A well-known San Jose nonprofit is being accused of not doing enough to address claims of verbal and physical abuse in the workplace.
A former employee of Sacred Heart Community Service alleges their manager verbally and physically “assaulted” them. The worker, who asked not to be named due to fear of retaliation, quit a week after the July incident due to emotional distress. They reported the incident to higher ups on their last day, and current employees said the manager is still there.
“I really enjoy helping people and connecting people to resources, but it was a very horrible experience. Nobody has made me feel so miserable,” the former employee told San José Spotlight.
The employee alleges they endured months of verbal harassment from the manager, who made comments like, “You work for me, not Sacred Heart,” and “Don’t go too far because I’m micromanaging you.” The worker also alleges the manager would follow them whenever they left their desk to the bathroom or break room.
The worker alleges that one day in the warehouse, with no one else around, the manger hit them hard enough to leave a bruise. They showed pictures of barely visible bruising taken a week after the incident to San José Spotlight.