just a question on the same topic.. i have been in this job a month and for no other reason then being totally bullied at work, pushed around like a fool, i can not go back there. my bosses are great, some colleagues are horrible and because my bosses never directly effected my work i was only in touch with my colleagues - i needed to leave. As a non french speaking person, but understanding the french and learning, i was told i don't learn fast enough, i should be speaking french within 3 weeks of landing. comments making me feel stupid over and over again - i alwas ignored these. she also has said i should not be nice to the students as i am not their friends, i am working 80 percent so i should go home for lunch and then come back and that will be my 80 percent, i am expected to work public holidays and weekends but to not put all the hours down on the pay slip etc etc. i dont consider myself a stupid person, but yes learning a job in french has been harder and having a rushed training has made it worse. last friday i totally bullied into submission by a swiss collegue who seamed to snap and let all her frustrations out at once. infrount of students and collegues. humiliated that i never want to go back there. every time i think of going back i am sick. its not something i am proud of...

I wrote a mail on sunday night, having all weekend to think about what had happened. the nicer of my bosses is wanting me to meet with him to speak about it, but i can not bring myself to go in there. i want to forget this whole situation look for another job and move on.. the stress is killing me and the constant emails to meet with eachother is not putting me in good health.. is there any legal rights they have to MAKE me meet with them?...can they force me to meet with them?... i have not given notice really, but i do have a doctors certificate because it was too much the first frew days -..what can i say to have them leave me alone???... that is also legally right???

I think you should pull your shoulders back and go and have a meeting. They are not going to kill you and it's better to face what you fear, as fear what you cant face.

You'll like yourself better too.

Good luck!

Before you hand in your notice, please read this article - in English - which summarises your rights:

http://www.mobbing-zentrale.ch/I'm%2...g%20mobbed.htm

If you are meeting your employer to discuss the situation, try to have a list of incidents (stating dates and times if possible) that have caused your life to be difficult. The employer has a duty of care to his or her employees however if you resign you can lose many of your rights.

If you have an friend who has a good command of the language, it might help to have them come to the meeting with your employer.

Above all, write down what your employer says in the meeting and get him to state what he will do to resolve the situation - and it must be more that vague promises.

From reading around the subject it appears that Swiss law is very weak when it comes to protecting employees - and I would consider speaking to a legal professional before doing anything rash. Certainly I could not find anything equivalent to the notion of constructive dismissal that exists in English law.

Rgds,
Nick

I second what nickatbasel said! Do try to remember all the separate incidents and write them down in a neutral, factual manner. Make a copy and bring it to your talk with your (nice) boss. It will help your situation immensely and if it's really as bad as you say then there is no way he'll not react.

Yes I agree with them too, PLUS next time they yell at you if you are not a person who can deal with confrontation, just walk away form them. Tell them I don't like your attitude so I'm going period. Do not stay and listen, hell I would have yelled the crap back at them if they had tried the technique on me, but then again I'm a B**** (certified).
Good luck and don't let them bring you down! You have rights and that thing about going back home for lunch being your 20% my @ss!

Good luck !

Someone is really getting worked up here

Well, it really annoys me when people try to bully others. Especially here when it's a foreigner! tut tut tut

Sounds like they are the ones who are not up to the job. They lost control and this point really should be highlighted to your boss. Also it sounds as if they cut way to many corners and expecting way to much. Certainly this is not worth staying in such a poor environment.

Of course this is going to involve some pain in sorting this out in order to leave but just remind yourself that it is their loss not yours.

It is all well and good people saying they would say this or that but the reality is that a lot of us just want to get on with a job without having to massage other peoples egos and put up with all the other bulls***t that people seem to want to bring to work.

Since you have initiated the first move and been given an answer you can not back out anymore. Since you say that the nicer of the bosses has offered to speak with you about the problem then you should be feeling positive - at least it's not one of the not so nice bosses

But you should prepare your evidence for this meeting and certainly do not speak aggressively. State the facts plainly and make sure you tell him how you've acted to try to resolve the problems as he will probably ask you if you have tried speaking directly with the colleagues and if not, why not. It's important to demonstrate you are doing all you can to maintain a good working relationship.

I think that people in Switzerland generally try to resolve these kind of matters in an informal way before going all legal.


Some suggestions to the OP:

Buy a good voice recorder (or use your Handy) and start recording "everything".

Make printouts of emails that show the intent to bully.

If everyone is against you... I hate to say this but I would personally start looking for another job because that's a no-win situation and will only end in a mental breakdown

Sent you a PM