[Adm327]

Do volunteers have any rights or legislation that protect them ?

[smoothy]

Do volunteers have any rights or legislation that protect them ?

No more or less than anyone else has. For good reason.

[Fr_Chuck]

Exactly for what ?

[Adm327]

I entered a intern/volunteer contract with a gym. A member of the gym whom I was once friends intentionally made the issue surface at the gym and he constantly slandered my name or harassed others to get information with me. I constantly told the director about it and no one spoke to him and told him his behavior was not appropriate. I finally got a temporary restraining order against him and once I did one of the ladies I work with call me and said maybe I shouldn't come in anymore since I completed my internship months ago . I feel discriminated against because the person was a member and I wasn't not an employee. No one handled this situation in a professional manner . I wanted to know what I can do about this issue when I didn't entertain the drama there. Also they guy was circling the parking lot I was in after he got word of a restraining against him

[Adm327]

Also this guy has been slandering my name , trying to obtain my personal information... Doing everything possible to get me in trouble or removed there. The weird thing is he also filed a restraining order against me but requested that we can only be in the same place at the gym.

[ScottGem]

No there are no special laws governing your situation. The gym management was under no obligation to protect you. If you can prove you were financially harmed by his defamation then sue him .

[smoothy]

Welcome to the real world and life in general... Others ARE entitled to inquire about you.. and in fact do every day... also... people will try to get you in trouble if you tick them off... always have... always will. (its called payback). And employers do frequently fire paid employees... much less unpaid interns over disputes with paying customers every day... no matter who actually started it. The better employers try to find out what really happened first... but that's the joy of AT-Will employment... they don't HAVE to.

[Adm327]

Welcome to the real world and life in general... Others ARE entitled to inquire about you..and in fact do every day....also...people will try to get you in trouble if you tick them off....always have...always will. (its called payback). And employers do frequently fire paid employees...much less unpaid interns over disputes with paying customers every day....no matter who actually started it. The better employers try to find out what really happened first....but that's the joy of AT-Will employment...they don't HAVE to.

Now I am seeing how the real world is. It sucks.

[Adm327]

no there are no special laws governing your situation. The gym management was under no obligation to protect you. If you can prove you were financially harmed by his defamation then sue him .

I think it became more a safety issue. While the member was yelling obscene words at me and circling the parking lot I told one of the ladies I work with. She walked me out to the car and saw him. It wasn't a coincidence. I'm just confounded on why she would say not to bring the issue up with the director of the gym. I was force not to say anything to the director because she made it clear if I did I wouldn't be welcomed to work with her. I think it's a civil rights issue and I was giving a ultimatum

[smoothy]

I think it became more a safety issue. While the member was yelling obscene words at me and circling the parking lot I told one of the ladies I work with. She walked me out to the car and saw him. It wasn't a coincidence. I'm just confounded on why she would say not to bring the issue up with the director of the gym. I was force not to say anything to the director because she made it clear if I did I wouldn't be welcomed to work with her. I think it's a civil rights issue and I was giving a ultimatum

Its not a civil rights issue. You have no civil right to work for any specific employer any longer they they want you there. And employers can and do frequently get rid of people who can't deal with an irate customer to their standards. Saw it happen many times of the 3+ decades I've been in the workforce. There is a right way and a wrong way to deal with the situation... apparently they thought you handled it the wrong way. In fact if you rub people the wrong way is all the reason they need. Not just the customers.. but the other employees as well. Your value is determined by how easily you can be replaced.

As I said before... they can give you an ultimatum... quit or be fired, it's their right as the employer. Also quite common in the real world.

If you were fearing for your life... that's an issue for the police to decide and deal with. However... if you participated in the "problem" you might find yourself in trouble too. These things rarely happen in a vacuum. And there are a lot of things you can say or do that will escalate it and make you partially responsible for it. Again... 3+ decades in the workforce... and I have had it out with a few people over that time. However how I handled it got me praise from my employer.. not a bums rush out the door. And let me tell you... I wasn't a doormat any of those times.

Its all in HOW you handle yourself... that makes you the good guy or the bad guy.

[ScottGem]

You, as an unpaid intern, got into a thing with a paying member. You will lose every time. That's probably why the woman said to drop it.