amalinda
Oct 12, 2012, 07:50 AM
I work in a program that helps senior citizens who have been out of the job market for some time improve their chances of getting permanent employment by assigning us to organizations where we can enhance our job skills. Our salaries are paid by government grants. I was assigned to a non-profit agency. My job title was "Marketing Clerk". During my time there I did acquire some computer skills (through my own efforts), but was also tasked to wash dishes, scrub bathrooms, vacuum, clean store rooms, etc. I wore a name tag that had my name and "Volunteer" underneath it. When I attended an organization meeting with the senior program administrators and was told that we should work in our job descriptions I mentioned what I was doing. The administrators immediately moved me to a new assignment and told the old supervisor that they would no longer assign people to her agency because they had "abused" me. I DID NOT at any time allege the program admin, to my supervisor or anyone else. The former supervisor sent me a letter saying that she had heard rumors that I was defaming her and her organization and that I could not come into her building or visit any public display her organization was involved in. She has appointed a "mediator" to talk to everyone who was volunteering or working at the organization while I was there to "get to the bottom of the problem". Should I talk to this mediator? In the letter she threatened possible legal action. I am worried and upset, but I have not, or would I ever, make slanderous or defamatory remarks about her or "her" non-profit (a grass-roots cancer prevention program). I can not afford a lawyer. Please help me know what to do. Thank you.