Hogan & Hartson: Circumstantial Evidence of Mobbing

I worked as a paralegal at the Computer Applications Department of the law firm of Hogan & Hartson from mid-September 1985 to late February 1988.   There was a breakdown in employee discipline beginning in mid-February 1987 when the department supervisor, Sheryl Ferguson, announced she would be leaving the firm.  The following is a sarcastic note I posted on the Bulletin Board in the department's office at the I Street site, across the street from the firm's main office at 815 Connecticut Avenue (where Craig Dye worked).  There was a rumor in the department that I was in love with a coworker Craig W. Dye, and that I was desperate to seduce him.  All my random behaviors were interpreted in a way that would support that belief.  Such rumors and innuendo are markers of workplace mobbing, a type of subtle job harassment.

FOR:  THOSE WITH ENQUIRING MINDS

FROM:  GF

DATE April 15, 1987

RE: SCHEDULE
__________________________

This will advise that I am currently in the "coding phase" on MPS, which means that I will be spending virtually all my time at EYE Street coding documents.  However, sometime next week, after the coding is completed, the documents will be submitted to Data Entry for keying, after which the batches will have to be proofread.  This means that I will be making frequent visits to 815--specifically, CAD!!  During the proofreading phase my visits to CAD are more frequent than they used to be because formerly, Matthew [Allender] and I shared the responsibility of going back and forth between CAD & Eye Street.  But now, Matthew is no longer here, so I have to make double the no. of visits.  Also, I now use the spelling verifier function on the batches, which I didn't do formerly while Sheryl [Ferguson] was here because she forbad (forbidded? forbade? forbodded?--who the hell knows) it.  So my visits are now more frequent and more lengthy.  This memo is intended to allow sufficient notice, or lead time, for everybody to begin concocting their fantasies.  DON'T WAIT--START NOW.  Also I plan to purchase some suits sometime this week, which I will be wearing to the office (Be sure to figure that into you analysis).

YOUR FANTASIES SHOULD RIVAL OR SURPASS THE FOLLOWING:

1) Gary signs out all the batches (Product/Work Plans)

2)  Gary visits a tanning salon

3)  Gary lives in an apartment with no furniture

4) Gary intentionally signs the wrong date in the sign-in log . . .