Take This Job and Shove It? 5 Signs You May Have the Worst Boss in the World


If you are an employee who works in an environment where your higher-ups are supportive, creative, fair-minded and open to feedback, count yourself among the lucky ones. Unfortunately, not everyone is so blessed.

Many employees are struggling to cope in a negative work environment where they deal with the stress of  surviving emotionally and psychologically from day-to-day.

Are you suffering in an environment of workplace cruelty, abuse or neglect? If you can answer yes to the following questions, you may have the worst boss in the world:

1         DISRESPECTFUL? Does your boss call you demeaning names or imply through words or actions that you are unintelligent, untrustworthy or incompetent? Does this happen in the presence of other employees?

2         UNFAIR? Does your boss seem to have standards or rules that apply to you, but do not apply to others in positions similar or identical to yours?

3         CLOSED-MINDED? Are your attempts to communicate your ideas and concerns to your boss repeatedly ignored or discouraged?

4         NEGATIVE? Does your boss find every opportunity to criticize your performance, but makes no effort to praise your accomplishments?

5         INCONSISTENT? Does your boss change his or her mind about a decision, policy or procedure without clearly communicating the change, then punish or malign you when you’re unclear about how to proceed?

In this economy you can believe there is an unemployed person who is ready and willing to put up with your boss’s bad behavior, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have any recourse in a situation where you are being subjected to abusive, demeaning, harassing or unfair treatment in the workplace.

Although there are federal laws protecting you against workplace discrimination and certain types of harassment, labor laws vary from state to state regarding verbal or psychological abuse in the workplace. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself and prepare for possible legal action is to keep a journal in which you document all instances of maltreatment and record your attempts to communicate your concerns to your boss and through other appropriate feedback channels in the company. Be sure to note details specific to the incidents of abuse, including the names of witnesses who could corroborate your version of events.

It is important to keep in mind that your work environment should not be causing you to feel despondent, enraged, or suicidal. If you are experiencing extreme emotions that could lead to violent or self-destructive actions, seek mental health counseling immediately. If your employer does not provide insurance for mental health services, call your county health department to find out about free or reduced-cost services near you.

Employers Prefer White Felons Over Blacks With No Criminal Record

You may remember the 2003 University of Chicago study by Devah Pager that sent young white and black “testers” with randomly assigned “felony convictions” to apply for low-wage jobs. The study found that whites with felonies were more likely to be called for interviews than black applicants without criminal records.

Eight years later, black male unemployment has hit the highest rate since the government began keeping track in 1972. It is estimated that only 56.9 percent of black men over age 20 are working, and the prospects for them to earn an honest living anytime soon in this crumbling economy are not good.

While Obama battles the GOP over raising the debt ceiling and preserving “sacred cow” tax cuts and entitlement programs, the unemployed poor are becoming increasingly desperate. Of particular concern is the reality that the once-supportive family members who used to serve as safety nets for struggling felons are now losing their jobs and homes in record numbers. The safety net exists no more.

According to an analysis of Federal Reserve data by the Economic Policy Institute in 2004, the median net worth of white households was $134,280, compared with $13,450 for black households. By 2009, the median net worth for white households had fallen 24 percent to $97,860; the median black net worth had fallen 83 percent to $2,170.  And, no, that is not a typo.  Algernon Austin, director of the Economic Policy Institute’s Program on Race, Ethnicity and the Economy describes the wealth gap like this, “In 2009, for every dollar of wealth the average white household had, black households only had two cents.”

Two cents. Really? If anyone has the audacity to suggest to me that having a black president means America is now “post racial,” I will have to hold myself back. And, speaking of remaining nonviolent in the face of violent oppression… If there has ever been a reason to march on Washington, it is right the hell now. –originally published at rollingout.com.