The Salvation Army USA complaint: Belittled, Assualted, Personally Attacked Verbally, and Family Member also Verbally Attacked.

After 7 years I resigned directly related to the blatant bullying and breaks in morals, ethics, and policies regarding Lt. Wayne and Katy Benedict.

My wife and I were asked to attend church to see Lt. Wayne preach the first Sunday which was July 10th after they had arrived. He wanted us to know what he was about and where he was taking the Corps was the reasoning that was given. I did oblige and came on the day requested. When service was completed, Lt. Wayne had come over to talk to us regarding his “performance” of which we were cut off multiple times and treated us as though we were invading his space. I attempted to ask a specific question about meeting on Monday and he rudely informed me that “I do not talk about work today and I will not discuss anything regarding work today.” Afterwards turned around and walked away leaving us very confused. Yet was called approximately 5 times that afternoon and evening to discuss his performance again along with what he wanted to see happen with the shelter. The next day, I brought it up in his office that I was confused and felt there was a double standard set as I was publicly scolded and verbally reprimanded on a day off in front of the church congregation yet I was expected to answer calls from him multiple times on personal time.

On the evening of July 26th there was a meeting with Lt. Wayne Benedict, myself, the monitor, and several residents in the shelter of which took place in the dinning hall. This was a meeting regarding not opening early and figuring out how to “do the right thing” with the residents. During this meeting Lt. Wayne was not only extremely argumentative with the residents but also very degrading using comments like “if you’re not smart enough,” “there is no hope for you if you’re too dumb,” and “I am sure that you are smart enough if it was your dope though, right?” At the end of this meeting, I was slapped in the stomach in front of the residents and the monitor. I attempted to discuss it with him immediately and was simply told, “that was the mic drop and everyone needed to know that I was done, you like that?”

This situation led to myself being written up for insubordination and a demand that the monitor was also written up for the same thing because of a policy violation. I feel this was a retaliatory action because just before the situation with Richard occurred, I was specifically told, “You really pissed me off when you confronted me about having a double standard.” This was to start of a snowball of issues as I learned very quickly that if you wanted to be okay or stay out of the reprimand arena that you must simply say “okay” to anything said without any questions. I rapidly saw the tyrants begin to hit other employees both in shelter and other employees as well. It was during this time the workplace truly became a hostile dictatorship of which no one was to say anything and everyone was to jump immediately which has left some employees still worried about their jobs.

Lt. Wayne has launched personal unprofessional attacks on my wife regarding potential employment and when she pulled her application it began again. On approximately August 11th mid-morning, I was called into the office of Lt. Wayne and questioned about my wife. He know what she was doing. It continued to be an intense questioning regarding her ability to work, what she was able to do, and what her history was. This continued into questioning pertaining to her having an issue and if she would be okay with working at the Salvation Army in Social Services if I was no longer an employee. This created a significant uncomfortable spot to be in as I felt that I was being cornered and unprofessionally attacked about an applicant.

Less than a week later, August 19th at 3:19pm, my wife got a call for an interview which was scheduled to take place on August 23rd of which I had let her know what had occurred with Lt. Wayne and the pressured questioning that had taken place and it did not set well with me but wanted her to know. My wife respectfully withdrew her application via email on August 22nd that was sent directly to Lt. Katy Benedict.

Lt. Wayne approached me on approximately Wednesday August 24th in my office, only to launch a degrading attack on my wife. He specifically wanted to know what my wife’s problem was and why she withdrew her application. I explained to him that I had nothing to do with her decisions on employment and I support her regardless of what her decision may be. Lt. Wayne continued to belittle my wife with questions such as “has she even worked anywhere” and “does she have a problem actually working a job?” These things are not only harassment but highly unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and against everything the policies state is not to occur.

It states on page 8 of the handbook for the Salvation Army under the Non-Harassment Policy as follow:
Harassment in employment, including harassment based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, and other factors protected by applicable law, is strictly prohibited by The Salvation Army. Employees who violate this policy are subject to discipline, including possible termination.

Form of prohibited harassment include, but are not limited to:

• Verbal conduct, including making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, and jokes

This was not the only time in which Lt. Wayne inappropriately and unprofessionally verbally attacked me. The next time was a direct and derogatory attack on me as a person. It occurred on approximately August 30th mid-morning about 10 AM when it was stated that I was no longer going to have guys come back to the office and that I would have to come to get them because “you need to get some more steps in.” Only to be followed up with “us big guys need that because when I was 300 pounds……” This is a blatant personal attack on me related to weight. This is a direct violation of the harassment policy as stated above.

On approximately August 31 mid-morning, I was walking into the bathroom near the office in the back of the Corps which is where my office was located, I was addressed by Lt. Katy Benedict. She made the following statement: “remember that we have minors in this room, so don’t go in there to hide your stuff.” I respectfully asked her what was said at which time she repeated herself again with the statement “we have minors in here so don’t be in there hiding your stuff.” I responded that I was simply going to use the bathroom and that I had nothing to hide. Lt. Katy stated “I know what you do and do not be hiding your stuff in there because we have minors in the room.” I stated again that I needed to use the restroom, I had nothing to hide, and would leave door open if that’s what was needed. She proceeded to laugh and state that she knew what guys do.

It states on page 8 of the handbook for the Salvation Army under the Non-Harassment Policy as follow:

Sexual harassment includes unwanted sexual advances, or visual, verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment also includes gender harassment and harassment on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, and also includes sexual harassment of an employee of the same gender as the harasser. This includes, but is not limited to, the following types of offensive behavior:

• Verbal conduct, including making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, and jokes
These comments not only have created an environment of discomfort, degrading, intimidating, and completely hostile. These are the reasons of which I had made up my mind to resign at the end of the current pay period. The only reason that I did not say anything was out of fear of further harassment to my self or other employees from this set of Corps Officers.

Finally, on September 7, 2022 at approximately 1115 AM, I was called into the office of Lt. Katy Benedict with Lt. Wayne, regarding cameras that had been installed into the shelter over the weekend. I was told that I was wrong for contacting the staff to give them the information regarding the installation. I was told that it was inappropriate to contact them. During this meeting I was also told that I was the reason that they, Lt. Wayne and Katy, were unable to fill the Social Service Position at the Corps. Caught off guard with this statement, I apparently had a confused look on my face which led to the statement by Lt. Wayne “You are the reason we can not fill the position because no one in Grand Island wants to work with you and you have created a lot of issues in the community.” He continued to state that “people flat out do not like you.” I was completely taken back by this attack as I have always had a very good working relationship with people in the community and have won several awards within the community.

It was stated that “I am not here to fire you as the community wants you gone, but you are the reason we cannot fill our position.” I was then told that I had 2 months to make drastic changes or I would be removed and he would shut down the shelter until I was replaced along with anyone that would leave with me because “my loyal following.” It was also told to me the one person that they were looking at calling for a second interview, Terri O’Brien, which they told me had made a strong request to be able to meet with me before she would even consider taking a position because she did not feel that she would be able to work with me. I was asked if I would know why this would be occurring and I explained to them the issue behind the potential reason which led to Mrs. O’Brien nearly being punched by a guest in the kitchen as they were having 2 granmal seizure as she was yelling at them. Of which both Lt. Wayne and Katy stated that was the situation of which was brought up by Mrs. O’Brien.

This not only violates the confidentiality of an applicant but also creates additional hostile working conditions fueled by the Corps Officers.