

Do you hear her speaking to anyone else like that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you hear her speaking to anyone else like that?

A friend of mine told me she thinks my boss is "harsh" with other people, but I've never heard her say anything like that with my own ears.

[Anonymous]

A boss here- she sounds like a total boor...amazing. You have a responsibility to voice your concern, once, she Boss knows you are "uncomfortable" with what she is saying. After that, you should keep a record, BUT don't like on 17 instances over the course of 3 months and then go to HR. Any HR visit, if Boss's behavior doesn't change, should be shortly after the first instance.
I say this because I assume you want Boss's behavior to change, right? Then you need to let her know that you don't like how she speaks to you. HR can also advocate with you.

I'm always concerned with "document document document" suggestions as that leads me to believe you don't care if she stops or not, you just want a probably challenging situation at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A boss here- she sounds like a total boor...amazing. You have a responsibility to voice your concern, once, she Boss knows you are "uncomfortable" with what she is saying. After that, you should keep a record, BUT don't like on 17 instances over the course of 3 months and then go to HR. Any HR visit, if Boss's behavior doesn't change, should be shortly after the first instance.
I say this because I assume you want Boss's behavior to change, right? Then you need to let her know that you don't like how she speaks to you. HR can also advocate with you.

I'm always concerned with "document document document" suggestions as that leads me to believe you don't care if she stops or not, you just want a probably challenging situation at work.

Would HR really do anything? Thought HR is there to protect the company and if this is OP's boss, then HR is more interested in protecting her boss, not OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A boss here- she sounds like a total boor...amazing. You have a responsibility to voice your concern, once, she Boss knows you are "uncomfortable" with what she is saying. After that, you should keep a record, BUT don't like on 17 instances over the course of 3 months and then go to HR. Any HR visit, if Boss's behavior doesn't change, should be shortly after the first instance.
I say this because I assume you want Boss's behavior to change, right? Then you need to let her know that you don't like how she speaks to you. HR can also advocate with you.

I'm always concerned with "document document document" suggestions as that leads me to believe you don't care if she stops or not, you just want a probably challenging situation at work.

Would HR really do anything? Thought HR is there to protect the company and if this is OP's boss, then HR is more interested in protecting her boss, not OP.

A different HR bitch here. If a boss is a risk to a company due to their behavior, then HR is not protecting the company by protecting that boss. Ultimately, yes, we are there to protect the company, but protecting the company usually includes protecting employees.

[Anonymous]

I would go to her office this morning and simply say to her "Ramona, I think you should know that I've been bothered all weekend by your comment to me in the lunchroom last Friday. (Pause. If she's blank -- continue. I was eating my turkey sandwich and you stopped at my table and called me a pig.) She will probably roll her eyes or look shocked. Then you say "We always reinforce with the children that we don't call each other names. I want you to understand that when you came into the lunchroom and called me a pig, I felt deeply embarrased and shocked. Can I assume that will never happen again?

[Anonymous]

Education tends to attract so many UNprofessional people.

I'm a teacher, btw.

Place them in the real world and see how long they'd last.