VALMEYER, Ill. – Bullying complaints continue to be aired in the St. Louis area, this time from an employee who works at the National Archives in Valmeyer, Illinois.
“I’m humiliated, I’m embarrassed, I’m ashamed,” said Sheila Whorley, an employee at the government agency.
Through tears, Whorley spoke about the mistreatment she said is literally making her sick at the National Archives.
She's worked as a digital imaging technician there for about 17 years.
“We change paper into electronic records,” Whorley said
Whorley said most of the abuse is from her supervisor and it includes foul language.
“I asked him ‘Could I have someone else on my team to help out with this project?’ he said ‘Everyone has to eat S- Sheila,’” said Whorley.
She says her supervisor also ignores her requests for help on the job.
“That's rejection, so why am I going to keep running up there and being rejected,” she said.
Whorley said she takes medication because she suffers from depression. It’s something she said her supervisor also criticizes.
“I said I can't stop taking my medicine. He says yes you can,” Whorley said.
We spoke with Whorley's supervisor about her claims. He denies all of them. Whorley showed us a complaint she filed with the government's Equal Employment Opportunity office.
Whorley said she hasn’t gotten any relief. She continues to work, taking days off here and there, as she puts it, to recover from the abuse.
“I just want to pass out. I don't know what to expect when I go in there anymore,” Whorley said.
We've reached out to the National Archives about Whorley’s claims and its investigation. We received the following response.
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration:
“We have no information to share with you on this matter, before your deadline. The National Archives takes all forms of harassment seriously and there are procedures in place for employees to report such behavior. Our office will follow up with you as soon as possible.”
James B. Pritchett
Director, Public and Media Communications
