I was a director of business development for a technology company. I was supposed to have autonomy to do my job but as it turned out, I could not get anywhere with management or my boss on getting things approved for a long period of time. I was then alienated from the management team which was in another state.

Later, I find out that my boss was afraid that i was trying to take her job and get her and many workers fired. I never wanted her job, indicated this, or had done anything toward this. She told a fellow employee this.

She also told people that she thought that I might be gay because i bring in candidates for open positions that "seem gay". In fact, after agreeing that one candidate was qualified (along with the CEO and colleagues) she would not let me hire him yet would not disclose any reason.

I have submitted my resignation because of this environment, and being that i am in a position in which I am compensated for generating revenue based on delivering a product, I could not deliver a product since things were not getting approved. Mainly however, my boss had been telling coworkers that I was trying to sabotage the company (I have written emails as to the contrary of their claim). Also, there was an email distributed to the whole company indicating that I have been less than integrible, and that I have stolen company information. This email never went to me, and it was never discussed with me until over a week after the email. Not by my boss, but by someone else.

Since then, I have made my comments clear to my company's legal representative, whom of which have done nothing. Colleagues that know me well have gone to the CEO to tell him that they know these things are false and just want them to stop because it isnt right. Nothing has been done, and no one will make it stop. My main concern is that these false attacks will prevail in years to come and undermine career opportunities. My professional reputation is otherwise stellar as well as my track record at this company.

Do I have any legal recourse to protect myself and hold my employer accountable for these malicious and false practices?

-- Tom Sharpe (teegold420@yahoo.com), January 16, 2005