Hello everyone, I am posting to ask for help.
I have been threatened by the CEO of my company. I work for a government sub contractor of the FAA. He told me in no uncertain terms, that I was not to talk about salary to anyone, with a very heavy implied threat.
Here is the whole story:
Backgroud:
I am a software developer who works on the Air Traffic System. This is the FAA NAS, and I am being paid 80K a year. I found out that all of my co-workers are getting paid 110k or more, and I have the same years of experience as them (10+). I bring very solid industry knowledge and skill to the table, and I am loved by my team at the FAA. I have been a very effective employee at this position and it is the absolute best I can do for my country, I am truly motivated by my ethos and my first and foremost concern is the safety of my fellow citizens. This is not a joke to me. I bear my responsibility with strength.
I am disabled. It is VERY hard for someone like me to get a job. I fought with unemployment from '08 to '19, and it was only because of a sweet little radar program that I created on my own that enabled me to get an interview for this position. (My parents saved my butt, they gave me time, oh do I owe them.) The New Jersey state systems in place to help someone like me who is high functioning is minimal.
The situation:
Last summer, I began inquiry into the salary levels of my position. I was under the impression (reading vaguely written government contractor rules) that I could have a reckoning with the contractor, I.e. ask them to review the salary's they are paying certain categories of employees an make sure they were in accordance with my salary). I started talking about and asking pointed questions to the primary contractor. They never answered my questions officially, but I got inside info that I was grossly underpaid. When I pushed for official answers, they forwarded my inquiries to my Employer, the sub-contractor.
The phone call:
On a Saturday morning last October, I received a phone call from the CEO of my company. He caught me by surprise, as I was literally just waking up.
He told me that he knew I was asking the Sub-contractor manager about salary (He said she was an FAA employee, and I did not correct him). He then told me that I was not to be talking to her, or anyone else about salary, and he said it twice. At that point in the phone call I was literally rubbing my eyes and fumbling around with the phone, and he asked me: “Do you understand?” He asked. I didn't answer right away, and I continued to fumble with the phone. This must have agitated him, because before I could even respond, he asked me if I was recording the phone call. At this point I have contained my exasperation and collected my guts. . . I asked him back: “Are you worried that I am recording this call?” And he said: “I heard a lot of pops and crackles, I just thought you might be recording the call” and I told him: “No, no pops.”
At that point in the call he continued to drive into me what he said, so I replied to him verbatim: “Are you telling me that I am not allowed to talk to anyone at all, not my coworkers, or managers or anyone about my salary.” and he said: “Yes. That is exactly what I am saying.” I said to him, “Thank you for making that so blatantly clear, goodbye.” And I ended the call, with a heart rate of 210.
I did press the save call button at the end of the call, because I have that option with my phone service (I am close to deaf). So I have this call recorded and backed up in a VERY safe place.
The Fallout:
Extreme emotional distress. I lost a lot of sleep over this. There is so much going on and I have only so much strength. I have become bitter, and angry, and tired.
In late November I contacted my sub-contractor manager at my company, and I told him exactly what happened. I asked him if my job was in jeopardy because I talked to him about my salary, and he verbally assured me that my job was not in jeopardy.
But in December there was a company wide meeting that I was not invited to, and it made me wonder, now I am no longer bitter or angry, I am Furious. I then resorted to emailing my sub-contractor and asking him to answer my questions: He did verify that my job is not in jeopardy. He did not address any of my concerns about the abuse from the CEO, he just let that hang. I just did not know what to do.
I am still angry, and I am still loosing a lot o f sleep over this matter. So I decided to try again, to ask for recognizance through official channels. They tried to conduct a phone call, but I made it clear that I felt threatened and would not settle for anything but official written e-mail. They assured me in the email that I was allowed to talk about salary, and my job was not in jeopardy. They did not address the CEO abuse, which I specifically asked to be addressed. They told me I can file a complaint if I wanted to.
The Question:
I have tried contacting the New Jersey DOL and the Federal people, but even of the phone they give me conflicting information! I am a generally well put together individual and I can make sense of the complex algorithmic messaging of the National Air Space, but for the life of me I don't know where to start with a complaint! The NJ DOL literally told me that the CEO can say whatever he wants.
What are my options? Since I work under a federal contract, does anyone know someone who can help me? I do want to file a complaint, I want everyone to know how this person stole all of that emotional energy from me, simply for his Saturday Power High.
Please, anyone with advice and actual knowledge of law or federal agencies who can help me please comment and tell me how I can come to terms with this issue.
TLDR: CEO Threatened me on the phone, I have it recorded, He owns a Federal Subcontractor with 35+ employees. I need help!