My New Boss Is Out to Get Me: Advice from OG California State Workers

It happens more often than you may think.

You're a California State employee. You've been slaying it, getting great performance reviews, liking your job. Then, through a change in leadership or a change in your position, you have a new boss.

For reasons unbeknownst to you, your new boss is out to get you. Her aim to get rid of you shows up in your performance reviews, possibly a performance improvement plan, or worse, adverse action taken against you.

You need your job. What should you do?

I've brought this question to three of my older siblings who are all retired California State employees. They started working for the State in the '70's (under "Jer Bear 1.0," as they call the first Governor Jerry Brown administration), and they all retired under the second Governor Jerry Brown administration ("Jer Bear 2.0"). Collectively, they have more than 100 years' State experience with four different agencies, the University of California, and the California State University system. I call them "OG California State Workers." This has happened to each of them.

Their advice: Leave. Get a new job.

This isn't cowardice. It's strategy. While you are trying to redeem yourself under what appear to be newer standards for your performance, you may be fighting a useless battle, especially if you don't know why your boss is out to get you. It may be that she has someone else she wants in your job, she doesn't like you, or she's illegally discriminating against you. Regardless, this presents a battle on two fronts: one, to keep your job; and two, to fix the injustice being visiting upon you. Either way, it's an uphill battle because your boss will always have the upper hand -- the resources of HR to help her find a legal way to get rid of you, possibly her own reputation standing behind her unfounded assessments of your performance. It may not be worth the stress to fight to keep your job and to fix the injustice - get redress for what she's doing and redeem your reputation. In the meantime, your personnel file is taking incoming fire like the OK Corral.

Leave. Then fight from a position of strength - not trying to keep the job you're currently in.

The OG California State Workers have these words of advice on your way out:

• Document every interaction you have with your boss. Document the assignments she gives you, send a confirming email to make sure you both agree on what each assignment requires and when they are due, and document when you turn them in.

• Do not meet with your boss regarding your performance without a union representative present.

• Write a detailed response to any false allegations about your performance stated in a performance review, probation report, or adverse action. Show receipts. Include your previous performance evaluations under your prior boss.

• Don't mention anything to anyone about racial discrimination or any civil rights claims. It just pisses them off more and it tips your hand.

• Keep your head down and focus on only your work. Don't go out of your way to help others, and if they have questions, send them to their supervisors.

• Don't take it personally. This probably has more to do with your boss wanting her own person in your spot or not liking you than it does with your performance.

• Most importantly, move on. Life is too short to be stressed out in a job. If you can get hired somewhere else in your department, great. If not, try to get hired outside of your department.

Once you are gone, you can decompress and strategize about seeking redress for what your boss did from a place of strength - not being under her thumb.