[amalinda]

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.

[Fr_Chuck]

This is a supervisor, coving their own rear after they were caught doing something wrong.
They will deny it, and talk to everyone to cover it up.

I may even show the letter to the person over this, since these threats may also bet wrong.
I would talk to the head boss before I did anything

[joypulv]

Don't talk to her or the mediator.
Don't worry - you did nothing wrong.
If anyone has a legal action, it's the agency that gave her outfit a grant to take advantage of both them and you.