Troublesome Coworkers – Ask the Workplace Doctors

Bullied by Coworker

May 28, 2020May 28, 2020 Bill Gorden

A question to Ask the Workplace Doctors about a coworker who throws another under the bus:

I have a co-worker that not only likes to throw me but other colleagues “under the bus” every chance she gets. She likes to point out my mistakes in front of my supervisor. She is abrasive and I feel she is a bully. How can I combat this situation?

Signed, Bullied

Dear Bullied:

Your follow up email indicates you work from home. I assume since you submitted your question at this time that working at home is a result of state regulations or your employer’s efforts to not enable COVID-19 to infect others. If that is the reason, please continue to stay sheltered in place and, as much as possible, avoid the push and/or urge to get out. I’m following that advice and wearing a mask and avoiding close contacts when out. These rules and guidelines probably will continue for sometime.

I Feel I am Being Pushed Out of My Subcontractor Job.

March 8, 2020March 8, 2020 Tina Lewis Rowe

Question:
I joined my company 3 years ago as a subcontractor working 2 days a week. I stayed on after the project with other production tasks, as well to operate a new piece of equipment, and started working the full week.

Months later a part-time staff in a managerial position was leaving, and the boss asked if I wanted to take over their correspondence, bookkeeping, and database management tasks. I accepted the offer, and organized my roles accordingly. These tasks usually combine together into a full work week, while otherwise each task would only take half to one work day to do.

How Can I Show My Coworker Didn’t Have My Best Interest at Heart?

March 1, 2020March 8, 2020 Tina Lewis Rowe

Question:
One day I did not turn up to work at the expected time. My co-worker, who I do not get on with, was stomping around the office asking other co-workers why I had not turned up, intermittently going into a shared office and asking “has she not turned up?”

Later he asked where I live and my phone number to contact me. He distracted quite a few people who were tying to get on with work. Basically he made a show of it.

Is it Sexual Harassment for a Co-Worker To Be in Relationship With a Family Member of Mine?

February 9, 2020February 9, 2020 Tina Lewis Rowe

Question:
A coworker of mine had a sexual relationship with a family member of mine. Is that considered sexual harassment?

Response: I can understand that such a situation as you describe could be uncomfortable at work, especially if the coworker and your family member have broken up or if there were bad feelings between them at some point. It would also be uncomfortable if some aspect of the situation was problematic—for example, if one or both of the people were already married to someone else.

Co-Worker Plays Music and Managers Haven’t Helped!

February 9, 2020February 9, 2020 Tina Lewis Rowe

Question:
I have a co-worker who has been in our office six months. I have been there ten years. She plays her music right next to my cubicle and I’ve told her many times I can’t concentrate with her music on. But she doesn’t care. I’ve gone to my managers and all they say is well we can hear you when you talk or laugh way back here. Nothing is done about the radio or the disrespect this girl shows towards me. I’m at a loss. Is there a law about this anywhere? I am a federal employee so I’m not sure if the laws are different.

Co-Worker Is Obsessed With Her Dislike of Me!

February 1, 2020February 9, 2020 Tina Lewis Rowe

Question:
I’ve worked for my company for about 1 year now. I was promoted 2 months after I started. My old boss is now my colleague as we share the same boss. I was promoted to a trainer position on her shift. Any new employees that comes in, I am responsible for their training and development.

The first day of my new position she came up with the idea that I was trying to take her job. She is known for being extremely rude and unbearable. Plenty of people quit because they couldn’t deal with her behavior. She has loud outbursts on the production floor, she yells at people and cries at the drop of a dime. I’ve always been cordial to her and tried to help her as much as possible.

Coworker In Affair With My Husband and Making My Work Difficult.

August 18, 2019August 18, 2019 Tina Lewis Rowe

Question: I work with a woman who I have discovered is having an affair with my husband and assisted him in moving out of my house. I have filed divorce papers and he is hiding and living with her. She is making my work life horrible as well. We sit on the same team and she undermines and questions all my actions. What can I do?

Is My Co-Worker Trying To Show Me Up?

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 Tina Lewis Rowe

Question: I was taking a vacation day and my boss wanted to make sure that the daily tasks I do were covered, so I showed my co-worker. She said it would be easy, but she wondered why she couldn’t do the project on her own computer. I told her, because the project is assigned to me and my computer.

Boss’s Daughter Seems To Think She Is The Boss

July 19, 2019July 19, 2019 Tina Lewis Rowe

I was wondering what to do about my boss’s daughter. I have been here two years and was hired 2 months prior to her but she gets all the recognition for everything. My boss (her father) talks to customers and friends about how she handles his biggest account in the business and she is only 20 years old. However, she needs everyone’s help since she doesn’t know how to do it herself without messing up.

How Do I Handle An Employee Who Has A Grudge Against Me?

April 4, 2019April 8, 2019 Bill Gorden

A question to Ask the Workplace Doctors about a grudge:

I work with someone who seems to have a grudge against me because I forgot to put their name down on the RSVP for a party we recently had for our department. Our entire company also had a party around the same time. This person told me that they would not be at the “staff party” because of other commitments. In her words, she meant the company-wide party but I interpreted it as she wouldn’t be able to attend the department party so I didn’t write her name down. She showed up and noticed her name wasn’t on the list but still attended. I got busy so I didn’t interact with her at all during the party.