Summary of Full Show PT 3: Tuesday, January 20 [Vault]

Overview of Full Show PT 3: Tuesday, January 20 [Vault]

This episode of The Burt Show (Pionaire Podcasting) focuses on workplace and personal-boundary problems brought in by listeners. Three long phone segments dominate the show: Tammy (pursued and potentially stalked by a coworker), Kelly (fired after being asked to "change" a boss' behavior), and Mary (unemployed, had a one-night stand with a man who turns out to be her potential supervisor). Hosts and callers offer practical advice, legal/HR options, and lots of listener anecdotes — mixing serious guidance with humor.

Main segments and topics covered

• Tammy: persistent coworker who follows her, lingers at her desk, has shown up near her home and at places she frequents. Tammy made up a fake boyfriend with photos to deter him; he remains undeterred. She’s subordinate to the man, which makes her reluctant to escalate to HR.
• Kelly: fired after being asked by upper management to “rearrange” or manage a micromanaging senior VP’s schedule without her knowledge. Kelly says the senior VP retaliated with humiliation and physical gestures; she reported it to HR and later was fired.
• Mary: lost her job two months earlier, accepted an interview arranged by her boyfriend; the interviewer/supervisor turns out to be a one-night fling she had while drunk. The interviewer made teasing/innuendo comments. Mary is worried about taking the job or her boyfriend finding out.

Key takeaways and advice given

• Document everything. Notes, dates, witnesses, emails, texts, and especially written evidence (letters, memos) matter.
• Certified letter approach: Several callers recommend a written, certified letter describing the behavior and demanding it stop — it creates documented evidence and may be effective at stopping harassment.
• Use witnesses: Bringing a neutral third party when confronting the harasser can protect you from later counterclaims.
• Escalate to HR when appropriate: If direct requests and boundaries are ignored — especially with physical touching, stalking, or persistent harassment — HR should be involved. Safety and legal protections override reluctance to “ruin someone’s life.”
• Safety is first: If someone follows you home, shows up repeatedly in your neighborhood, or creates fear, consider involving law enforcement or getting a restraining order.
• Power dynamics matter: If the person is (or will be) your supervisor, beware of leverage and potential retaliation. Don’t accept a job where a superior makes sexual innuendo or where you feel their behavior will be used against you.
• If you’ve already been wronged (like Kelly): preserve all supporting documents (performance reviews, letters from leadership, witnesses) and consult employment counsel — wrongful termination or retaliation claims may exist.

Notable caller solutions and examples

• Maureen: wrote a certified letter to her boss describing inappropriate behavior and warning HR would be involved if it didn’t stop — it worked.
• John: recommended confronting the person with a witness present to avoid later disputes about who said what.
• Other listeners shared blunt/creative tactics used to get someone to leave them alone (fake cheating, negative personal claims, or family interventions) — often effective but ethically or legally risky.

Actionable checklist (per situation)

For someone experiencing workplace harassment/stalking (Tammy):

• Immediately document dates/locations/conversations and save any messages.
• Tell a trusted coworker or manager who can act as a witness/support.
• Consider sending a formal written notice (certified letter) telling the person to stop.
• If behavior escalates (following, appearing at home, threats), involve law enforcement and HR; consider a restraining order.
• If fearful for safety, prioritize leaving the situation and calling authorities.

For someone wrongfully terminated after reporting harassment or being set up (Kelly):

• Preserve all documents (performance reviews, emails, the owner’s letter mentioned, attendance records).
• List potential witnesses and collect statements while memories are fresh.
• Consult an employment attorney about wrongful termination or retaliation claims.
• If you want to clear your name at work, consider controlled public explanation only after legal advice.

For someone with a one-night stand who may now report to that person (Mary):

• Assess whether you can professionally work for that supervisor without discomfort or power imbalance.
• If you decide to pursue the job but feel awkward or unsafe, ask for a different supervisor or role.
• If you’re going to be affected at home (boyfriend paying bills), weigh whether coming clean proactively preserves trust; otherwise someone may reveal the encounter later.
• Document any inappropriate comments by the supervisor; if he uses the incident as leverage, report to HR.

Tone and context notes

• Hosts mix earnest advice with humor and listener anecdotes; some callers offer jokey or morally dubious “solutions.”
• The show repeatedly emphasizes documentation, witnesses, and written evidence as critical tools.
• The underlying theme: protect your safety and livelihood first — empathy for not wanting to “ruin” someone’s life is understandable, but it shouldn’t override personal safety or allow harassment to continue.

Recommended next steps for listeners in these scenarios

• If harassment: document + certified letter + HR + police if necessary.
• If fired after reporting abuse: save documents, identify witnesses, consult employment counsel.
• If workplace romance/misconduct could create a power-imbalance: decline the job if the supervisor’s behavior is inappropriate, request reassignment, or disclose to your partner before others do.

If you want to quickly recall the most practical bit from the show: the certified letter approach (documented, signed receipt) and using witnesses were repeatedly cited as simple, effective first steps.