Has anyone challenged their boss at work and won?

[Chubroach]

I am curious; has anyone with a terrible boss, challenged their boss formally through Human Resources, or another formal channel and come out ahead?

Everyone who reads this posting has likely worked for a real jerk before. The easiest approach is to run away from the situation and quit. Then it will be someone elses problem. Though is this the best approach? I do not think so.

I think bullies and terrible managers should be challenged and called to task. Approaches could include: submitting a formal complaint through Human Resources. Or going to your supervisors boss. Or finally, going through some company sponsored committee that deals with grievances.

Has anyone formally challenged their bully, or terrible boss, and won? Do you feel it is worth the problem.

 

[CEDmom]

I've never been in a position that warranted reported a boss to HR. Most of the people I have worked for have been fair and decent. The few who weren't eventually got what they deserved w/o my needing to do anything. If I was even harrassed, threatened or applied unfair business practices I most certainly would take action. But just working for a less than desirable manager really isn't grounds to report them.

 

[GeorgeG]

My boss isn't terrible, just inexperienced. He's very smart (electrical emgineer and lawyer, too), but I've been at this job 36 years and he's only 35 years old (something our director pointed out last year when presenting my 35 year awards).

I challenge him almost on a daily basis, but usually in an way that doesn't embarrass him. Most of the time he appreciates my "two cents worth" since it often prevents his inexperience from showing. Every now and then his ego gets in the way, but he'll usually come back and admit I was right.

 

[off2disney]

In 42 years in the work force I have worked for some real jewels of a boss, and then I've worked for some real jerks. I've been in the situation where it almost got to the point of having to do a formal complaint, but I've found that most of the time their actions caught up with them (I'm a firm believer of "what goes around, comes around"). I guess the most upset I've gotten (and I did go to my supervisor) is when my commodore (boss) decided in August to change our closing vacation schedule in December, when I had already booked my Disney vacation in February. When I went to my boss and told him I had already made plans (non-refundable plane fare, etc) his response was "Well, this has been planned for a while now. We'll have to talk about it." Of course, nothing had been mentioned to me that "it had been planned - I had to read about it in our company newsletter!
Anyway, I went to my supervisor and told him of the situation and that I was requesting vacation for that period, even though the club would stay open. Fortunately, we were able to work it out and I took vacation as scheduled but my boss's attitude really fried me. Fortunately, his term ended in December, so now my supervisor is my new boss.

 

[SugarBear]

Yes.

I worked in a factory where we were expected to work any overtime. When I was pregnant I was very tired and refused to work overtime. My manager threatened to put me on warning and then the plant manager called me in the office and threatened to put me on warning and then fire me. BTW, I had a doctor's excuse saying that I shouldn't work overtime.

I called the Equal Employment Opportunites Commission. They called me back (when I was at work on a break) and told me that it was now in their hands and that I didn't have to work overtime since I had my doctor's excuse. They said that if I was further harassed to call them back and their lawyers would handle it.

As soon as I got back from break, my manager came up to me and told me that my doctor's excuse wasn't good enough. I said, "No, you're wrong, I just spoke to the EEOC and they said the excuse was good enough. They also said that if you harass me they are going to take legal action against you and the company."

The next thing you know the plant manager was out on the floor (instead of calling me to his office) and very kindly (not the case earlier) told me that he understood that I was unable to work the overtime, but hoped that I would work overtime in the future if I felt better. (What a jerk!)

 

[Mskanga]

Yes I did, and I won.
I used to work for a hotel and somehow my drawer one day came up $600 short. The first thing I know is I'm being pulled into the controllers office with my manager and they both start drilling me what happened to the money? What money? the last time I used my drawer I balanced! They gave me a warning that I refused to sign. When I went back upstairs one of the co-workers told me that one other co-worker had worked with her one night and she spent a whole night trying to figure out everybody's passcodes to get into the system and she had found out just about everybody's except for two people. She had my passcode. So I went straight to the computer systems person and asked if there was a way to track down all the transactions on my passcode. He gave it to me , I compared dates to my working schedule and BINGO....there was a transaction done for $600 on my account on one night ( I used to work days ) and coincidentally I was off that day. I looked at the schedule and the other person was working that night. I went straight up to the General Manager's office , explained to him what they did to me and showed him all the documents. He called the controller and my manager on the spot and told them to drop whatever they were doing. You should have seen their faces when they saw me there, but after they saw the evidence it was even better. Then they started watching the other girl and she was gone within two weeks , she tried to steal again.
Needless to say that my manager was very ticked off that I by-passed him and went straight to the general manager, but he wasn't as ticked off as I was.
He used to get ticked off because the general manager would come down to the employee cafeteria and have lunch and sometimes he would sit down at my table and we would just talk, he had known my family for years. My boss used to tell me that it was not appropriate for me to be sitting with the GM having lunch , that it didn't look good. I told him to tell the GM because as far as I was concerned , he could have lunch with anyone he wants, he doesn't need to sit down with managers if he doesn't want to. That was the end of it, never bothered me anymore.

 

[EdiePA]

but I wouldn't exactly say that I "won".

I work as a pharmacist in a State Mental Health Facility. One of our assignments was to teach a medication ed class in the Forensic (court-committed, males) unit. The class was in a room with only one door, no guard and sometimes not even a nurse. I already have anxiety problems and that was really adding to them. At one point the psychiatrist from that unit had to warn me that one of the inmates said that he wanted to kill me.

I went to our Chief Pharmacist and asked to be relieved from the assignment. He wouldn't listen. So, I had to go to our HR person and from that point it was out of my hands. An investigation was made and I no longer had that duty.

But, I still think the Chief Pharm. holds it against me that I went to HR.

 

[nealymouse]

I did to and WON !!!

I worked for a huge grocery store chain in their warehouse. Where Sexual harassment ran rampart. I am by no means a prude. I can take a joke like everyone else.

One day this guy starts in on me saying things like I give BJs and swallow. I went to my boss ASAP and was told "Boys will be Boys" Well that was not good enough for me and went over his head, YUP same responce so I went to this guy and told him if he ever spoke to me in that way again I was going to the GM of the company. This guy not only keeps doing it but is 10 times worse. I again went to my boss and again the same reply.

I go to the GM and yes the same reply. I am starting to raise heck because this is against the law. ( I cant stress how bad this guy treated me. What he called me will make your skin crawl).

SO then I get layed off. I had 2 people under me but I get layed off. I call the EEOC and they give me the name of an attorney and tell me not to wait call now. Low and behold come to find out when I was layed off the company told the attorney that it was a mixed up and I could start back at work the next day with full back pay plus a very nice bonus LOL.

So I am back at work after a 5 week abstence and this guy starts in again but even WORSE (human feces on my private bathroom floor). I again go threw the proper channels and again the same reply except this time I was told to clean the feces UP !!!!. Honest I am not joking. Call my Attorney up tell them whats going on and was told to keep a diary. I did and within 6 months the guy threatens to kill me. I was out of there ASAP. I liked my life better then this JOB.

Started a law suit but they settled when the company attorney heard the whole story. Company attorney told them if they went to court on this then he would not fight my attorney.

I did not get millions even though I am sure if I had gone to court I may of. I was happy just to be out of there with a very small settlement.

 

[ToyStory Fan]

I don't know if I'd say I won, since he wound up leaving and getting a better paying job elsewhere. My boss was the KING of buzzwords. He'd listen to a few key things and then bang he was off and running to the higher ups with all of these buzzwords as if they were all his own work product or ideas. He would delegate work down and demqand that I NOT sign off on it since he was reviewing it HE should be the one to sign-off.

I finally got fed up and started documenting conversations, forwarding correspondence directly to his boss, especially when it came to our financial systems that were so antiquated and causing our group (me and the walking lobotomy) to have to work until all hours of the night during a quarter close. He would actually leave me there and come back in the morning and have the audacity to expect me to continue the ridiculous hours citing that he was working hard too.

Anyway, the ledger system finally blew up and the CFO (his boss) wanted to know why he made the decision not to get a new system...he tried blaming me and the CFO called him out and said that's months ago I had gone to him expressing serious concerns over the need for a new system...he had finally painted himself into the corner and showed his true colors as a non team player. He was packing his bags shortly after that.

But like I said I was happy that I won, but he wound up going someplace else to be a buzzword bandit over there too.

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

Yep.

I was called to a disciplinary hearing. I knew what was coming so I actually had my boss, his boss, and the head man served with a lawsuit as we entered the room. It was very fun to watch all the self important men go white after the read the documents.

When all was resolved I was asked to transfer out of the section because it would be uncomfortable for "me" - they didn't know me very well. I am still there, he is still my boss but he is not allowed to discipline or have any input as to my promotions(I have gotten everyone I have gone for). If it is suspected he has interfered in word or deed under the terms of agreement, he is out, and I get a bigger pay day than I already had.

I have dedicated a tree on my property to him, since he helped pay for it - LOL!