by ScoobySnax 27 Replies latest jw friends
It is sad that some people have been afraid or reluctant to come to you about this. Perhaps you should take the initiative and interview her workmates and staff regularly hereafter until this is no longer an issue. I hate when one difficult person can ruin an otherwise pleasant work environment. They are like warts though. You have to be persistent if you want them to go away.
Oh yeah, re-emphasizing LT's advice. Document it! (or she might have YOU in a jam)
Scoobie: If she harasses you any more, lemme know and I'll come beat her up for you behind the school.
Yes, documentation, building up all the incedents like a court case. Remember, that the others are scared of her, and may not back you up in the crunch, especially if she manages to hold her own twisted position in this. There is a reason that a$$#oles tend to get to the top. Expect the unexpected. Keep your own butt covered.
SS
Scoob, you've been given some straight-up advice here already.... I don't know what the laws in your country are regarding recording conversations, but if they're anything like here in Texas, where it IS legal, as long as one party (yourself) is aware of the hidden active recorder, I'd definitely cover my butt with a hidden recorder for ANY conversations regarding that nurse.
It also struck me, as I read your story, that management has "bequeathed" this position of oversight to you for the explicit purpose of ridding themselves of a "thorn" which they do not have the cajones to deal with themselves. Since you showed initiative in recognizing her failings and warned them, they've latched onto you as a possible scapegoat in case anything "goes wrong" and they wind up in a lawsuit, whichever way it turns out. Definitely cover yer butt in every way possible, Scoob!
Frannie B
Ps, I may be over estimating the persons capabilities. She may only be a lower level manipulator, but she does sound quite clever.
SS
I have been finding out over the last couple of years that there are alot of things that are illegal when it comes to the workplace. It is illegal for any superior to make personal, degrading comments to you. It's illegal for any superior to chastise you in front of other people. It must be done privately in the office. There is to be NO intimidation, threatening, physical contact, harrasment or anything like that. This falls under workplace violence and harrasment. If anyone has someone that does this to them then I advise you to goto Human Resources immediately and report it. If they do nothing about it then advise HR that you will be going to the Labor Board because they refuse to solve this problem and are therefore fostering a Hostile Working Environment, which is also illegal.
Bottom line: If a manager is acting like a bully, is getting in your face, violating your personal space, shoving, swearing at you, calling you names, insulting you, putting you down, breaking your self esteeme and being anything but PROFESSIONAL then you have legitimate grounds to goto the board of labor. And they will assist you in a lawsuit against this individule. Do NOT put up with it!!! I urge everyone! Do not let them think that if you report it to the labor board that they will fire you because that is not only a state offense but a FEDERAL OFFENSE! They cannot take action against you for protecting your legal rights.
This Pam person at work hasn't said one thing to me since these incidents. But she has said things to other people. The security gaurd used to have red hair. Then she died it blond. Pam came in and said, "You should've kept the red...it goes great with your personality." That's a personal remark that has nothing to do with work and she could get in more trouble for that. That could be considered an insult of your very personality but the gaurd wouldn't report it.
She went up to one of my buddies the other day at the end of the night and told him that he didn't look too good. Another insulting PERSONAL remark that is not work related and could be taken as an insult. It's only a matter of time before she's outta there.
I just thought I'd update this.
Im so totally despondent that my old boss (who happens to be a friend of her, and a friend of mine) had a chat with me in my office today and told me that I really shouldn't persue this as "Its just the way she is" And that a group of them had gone for a meal on Sunday in a restaurant and this nurse had said that it was the 2 year anniversary of her mothers death, and that she was finding it difficult to "adjust" to having someone who was junior to her at one point (me) suddenly becoming her boss albeit temporarily and that she couldn't understand why I YES I was acing so harsh towards her and how upset she was. I was just speechless. After her trying to blame everyone else for her behaviour, all of a sudden I sat there and realised that now it was MY fault that she's such a bully!!. And more upsetting was the fact that a trusting friend and ex-boss of mine (who'd let her get away with this for the past 13 years when she was manager) was asking me to "lay off" her, and be gentle. There's more, but I feels so pissed off and un-supported now. It was EXACTLY this type of attitude that has allowed this nasty bit of work to get away with what she has over time.
I feel totally pissed off tonight, but I won't back down.
Annivsary of her mothers is a cover up she told her . This person sounds like she is always nasty. Well next time you get complaints about her ,have them relay them to your boss and have her deal with it,then she will get the complaints first hand and know it is not you just trying to get on her case.
It sounds like she is a master manipulator, Scooby. Remember, the first rule of business is CYA (Cover Your Arse). Well, it's my rule. So keep writing everything down, names, dates, etc.
She has already started her counter-attack on YOU, garnering sympathy and crying 'poor me' over her personal problems. I have dealt with this type of bully before. Make sure the higher bosses who trust you and know your people skills are well aware of this. In this way, they can watch over the situation. Sometimes you just have to wait things out, keep doing a good job, eventually her true colours will show if you keep the spotlight on her.
That's what happened to me. Twice. In one case, it took six months till the culprit got fired. The second time, I had to put up with it for 2 years, but I finally got a transfer to a different department and a promotion. The bosses (on both occasions, different companies) told me afterwards that they did not know the truth of the situation in the beginning, but in time they were able to determine who the real troublemaker was.
Just my two ... don't let it get you down.
tal
