We work in a small to mis-sized privately held company. My position is as controller. The HR manager has made intentional misrepresentations to my subordinates, relating to everything from incompetency and nepotism to ethics violations. She has also made statements to my subordinates that I have made derisive statements about them, and that she must not approach the owner nor myself about these issues. Eventually, several of my subordinates have come forward with these issues, and we have made a formal complaint to the owner. He has not been responsive yet, but says he will hire an attorney to investigate. Meanwhile, the entire accounting department says the hostility and dishonesty in the office environmnet is so pervasive that they will clock out and go home rather than be alone with the HR manager. The tell me they are getting headaches and sick to their stomach with the anxiety. What are our next steps? Do we simply quit and walk away?

-- Suzanne Zaman (ZamanFam@cox.net), February 25, 2005