Q: Is it legal for my supervisor to request a search without evidence and treat me differently based on gender?
In my workplace, a coworker reported missing money from her purse. Both I, a male employee, and a female coworker were questioned by our supervisor. In the hallway outside residents' rooms, and in the presence of the female coworker, I was publicly asked to turn out my pockets and open my wallet. I did not see anything in the company policy regarding such searches. The female employee was not subjected to the same request. As the newest member of the housekeeping team, I felt pressured to comply to prove my innocence. Is it legal for my supervisor to request this of me, without evidence, and to treat me differently because of my gender?
A: As an at-will employee, you can be discharged at any time and for any reason or no reason at all. While asking you to turn out your pockets in front of others may have been somewhat harsh, it is not illegal. The employer was simply trying to get to the bottom of the situation, and you, as the most recent addition to the team, was as good a place to start as any.
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