justathought

Can you remeber what particular event took place in your life that made you realize . . . . you may love your job, but your job surely does not love you?  I was always taught that if you work hard and give everything you do your best effort, you would reap the rewards in the end.  So that is what I did.  I went to work everyday, gave my very best, and seemingly those efforts equaled to positive results.  However, one day I stepped outside the carefully constructed box that my employer had placed me in and the whole thing came crashing down.  Let me give you a little background. . .

I am a 31 year old black female that knows how to wear the appropriate mask when working in corporate America.  In short, I did not create any waves.  I think I flew under the radar, and I was given a nice pat on the head for the “model” employee I appeared to be. 

However; in September 2007, I chose to wear a button to work that said “Free the
Jena 6”.  From that day forward my life at the job changed, I was no longer considered a valuable employee because I chose to show support for a “racial issue” at the job.

I called into question the company policy that was used to request my removal of the button and since that event, a target was placed on my back.  While the flare up from that event seemingly died away, within three months, I found myself on the verge of termination.

It was hard to believe at first.  After all, I was a model employee.  I had been promoted numerous times in my three years with the company and I received rave reviews each year during the annual reviews.  Yet, suddenly one client issue was blown out of proportion and my professional integrity was slammed to the ground and run over by a steam roller numerous times. A five page document was written to support the company’s attestation that I was an incompetent employee and I was placed on a final warning . . . .the last train stop before you get permanently booted off of the ride.

I remember crying about the whole thing, thinking “how can they think this way about me over one mistake.”  But after the tears, my fighter instincts (and believe me, I’m no fighter) kicked into high gear.  Because I am no fighter, I could only due what I do best.  Fight back with words, documentation, and a complete belief in the righteousness of my outrage. 

I wrote a fourteen page document to refute the claims made by the company, took my concern to the EEOC, and despite how difficult it has been . . . .refused to simply quit and walk away.

Quitting and walking away is what they expected . . . . .and I couldn’t give them that . . . so now, I go to work each day. . . .no longer donning a mask. . . . give my best effort . . . .and try not to drown in the Worker Blues.  I await the outcome of my EEOC investigation which claims they treated me unequally when compared to other employees with same or similar infractions. 

The experience has taught me that I am stronger than I think and I don’t need the conditional accolades that my employer supplies to feel validated in the work I do.