If my supervisor grabbed me by my shirt collar and threatened to beat me up, what are my rights?
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If my supervisor grabbed me by my shirt collar and threatened to beat me up, what are my rights?
Where I work we have department supervisors. My supervisor is tasked to delegate work, check measurements, and make sure things are shipped on time. He has no power to fire, send home or reprimand. One day, I was taking a fellow employee home as he needed a ride. His schedule is 6:00-2:30 while mine is 7:00-4:30. I informed the company president that I was taking the employee home and would not return to work until the next day. I received the OK from him in a text message and took the employee home. The next morning I arrived at work
and as I walked to the time clock to punch in, I was immediately confronted by my supervisor. I showed him the text message with the company president’s blessing. He scoffed at it and continued to yell at me. I became upset myself and we began to argue. My supervisor then told me to go home and not bother to punch in. This all happened off the clock. I refused and informed him he did not have the right to send me home and I walked past him to punch in.
As I walked to my area, he continued to scream at me making a scene in front of other employees. I again told him I would not leave unless told by the company president, as he’s the only one who can fire and suspend any employee. I told him that he would have to physically remove me from the building if he wanted me to leave. He knocked over the table I
was sitting at, grabbed me by my collar and said to me,
Asked on June 12, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Michigan
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
You could sue the supervisor for assault and battery.
Assault is intentionally placing a person in reasonable apprehension of an immediate battery without consent or legal privilege. Assault here was the threat to beat you.
Battery is the actual physical contact (grabbing your shirt collar). Battery is the harmful or offensive touching of the person of another without consent or legal privilege.
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