On September 21, 2006, while on medical leave, I was wrongfully released from employment. I wasn't the first person terminated by eBay after being victimized by an immediate supervisor and raising an issue of concern to management - while retaining the offending supervisor. This pattern of abuse, in my opinion, began with Meg Whitman the CEO of eBay, Inc. (Stacie Wilson vs. Anita Gaeta & eBay, Complaint included in book.)
For several months after being on medical leave from eBay, I was severely disabled. Frequently, I lay in my bed both day and night, with screaming noise in my head from severe Stress Induced Tinnitus; as well as experiencing severe Anxiety, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression, as medically diagnosed. I was sedated for two months with prescription medicine in an effort to recover from the effects of the trauma that I experienced. In an attempt to alleviate the effects of tinnitus, I maintain white noise background sounds, such as running fans. When in my bedroom, I keep my Sound Soother machine running. I also have worn ear-mounted Sound Generators, as occasion would permit. Sometimes, I experience a degree of relief by activities such as: weightlifting, walking by a busy road, driving with the car windows down or sleeping pills.
On July 7, 2006, I sent Meg Whitman a personal FedEx letter as an eWatch (Customer Support Escalations) Manager, requesting her assistance (being unaware of her past grievances,) which eBay's hired attorney Matt Durham reported enraged the CEO. Shortly thereafter I was wrongfully discharged by eBay's hired attorney - without eBay being able to identify who ordered the termination of my employment.
Emmanuel Kepas had it all: a wonderful wife, six children and a promising career with Morgan Stanley. In the aftermath of 9/11 his division was sold and the employees were laid off.
In his spare time, he loved buying products from eBay. He always thought it would be great to work for such an innovative company. So when a former peer offered him the position as the eWatch Manager in July 2003, he enthusiastically accepted the job.
In February 2005, despite his solid performance evaluations, Emmanuel Kepas was demoted to the position of analyst (while still maintaining full responsibility for the eWatch team,) and placed under the supervision of a lesser qualified young woman who had just been given a poor annual review and had a history of inappropriate behaviors. His pay grade was reduced, which resulted in smaller quarterly bonuses, lower pay increases and fewer stock option allocations.
Even worse, his manager sexually harassed him. When he refused her advances, she removed eight employees from his supervision. When he began to raise his concerns it wasn't long before his manager attempted to redistribute his stock option allocation to others. Finally, when he asked for a transfer, he was refused.
Learn the disturbing details of one man's battle against the Internet Giant eBay. Help Him Win Justice, by learning the true story of a company gone awry in Kepas vs. eBay.
