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passingavery — To the Department of Human Resources
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Published: 2016-05-04 12:17:41 +0000 UTC; Views: 1208; Favourites: 4; Downloads: 0
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Description April 17, 2015

To the Department of Human Resources,

I am writing this letter to make an official complaint about an unfortunate incident that recently happened to me at the office. I believe that I have been sexually harassed by an employee in upper management. His name is Jonathan Herz and he serves as the company’s Chief Operations Officer.

On Monday, April 13, I was asked by my immediate supervisor, Herz, to remain in the office past 9pm to go over some sales and marketing figures for a report that he was compiling for the CEO. It was the first time he made such a request of me and everyone else who was working on the 59th floor had already gone home for the day. As a relatively new employee who has yet to complete her first six months at the company, I felt that declining would not reflect well on my status as an employee and negatively affect future chances of promotion.

When we were sitting in his office and going over the sales percentages, he reached out and placed his hand on my knee. When I stared at him in shock, he moved his hand further up my thigh. It was then that I quickly jumped out of my chair and ran from the room. He grabbed me by the wrist, but I told him that I was married. I even raised my hand to show him my wedding ring, but he simply laughed and said that he was too, and that nobody would have to find out. I rushed home as soon as I could after that.

I thought that that was going to be the end of it when he ignored me in the office the next day, but he summoned me to his office just this morning to pick up some files. When I reached for the files, he grabbed my wrist and showed me a slip of A4 paper with some words printed on them via computer ink. To the best of my recollection, it said: Tell anyone and I’ll ruin you. Not only you, but also your husband and your daughter. You will never be safe, even if you manage to leave this place.

I tried to leave with the note, but he shredded it in the machine under his desk right in front of me. I cannot even begin to tell you how terrified I am, and I am afraid that my silence will not be enough. I am scared of what he might do. I discussed the issue with my husband and some friends, and they convinced me to put it in writing and submit it officially. I am afraid that I will lose my job, but I cannot stand the thought of working directly under this man.

I am writing this letter because I would like to request a transfer to a different department, where I will be able to work under a different supervisor. I would also like a formal apology and acknowledgment by Jonathan Herz, as sexual harassment such as this should not remain unpunished by the company.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to address this sensitive issue.

Yours sincerely,
Natalie Davis

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May 4, 2015

To the Department of Human Resources,

It has been over ten business working days since I officially filed my complaint, and yet I have received no acknowledgement from your department in regards to both its receipt and any subsequent action taken to address the raised issue of the company’s Chief Operations Officer sexually harassing a female employee of this company.

I have been reduced to a state of utter terror these last two weeks, as Herz has been giving me looks of anger. I suspect that he knows I lodged an official complaint. I have received no similar warnings to the first one that he gave me, but things have been happening to me in the office. I have been repeatedly chastised for arriving late to interdepartmental meetings, even when I received the official, scheduled dates weeks in advance. This is not due to personal negligence either, as I check the company’s internal calendar system hourly to adapt to last minute changes and meetings. I even lodged an official complaint to the IT Services Department, but they claimed that there was nothing wrong with my company account, or the devices I was using to access it.

I cannot prove that this is Herz’s doing, but the coincidence of this happening to me ever since the events of April 13 cannot be ignored.

I have attached a duplicate copy of my original letter, in the event that your department did not receive it.

Thank you once again in advance for your consideration in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
Natalie Davis

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From: natalie.davis@HDP.com
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2015 12:46PM
To: humanres@HDP.com
Subject: RE: Sexual Harassment Complaint

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am now resorting to email as I have yet to hear from your department in regards to my previous letters submitted on this matter.  

I have attached a soft copy of my original letter to this email.

Thank you once again in advance for your consideration in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
Natalie Davis

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From: natalie.davis@HDP.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 3:17PM
To: julie.grant@HDP.com
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Sexual Harassment Complaint

Dear Julie,

What do you mean by proof? I don’t have any visual or audio recordings, if that’s what you’re asking for. I am sure that the security footage would show me leaving the corridor near his office in distress, if you wish to investigate that.

Are you implying that I need to look through his shredder for the evidence? It’s been over a month now since my first letter to your department. I would investigate his office if I could, but he’s been staying back late ever night since the incident happened. If I stay back, I’ll be trapped with him again and I don’t want that to happen.

Look, I just want to get out from this department, and I want to keep my job. Can’t that be arranged instead? Clearly, he doesn’t want me here and I don’t want to be here either.

Thanks again in advance.

Yours sincerely,
Natalie Davis

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From: natalie.davis@HDP.com
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2015 2:57PM
To: julie.grant@HDP.com
Cc: humanres@HDP.com
Subject: Sexual Harassment – Update!

Dear Julie/HR Department,

He definitely knows that I reported him. I came back from lunch today, unlocked the screen of my designated company desktop computer, and there was a message typed out on a new word document file. I explicitly remember saving and closing all my files and browsers before leaving for lunch. It was even in the same font he used when he showed me the paper threat over a month ago, and it said:

I KNOW YOU TOLD

I’m so creeped out. Please help me transfer between departments and/or make him stop!! I just want this all to be over.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,
Natalie Davis

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From: natalie.davis@HDP.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2015 10:33AM
To: julie.grant@HDP.com
Cc: humanres@HDP.com
Subject: Sexual Harassment – He’s Going After My Family

Dear Julie/HR Department,

He wasn’t lying when he threatened to wreck my family. My husband received a letter at work yesterday, claiming that I was having an affair with someone at work. I managed to look at the paper and it was in the exact same format as the two typed threats I received from Jonathan Herz. The letter wasn’t signed but I know it was from him. Now he’s spreading malicious rumours in an effort to destroy my family!

So far I don’t think that my husband believes these lies. He knows about what Jonathan did to me. I haven’t kept him out of the loop. But even so, this is highly distressing. He’s trying to jeopardize my reputation both at work and beyond it.

Can’t you put a stop to this? You keep telling me that there’s no proof, but I have proof here. See the attachment for a scan of the letter he sent my husband. Please help me find a solution for this problem. This is stressing me out immensely, both here and at home. How can I feel safe when he’s targeting even my husband at his place of work?

Regards,
Natalie Davis

--------

From: natalie.davis@HDP.com
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2015 9:21AM
To: julie.grant@HDP.com
Subject: He Won’t Stop

Dear Julie,

I don’t know who to trust anymore. I don’t know how he found out, but just yesterday, my husband received an anonymous package at work. It had photos of me laughing and talking to one of my male colleagues at a bar. I can date the photos to approximately two weeks ago, when I hung out with some of my colleagues after work. Nothing happened, but the implication the photos are trying to make frightens me all the way to the core. Doesn’t this count as serious stalking, at this point?

I’m so freaked out that I might just lodge a police report. I can’t take this anymore. Why is Herz trying to ruin my life? I’m so terrified now that someone might be stalking my house. I have a daughter and he threatened her too, you know. She could be next. She doesn’t know about this at all and I’m so scared that he’s going to take it out on her next. My husband is suggesting that I quit my job, but I don’t want Herz to win. He threatened me that he wouldn’t leave me alone even if I left, and at least here I can complain to all of you and maybe something can be done about it! I want you to serve as witness to this. If your department won’t do anything, then I want you to bear witness for me. Somebody has to know the truth. Somebody has to see him for the monster he truly is.

Regards,
Natalie Davis

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June 1, 2015

To the Department of Human Resources,

I am writing this letter to make an official complaint about an unfortunate incident that happened to me over a month ago at the office. I believe that I was sexually harassed by one of the employees under my supervision. Her name is Natalie Davis and she is a Project Manager for the Sales and Marketing Department, one of the departments that falls under my purview as the Chief Operations Officer of HDP. I did not intend to make an issue out of this, but things have escalated since then to the point that I no longer feel safe working at this office.  

On Monday, April 13, I made a request to the Sales and Marketing Department for one of their managers to remain after working hours in order to go over some sales and marketing figures for a report I was compiling for the CEO. Davis volunteered for the position, and I saw no reason to refuse.

It should be noted that the following incident took place after 9pm and that everyone else who was working on the 59th floor had already gone home for the day. We were sitting in my office and going over the sales percentages when she reached out and placed her hand on my knee. I was alarmed and made a move to remove her hand, but she moved her hand further up my thigh. My immediate reaction was to remove myself from the room, but she grabbed me by the arm in an attempt to stop me. I informed her that I was already married and showed her my wedding band, but she merely laughed it away and said that she was too, and that neither of our spouses would have to know. I requested for her to leave my office at that point.  

I tried to ignore her whenever I saw her in the office, but on Friday of that same week, she cornered me in my office by claiming that she had to pick up some files. It was then that she grabbed me by the hand and showed me a piece of A4 paper that she had tucked into one of her pockets. I will never forget what it said: Tell anyone and I’ll ruin you. Not only you, but also your wife and your son. You will never be safe, even if you manage to leave this place.

I tried to take the note from her, but she tore it up and ate it in front of me, piece after piece. I remember the look in her eyes and it terrified me. I had thought that that would be the end of it, but it only got worse from there.

Initially, it had been largely psychological. She would smirk at me when nobody else was looking, and touch me whenever we passed each other in the hallway. I did my best to ensure that we never attended the same meetings, but she somehow always managed to acquire the schedules for the various department meetings I attended.

She started moving things around in my office when I went out for lunch or had to attend business meetings in the city. It started small, with pieces of stationery being arranged in neat little rows across my table, before escalating to more frightening intrusions, such as photos of my family being switched between frames. There was a recent photo of my son attending his high school graduation. It was taken from my office less than a month ago. I have not seen it since.

It got to a point where I started staying back late to ensure that nothing else went missing. I cannot prove that it was her, but the coincidence of these occurrences happening to me ever since the April 13 encounter cannot be ignored. What disturbs me most is the fact she took my son’s picture. I remember her threat vividly. For their safety, I have asked my wife and son to move in with one of our relatives.

The police paid me a visit over the weekend. It appears that Davis is now accusing me of stalking her and her family. I intend to make a report of my own as I now have nothing left to lose. I only succumbed to her initial threat out of fear for my family, but I realize now that I was only playing into this deranged woman’s hands.

I am writing this letter for the sake of ensuring that a black and white copy remains on hand for the purpose of record keeping, and in hope that the Human Resources Department will thoroughly investigate this matter. Remaining silent when I should have reported this matter earlier has resulted in nothing but negative consequences not only for me, but also for my career prospects at this company.

Davis runs the risk of tarnishing the reputation of this company through her false accusations. Sexual harassment and malicious slander should not remain unpunished by the company. I would like a formal apology and acknowledgment by Natalie Davis, and I hope that the Human Resources Department gives this matter the full attention that it deserves.  

Thank you in advance for taking the time to address this pressing issue.

Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Herz

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June 3, 2015

To the Department of Human Resources,

I am writing to inform you that I will be taking emergency family leave immediately due to the car accident that my daughter was recently involved with. As my husband is away on a business trip overseas, I will need to assess my daughter’s condition and be there for her during this time.

I am planning to return to work a week from today on June 10, 2015. I will be in regular communication with your department to let you know the status of my return. I have arranged for all current projects that I am involved with to be handled by my colleagues. I am confident that these projects will be in good hands during my absence.

You can reach me while I am away at (206) 299-6368 or email me at natalie.davis@HDP.com in the event of a serious emergency.

Thank you so much for your consideration during this stressful time. I appreciate your time and am eagerly awaiting your response.

Yours sincerely,
Natalie Davis
Project Manager
Sales and Marketing Department
HDP

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From: natalie.davis@HDP.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2015 1:32PM
To: julie.grant@HDP.com
Subject: He Came For Her

He came for my daughter, my Chrissie. She was jogging around our neighbourhood when the car hit her from behind. There were no witnesses at the time, either. It was a straight up hit and run. I only knew because I had been chatting to her on the phone when it happened. I remember hearing the skid and the noise of flesh striking against metal. It happened so quickly that she didn’t even have time to scream.

I can’t prove that it was him, but I know that he wasn’t in the office at the time.

I was there. I checked.

I know that it was him because of the bouquet that was delivered to her hospital room not long after she was admitted. The card was empty, with nothing but a heart decorating the front.

Herz is German for heart, did you know?

It’s what I told the police, anyway. Maybe they’ll be the ones to finally do something about him. Somebody has to.

And if your department can’t do it, then maybe they will.
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Comments: 2

leyghan [2016-05-07 18:43:38 +0000 UTC]

Intriguing. I like that you leave it up to the reader to guess who is telling the truth.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

passingavery In reply to leyghan [2016-09-25 16:29:44 +0000 UTC]

Thank you.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0