Screw the Hierarchy

When a business owner decides to pay a worker for their time and effort, that business owner understands they will make money off that time and effort. It's part of doing business. But what happens when that business rakes in billions of dollars per year and uses some of their employees as welfare? I'm talking about the NFL exploiting its cheerleaders by paying them less than minimum wage for requ...

In January 2021, researcher Ekta Srinivasa, RN, PhD revealed her findings of her study on experiences of self-reported bullying In female minority nurses within acute care hospital workplace settings. Her findings: employers channel discrimination through bullying acts and align with those willing to get rewarded to play the game, leaving patient safety on the line when competent nurses speak up....

Looking at life in the long-term can help us have agency and create lives according to our own values. In this episode, I talk about how we can get altitude on our lives, as career coach Liz Ryan talks about, so we can feel fulfilled and content rather than obedient and less than. If you've been abused at work and would like to share your story anonymously, email info@dignitytogether.org. If you f...

Joyce was a solid performer in health care management when she found herself suffering consequences for those who sexual harassed. But not just once. In this episode, hear how her employers in her industry funneled sexism through bully acts — and what advice she has for other targets of abuse at work. If you've been abused at work and would like to share your story anonymously, email info@dignityt...

Speaking out against workplace abuse can involve risk: risk of losing one's job, of losing future opportunities, and of losing relationships with those who benefit from the status quo. It can also involve finding your voice again, inspiring others to do the same, and taking your power back by sharing YOUR side of the story and your insights as to why workplace abuse is an epidemic. On June 22, 38...

Discovering bullying at work can follow a familiar pattern: 1. Employer mistreats employee or allows for a co-worker to mistreat another co-worker. 2. Employee sees the discriminatory impact of the mistreatment. 3. Employer and employee agree that training on these issues is the solution. The fact is though that studies show employers don't actually try to solve the problem when employees report m...

The U.S. is one of the last industrialized nations to address workplace bullying legally. But we're hoping to change that. On June 22, 2021, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development will hear testimony on the Dignity at Work Act (DAWA). Here are three ways that you can take action TODAY: 1. Sign the petition: bit.ly/passDAWA 2. Get action alerts: bit.ly/DAWAalerts 3. Te...

What can we learn from a high school graduation decades later? Well, it turns out a whole lot about approaching life from our unique viewpoint. In this episode, I talk about my three inspiring takeaways from a recent high school graduation and how they ring true decades later. If you've been abused at work and would like to share your story anonymously, email info@dignitytogether.org. If you feel...

If you're wondering how to cope with a culture in which you you don't feel valued — and I'm talking not just about your toxic work culture but also the overall culture in which some carry more social weight than others based solely on demographics — then join us for the second Re-Define Virtual Summit. This summit is all about coping in an oppressive culture when others can get away with diminishi...

Our voices matter. And we can use them to help pass historic legislation to protect worker dignity. On Tuesday, June 22, you can virtually testify in support of the Dignity At Work Act in Massachusetts — no matter what state you live in. In this episode, I talk about my top 3 reasons to testify. For more information, sign up for action alerts at DignityAtWorkAct.org. We will send you more informat...

Control doesn't breed trust or inspire. In fact. it reinforces a hierarchy and creates a culture of fear. Insisting on in-person work when it's not required for the job is one means of control. In this episode, I talk about a Washington Post opinion piece from a CEO who threatens her employees' status for not coming into the office. Luckily, her employees spoke up. If you've been abused at work an...

When those who operate on ego look to build their base of followers, they often resort to looking for obedience. It's all about power and control for them. In this episode, I talk about grooming and hazing — tactics designed to test obedience — based on a target's story in the entertainment industry. If you've been abused at work related to your race, gender, disability, age, or other demographic...

When we miss the red flags that a boss or co-worker is high conflict, we may find ourselves in a downward spiral of loss: health, finances, relationships, confidence, self-worth, and more. But it's never too late to see a toxic work situation with more clarity and take action to change course. We reveal the four red flags of bullying at work — and tools we can use to address the bullying. Join me...

Hollywood producer Scott Rudin — known for The Social Network and No Country for Old Men — is under fire for workplace abuse — both the illegal and legal kind. Throwing things, making racist remarks, overworking people, silencing workers, smearing workers when they leave — those are just some of the abusive behaviors he's gotten away with over the years. He stepped down, but will he finally be hel...

Re-define your life at the Re-Define Virtual Summit on Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 from 10am-4pmET. Workplace abuse left you feeling angry, bitter, betrayed, and depressed. Find support and understanding in this two-day event so you can recover and live the life you deserve. The result: a life of purpose defined by you — and no one else. In this episode, I talk about day 3: healing fro...

Re-define your life at the Re-Define Virtual Summit on Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 from 10am-4pmET. Workplace abuse left you feeling angry, bitter, betrayed, and depressed. Find support and understanding in this two-day event so you can recover and live the life you deserve. The result: a life of purpose defined by you — and no one else. In this episode, I talk about day 1: navigating...

A group of first-year analysts at Goldman Sachs pulled back the curtain to show what's REALLY going on at the investment banking firm. And the way they did it went viral on social and garnered the attention of The New York Times. In this episode, I talk about the two sides of the debate on whether or not it's workplace abuse (we don't need to guess which side I'm on). I also touch on the common ov...

Targets of workplace abuse report that their unions don't generally do to bat for them when it comes to going up against the abuse of power. But collective action is a key tool for targeted employees, and unions provide for that collective action. The PRO Act would give unions more power to help the employees they're designed to serve. In this episode, I talk about what the PRO Act will do if the...

The COVID-19 vaccine will present challenges for employers: can they require employees to get vaccinated? If not, what happens when employees isolate an employee who isn't vaccinated? In this episode, I talk about what challenges some employees may face when remote employees head back into offices — and what employers should do about those challenges. If you've been abused at work related to your...

Getting legislation passed can be a long haul. But the process doesn't have to be overwhelming, The National Workplace Bullying Coalition is forming state teams across the country to introduce the anti-abuse Dignity At Work Act. In this episode, I walk you through the process to introduce legislation. We have a fantastic team of state team directors who can help with the rest of the process monthl...

The Dignity At Work Act is about granting our fundamental human right to dignity at work. Workplace abuse (or workplace bullying) often involves a person in power, such as a manager or supervisor, taking advantage of a less powerful employee. What workplace abuse is Abuse of power is too often a symptom of implicit bias — a problem discrimination law stopped helping since the 1980s when courts mov...

RN Sheila Wilson started Stop Healthcare Violence (https://stophealthcareviolence.org/) to provide safer workplaces for nurses and other healthcare workers. In this episode, I talk with Sheila about this problem that affects far too many healthcare workers — and what we can do about it. If you've been abused at work related to your race, gender, disability, age, or other demographic and would like...

Abuse at work can come in many forms: Discrimination against independent contractors, volunteers, interns, fellows, and trainees Retaliation against workers who share wage information Employers interfering in union elections Constructive discharge (pushing workers out) Tying your healthcare to your job Paying you a non-livable wage Requiring you to stay silent when an employer pays you for their w...

If you've been bullied at work, you know how subtle and hidden toxic behaviors can be. The 2019 film The Assistant (now on Hulu) accurately shows signs of a toxic work culture, including what it feels like to experience one. In this episode, I talk about five ways this film shows how abuse at work stays hidden. If you've been abused at work related to your race, gender, disability, age, or other d...

If you worked in Boston in the 1970s, you may have known that a group of women clerical workers mobilized for better pay, advancement opportunities, and an end to sexual harassment. After organizing, they eventually formed the organization 9to5, which still exists today in several U.S. cities and inspired the hit film 9 to 5 starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin. In this episode, I ta...