I work in Human Resources for a government agency, and my HR director is a big bully.
She gets high off of intimidation and humiliation behind closed doors. She spreads rumors about employees she dislikes and shares her hate openly. Her moods are unpredictable and erratic. Work has become a hostile place to be.
A few weeks ago I took a vacation. My director calls and messages me for the entirety of the my time off, which I was annoyed with, but understood because we had a time sensitive project she needed assistance with. Now when I get back to work the next week, as soon as I log on I receive a call from her. I join the call and she starts raising her voice then full on screaming bloody murder, accusing me of not having enough PTO for this vacation. What? Mind you, I had more than enough PTO & sick time accrued and had sent the time off request a month & 1/2 in advance. While I start explaining exactly this, my director continues to verbally berate me, calling me deceitful, a liar, and accusing me of having malicious intent. I was completely shocked and in tears. I very calmly told her that her behavior was unprofessional, and that it was inappropriate to make jabs at my character while making false accusations without reasonable cause. Towards the end of the call she started yelling threats like I “better show my face in office tomorrow so that I can say all of this to you in person” and that I “better not hide or try to use sick time.”
A few minutes after that explosive first call, she calls me again and admits there might have been an error in the system. No acknowledgment of her volatile behavior. No apologies. Nothing. She then hangs up.
I filed a grievance with the employee relations manager last week, and found out that she fired him yesterday. 7 complaints have been filed against her already. Three employees have already resigned. I have no one else to turn to as most of my colleagues are afraid. Of course when her direct leadership is around, she acts wildly charismatic and is on her best behavior. It honestly boils my blood and I don't want the next new hire to experience this abuse. Where do I go from here?