I have several friends who work either in the retail or hospitality industries. Most people think that a clerk working at K-Mart or Target doesn't have much power over their working conditions and treatment. Same instance for a friend that works for a corporate chain of restaurants.

My being a former HR guru in Corporate America, I know that to an extent, the above is probably true. However, there are certain violations and behavior that won't be tolerated at any level and sadly, too many lower level employees fail to recognize this. I'll explain a common scenario and do's and don'ts.

For example, one of my friends who works for a retail chain was encountering issues from her bosses and couldn't understand where the sudden distaste for her work performance was coming from. As she told me her thoughts, I quickly asked her a few delicate questions so I could think about the big picture.

"Say, Suzy Q (a fictious name), how old are you?" She frowns and tells me 50 years old.

"Your doctor is treating you for Fibromyalgia isn't he?" I inquire. "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything???" she impatiently demands.

I smile and ask her more questions. How long have you worked for Retail Store A? 5 years and have a spotless record, she adds. No complaints, no writeups no nothing. Yet her new bosses are coming down on her. Hmmmmmm.

My final question to her is "Have you made a note of this incident?" She looks at me like I'm nuts and shakes her head no.

So together, she recounts to me the 5 W's: Who, What, Where, When and Why. I format it as a HR employee would do and tell her to request a meeting with her bosses. All of them. Demand it. I coach her. They finally get together a couple of bosses and my friend to discuss her concerns. She tells them she has documented the incident and wants the paperwork placed in her file and also wants to clear the air. She calls me on her cell and I fax it over to her boss.

She watches them read it while the color drains from their faces and they clear the air. I tell her to be nice, make notes in front of them and tell them that you want a followup meeting. Next thing you know, this "low level" employee is being treated more favorably. Why? She has an impeccable record at work, the new management that comes on board see an aging employee and are either trying to purposely push her out, or unknowingly try to push her out. All against the law.

So there you have it: An employee that is valued by more than one manager previously, no writeups, perfect reviews etc., now has a firm grip on her bosses and they know it. It also doesn't hurt to know that this friend is in a protected class: she is over 40 years of age, she is considered disabled under the ADA and she is suffering from a hostile workplace environment created by her superiors.

It's all about the catch phrases and catching Corporate America off guard, which is not easy to do, but is possible. The documentation tells the managers that she knows what she is doing and is prepared to litigate if they don't follow up.

So, next time this type scenario happens to you, re-read this article and feel free to contact me for my thoughts. I never promise anything because I am just another ex-HR employee.

But, sometimes I DO have some pretty nifty thoughts on the situation.