A friend has been working for a very irate troubled manager. Every single person in the department is afraid to say a single thing to anyone about her. She just happens to be the sister of the wife of the President of the company.

She recently went to HR to complain. Within hours of going to HR and complaining of the disrespect and behavior of the manager, she was called into the same managers office and berated over and over for going to HR behind her back. This caused her to turn in her 2 week notice.

Is there any law protecting her going to HR about this manager? Or is she just out of luck?

She's probably just out of luck, but an definite answer will depend on EXACTLY what she went to HR to complain about. Any more details available?

She went to HR to complain about this managers behavior. Barking out orders, disrepectful and not understanding fully how the job is supposed to be done. She is a manager that truly doesnt know her job and steers the employees in a direction that isnt the correct way to do the job but yet wont listen to anyone when they try to correct her. The senior managers are aware of the manager's antics yet wont do anything simply because of who she is.

Sorry, but that doesn't offer her any protection. If she had been complaining about ILLEGAL harassment (sexual harassment or that based on a protected characteristic such as race, age or gender) that would be protected, but it is not illegal to be a jerk, particularly an equal opportunity jerk (one who behaves that way towards everyone).

Yes kind of what I figured. Thanks!!