I went through a staffing agency to find employment in my hometown. They set me up to be a machine operator for a local manufacturer who makes a ton of money through GE, Electro Motive, the military, etc. When I spoke with the staffing agency I told them that I needed a job that didn’t involve anything physically demanding. The woman at the staffing agency, that we’ll call “Light”, told me that the machine operator wasn’t physically demanding. I go into the company and interview “Allen”. Allen tells me that they have plenty of positions open for the machine operating job but that he really needs someone on another machine. That I would be “perfect for it because I’m a big guy. And if a 110lb Mexican can do the job, then I can.”
Nevermind that I was put on a medication for my bipolar disorder that’s caused me to gain 150 extra pounds. I tried protesting with this guy but he kept insisting that I take it. Throughout the whole interview I told him that I physically could not do the job but he didn’t care. He assured me it wasn’t physically demanding. He lied and during my first three days I was lifting from the ground things I shouldn’t have been lifting by myself. I even had one of the plant managers tell me it was a 2 person job. “Allen” told me that it was a one person job and that the plant manager didn’t know what he was talking about. During my shifts, “Allen” repeatedly insulted me. An example of this was by saying I wasn’t a real man because I didn’t bring my own tools to the job. He would call women “baby” and spray them with the compressed air hose. The same hose I was told not an hour before to not spray because it can form air bubbles inside a person. “Allen” scoffed and said: “I wasn’t close enough.”
In spite of the racism, sexism and homophobia that came from him and other people who worked there I still wanted to tough it out. Because I liked the work and I liked the fact that it was up the road from a school where I could get a degree in that field. I was really happy and it felt like my life was starting to turn around after a really bad spell. I had oral surgery a week before I started that job and was put on antibiotics for an infection. The first few days on the job I was fine but on the fourth day my stomach started running off because that’s what that medicine does to me. I couldn’t come in Thursday because I was afraid of actually shitting myself while doing my job.
So I called out and according to the rules I was supposed to contact the staffing agency and not the company. Which was later confirmed by both the staffing agency and employees of the other company. While explaining my condition to “Light” she asked me how I liked the job. I said that I liked the company, that I like the work and I liked the idea of going to school for this type of work. And then I told her about what “Allen” had been doing and saying. “Light” said that this was unacceptable and that she would be contacting HR and the plant manager over at the facility and let them know. Also that I didn’t need to worry about my anonymity because they assured her that my name would not come up.
I was really worried after saying what I did to “Light” and called her again on Friday to confirm that I would still have a job there. Even on the Wednesday of the previous week I was assured by the plant manager that there were other positions I could move into if I didn’t like the one I was doing. I was told by “Light” I had nothing to worry about and that I could get moved into another position in the company. I even told her I was willing to switch to third shift so I wouldn’t have to be around “Allen”. I was trying everything to make this work.
I came in Monday and walked up to “Allen” to say hello and he was not happy. He knew, everything I said to him. Everything had been disclosed to him by HR and the plant manager thanks to “Light” at the staffing agency. He said: “I thought you quit.” I was stunned and asked him where he got that from. He told me that he read the memo that was sent over. He was told that I hated him, I hated the company and I hated the job. I told him that wasn’t true. A lot of that wasn’t true. I didn’t even hate the guy, I disliked aspects of who he was but I didn’t flat out hate him. He repeated that I had quit on Friday and that the only was I would get to stay was that I stayed on the machine that would’ve worn me down physically.
I stood up for myself and told him no and that this was crazy. I told him that I was told by the plant manager that I had other opportunities there. “Allen” told me I didn’t and that I wasn’t a good fit. That I could only stay if I stayed on the other machine. I told him I couldn’t because frankly, I’m too heavy to do that job. He said that he was “just as heavy as you are” and that if he could do it I could. Nevermind that I weight nearly 400lbs because of the medicine I’m taking. He didn’t want to hear a word I had to say. He acted like a grown child. He kept repeating that I wasn’t a good fit and I told him that I would talk to HR and the plant manager and the staffing agency. He told me that they (the company) didn’t care what the staffing agency said and that there was no room at the company for me. No positions were available to me.
So I left with the intention of coming back to talk to the HR rep and the plant manager to discuss this further. When I got home I contacted the staffing agency at didn’t get “Light” but instead was immediately put on the phone with “Marla” who is their branch manager. She acted so shocked and offended by what happened and said they would contact the other company immediately and to not worry. Then she called back not too long afterward and basically said: “Yeah they don’t think you’re a good fit over there. Don’t worry we’ll find you something else.” Then she immediately put me on to take another job tomorrow.
This whole thing has absolutely destroyed my mental health. My suicidal ideation is through the god damned roof and my morale has been shot to shit. I’ve worked for 18 years and never been mother fucked by a company this hard when just starting out. I left a message for an employment lawyer near me to call me tomorrow. Is there anything that can be done? It feels like the walls are closing in and I just don’t know anymore. Sorry this was so long.