I work full time as a designer/builder of fixtures for a very large corporation (500+ employees). My work directly affects production. I also work in sales for a large corporation (500+ employees). At the part time job, company B (sales) I and other women were harassed. I have proof, witnesses, all of that. I am being sparing with details but I can answer questions on a case by case basis. I filed with company B’s HR, then my family told me to retain a lawyer. I will be doing an intake tomorrow. In the meantime I filed with the EEOC but I can’t get an appointment yet because they are backlogged. I need that charge to file a lawsuit.
Here is where company A comes in. Early in the year I got covid and was out for a week which I used all my sick time on. I have severe ptsd so I took an unpaid day off after that and was put on disciplinary action. If I miss one more day or am late, I am not eligible for promotion or raise. If I miss two days, I am terminated.
To file with eeoc, I will have to take what I can get. That means I may miss work at company A.
I messaged HR at company A briefly stating I needed to meet to discuss what will happen if I need off for eeoc, lawyers, or court dates.
Meanwhile, company b has given me no hours but did the same to most employees I think to cover their bases. I was not the first to complain about said manager.
If I lose both jobs, what are the chances I can get the maximum 300k for the claim? Is it worth it? What would be a reasonable settlement?
Company A underappreciates me, and discriminates against me for my ptsd. At this point im thinking both. Literally everything I do allows this company (A) to function and is made out of my ideas and creativity. I get problems, not solutions. I’ve been refused promotions multiple times despite having a degree for those jobs. I am not paid fairly at either. 26 an hour. I asked for a raise and they only gave me a cost of living adjustment of 50 cents. Company B pays 16 an hour.
Also, my ptsd is from prolonged abuse in childhood and prolonged abuse at age 29. Physical, verbal, visual, sexual on both accounts. One was convicted and the other is in a foreign country. So least to say I am mentally perturbed by all of this and very triggered. Nightmares about work are now meshed up with my abuse and I am having panic attacks at work.
Any advice would be great.
Any advice would be great.
Greatest advice: please specify your country, region etc. because the laws are different in every corner.
If you are married maybe your husband can support you while you look for other job opportunities?
My current husband is the abuser who is in a foreign country 😢
I also have cptsd.
Can’t help much with the legal questions. But there’s medication that can reduce nightmares. Prazosin in particular. It blocks the adrenal response, so you are less likely to go into fight or flight while sleeping.
Also, PTSD is recognized as a disability. It’s not easy to get disability for it, however discriminating against you for having it, when you are requesting reasonable accommodations is absolutely illegal. If you have medical documentation of your condition that will be helpful. If you don’t, I suggest you start figuring out how to document it. I see a trauma therapist, and my GP is also aware that I have it, as he’s the one that gave me the medication. This is the documentation I’m currently using to try to get disability and it would also work in your instance.
Is this the US? Talk to company A about FMLA. FMLA leave can be used intermittently. It wouldn’t necessarily work for court though. If you ask HR about it, they shouldn’t give you a hard time (if they do, that’s just a second case you got lol). Just make sure you have the diagnosis documented.
As for your settlement, I wouldn’t bank on any specific amount. The lawyer might have a better idea but we don’t have anything to compare it to. Also, assuming the attorney is being retained on a contingent fee basis, they will get at least 1/3rd of your settlement. And cases can take years, especially if you end up at trial.
