A number of my colleagues asked me some very rude questions after I came back from maternity leave. I was feeling sad because of the way my manager was treating me, and he was giving me horrible deadlines on top of that. They attributed this to my home life and asked:
Your breasts are bigger! Is the baby healthy? Does your husband have any intention of ever working again? Does your husband do anything? Even freelance work when the baby is sleeping? He's not working!?
EDIT: It also was the tone in the voice when the questions were asked. It wasn't in a calm, pleasant curious tone. It was accusatory, exclaimed, and prying : Does YOUR HUSBAND have ANY intention OF EVER working again?!! Also when they noticed that I seemed sad they automatically attributed my sadness to my private life when it was only to do with my work! I felt that this was smothering and harassing. I could not even had a bad day without someone coming up to me and asking me nosy questions.
I thought these questions were horribly rude and I was hurt that they attributed my sadness to my home life. I felt that this was border lining on harassment, so I sent an email to management saying that it was important for me to have a workplace free from harassment and bullying. I did not think the tone of the email was angry at all. I said that I hope I don't have to take the next steps. They automatically thought I meant a lawsuit, but what I meant was to quit in the middle of a project.
The office manager sat me down after I sent this email out and yelled at me:
Manager: “YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS THIS IS A NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENT!”
I was shocked and speechless.
Manager: “We can put you in another location away from everyone in the old office. They weren’t bullying you. You don’t want people asking about your child?”
Me: “What they are asking me isn’t positive. They aren’t being positive about what they saying.”
Manager: “I wasn’t there… so…you have no proof"
Manager: “Everyone's just curious. It’s exciting! You started a baby boom! Ken, and James and John! Exciting!”
I shrugged. I didn't know those people very well.
Her eyes bugged out of her head. She was mortified.
Manager: “That’s not exciting!? Was this pregnancy planned!?”
I was horrified.
Me: "I’m done with this issue."
Then after she bullied me like this, she emailed me afterwards and said she didn't know that I felt bullied! However, I said that clearly in the original email.
So my question is: Is this response from management in response to a casual harassment claim appropriate?
EDIT: I believe the question is not opinion based. This is retaliation and hostility to a casual claim of feeling harassed. I'm wondering if I can file this as retaliation when I make a human rights complaint.