A lot of reports of discrimination and bullying in the workplace are made by average employees who do not have a lot of power. Even employees with a lot of company or management power can be forced to feel powerless through the actions of others.

A former vice president with MTV Networks had been in the business for 20 years. She worked with some of the most influential artists in the business, including The Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Wyclef Jean. She could handle a lot, but she was forced to feel powerless by two of her supervisors.

A lot of reports of discrimination and bullying in the workplace are made by average employees who do not have a lot of power. Even employees with a lot of company or management power can be forced to feel powerless through the actions of others.

A former vice president with MTV Networks had been in the business for 20 years. She worked with some of the most influential artists in the business, including The Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Wyclef Jean. She could handle a lot, but she was forced to feel powerless by two of her supervisors.

The woman had been hired by MTV in 2005. She quickly rose to the challenge and was promoted three years later to the vice president of talent and music. It was only shortly after that MTV hired a new senior vice president. It was this man that the woman claims in a lawsuit was the one who turned her environment into a hostile one. The woman claimed that when he was hired, despite her successful record, she was excluded from meetings and told to stop talking to record reps. She also claimed that many of her employment responsibilities were stripped away.

The woman claims that the senior vice president said that she was “too emotional,” and that he bullied others by swearing at them and even called one a “poisonous Nazi.” The supervisor was not alone in the bullying, but was joined by another man who made anti-Semitic remarks towards her boyfriend. The worst part was that the bad behavior of the two men went unaddressed by MTV Networks.

The woman claims that not only was she and others bullied, but that older females were discriminated against. Young women were promoted over older female employees and favored for media events. In one instance, the claimant said that one of the younger women admitted to having a sexual relationship with the male senior vice president. She was later favored and promoted.

Source: Courthouse News Service, “Former Vice President Sues MTV & Viacom,” Jonny Bonner, Aug. 23, 2012