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About a month ago, I posted a thread about a conniving temp who reported me to my new manager for "slamming" things on my desk that she claimed to witness, but could not have because we have a wall that separates us.
After a couple sit downs with my director, he assured me that he had my back and that this temp would be gone at the end of her contract. The contract runs out at the end of the week. He advised that I keep my head down in the meantime and have as little interaction with this woman as possible because something is obviously wrong with her. So that is exactly what I have done.
During the last few weeks, she has approached me for no specific reason other than to inquire about my work that has nothing to do with her. She has also continued to talk about my fellow co-workers behind their back. In one instance, she came over to tell me her last day was coming up, but she didn't want to work here anyway because she couldn't work well with our manager. Yes, that's the same manager she reported me to.
Yesterday, I was the first person in the office per the usual, and she came in. So we were alone in our little cubby area, and she came over to my desk to once again tell me that her last day is supposed to be this week, but apparently they are trying to work on making her full time. I think she is full of it, but anyway, she proceeded to tell me that she is sorry if she has been stressed out lately, and that she doesn't like to talk too much because my female co-workers are nosy and listen in too much. These are the same female co-workers that go out to lunch and on walks with her all the time. They work very closely together and there is no reason why she should have ill feelings towards any of them. They have been nothing but respectful and civil to her.
This morning, she asks me out of no where if I have a one-on-one with our manager today. I simply answered, 'No', and she responded back that it seems the rest of them do, as if to imply that I'm being left out of the group for some reason.
This woman WILL NOT STOP rabble rousing and talking poorly about people. I've become stressed and paranoid at work, because she is always sitting over at her desk whispering to the woman across from her. I feel like I'm walking on egg shells every waking moment at the office, and that she's probably talking more nonsense about me to whomever will listen.
If they do in fact offer her a job in our department, I will immediately tell my director that it's me or her. I cannot work in this environment anymore where she continues to talk about and sabotage those around her, and where I continue to be stressed out and paranoid every day I go into the office. I feel that even though my director seems to have my back, the manager's opinion of me is probably tarnished.
Honestly, aside from waiting her out, what should I do? Particularly if they end up offering her a position? I don't want to stir things up further for my director, but this is becoming an unbearable situation.
Last edited by Left-handed; 10-24-2017 at 10:47 AM..
Why are you going to let some gossipy idiot run you out of your job? That makes no sense to me. If you are good at your job and get good reviews, what does it matter what some nitwit says or does? Why would you feel that they value a temp's performance over your own? Even if they do offer her a full-time position, just do your own job to the best of your ability and ignore her. When she comes over to you to chat just say, "I really can't talk right now I'm busy." I don't understand what causes you such stress and paranoid feelings. You could be blowing this all of proportion - what do you care if she whispers to your co-workers and why are you concerned about anything she is doing?
Just don't stoop to her level whatever you do. I know how hard it can be to just ignore it but really, that's the only option that makes sense. Don't quit your job over this if she gets hired. You are letting her win if you do this. Take the high road, do your job, ignore her when you can, and report her when she does things that are against company policy or impacts your ability to work negatively.
Why are you going to let some gossipy idiot run you out of your job? That makes no sense to me. If you are good at your job and get good reviews, what does it matter what some nitwit says or does? Why would you feel that they value a temp's performance over your own? Even if they do offer her a full-time position, just do your own job to the best of your ability and ignore her. When she comes over to you to chat just say, "I really can't talk right now I'm busy." I don't understand what causes you such stress and paranoid feelings. You could be blowing this all of proportion - what do you care if she whispers to your co-workers and why are you concerned about anything she is doing?
Because she continues to talk poorly about everybody, which more than likely, includes me. She has already tarnished my reputation with our new manager by implying that I'm violent and scaring her and stirring up feelings of PTSD from a poor relationship she was in. It was such a big deal, that my new manager filed a report in some management system about it, though it's supposedly not reflected on my record for others to see. But it's recorded somewhere, for someone to see.
And if they do hire her, that clearly means that they do value her enough despite all of this gossipy BS that she has started. She is trying to sabotage me, and others, for her own gain, and I'm not about to be fired or have my career stunted by more false allegations about me. And they are sure to come, as she can't seem to stop talking about everybody else, even those who are really nice to her.
Just don't stoop to her level whatever you do. I know how hard it can be to just ignore it but really, that's the only option that makes sense. Don't quit your job over this if she gets hired. You are letting her win if you do this. Take the high road, do your job, ignore her when you can, and report her when she does things that are against company policy or impacts your ability to work negatively.
What if she continues to make stuff up about me to the manager? The manager already recorded it in some database system and gave me materials on workplace violence. So the manager already has this impression that I'm a threat to the staff, and now I have a record in some database. For all I know, my career at this place is already ruined. Why should I stay at place where this is the case? I will probably never be able to move up from my current position. This temp has probably ruined my career at this employer.
What if she continues to make stuff up about me to the manager? The manager already recorded it in some database system and gave me materials on workplace violence. So the manager already has this impression that I'm a threat to the staff.
Just say your side of the story when questioned. There's nothing else you can do. If your boss is on the side of this new person then so be it. Just look for another job or another position but don't quit because of one crazy person. If your boss has any sense they'd see who is being the child here and who is being the adult (you, if you don't stoop to her level). Good luck.
Just say your side of the story when questioned. There's nothing else you can do. If your boss is on the side of this new person then so be it. Just look for another job or another position but don't quit because of one crazy person. If your boss has any sense they'd see who is being the child here and who is being the adult (you, if you don't stoop to her level). Good luck.
I agree, and that is what I have done. The manager still recorded it in some system and sent me materials on workplace violence and EAP. It seems she didn't really care what I had to say on this matter. Apparently, people/temps can make up whatever they want about you, and there is no burden of proof needed. That is why I'm concerned. What's next? She thinks I glared at her and she feels physically threatened?
The point is not about her winning and forcing me out, it's that I don't want to work at a place where I'm constantly worried that I'm being sabotaged or reported for saying something that this nutcase overhears.
If you are that concerned about your name being in some managerial database because of her lies, ask for a sit-down with her and your manager and let her know that you are concerned about the things she said about you, because none of the other people you work with perceive you that way. I still wonder why the manager initially would have taken her word over yours - is there something you haven't included here?
I still would not quit over this although your manager doesn't sounds like both of his "oars are in the water," if he is so quick to judge an employee based on hearsay. Just do your job to the best of your abilities, do not let this trouble maker engage you in conversation and do not gossip about her to any of your co-workers either. Don't give her that kind of control over you and your emotions - ignore her totally.
If you are that concerned about your name being in some managerial database because of her lies, ask for a sit-down with her and your manager and let her know that you are concerned about the things she said about you, because none of the other people you work with perceive you that way. I still wonder why the manager initially would have taken her word over yours - is there something you haven't included here?
I still would not quit over this although your manager doesn't sounds like both of his "oars are in the water," if he is so quick to judge an employee based on hearsay. Just do your job to the best of your abilities, do not let this trouble maker engage you in conversation and do not gossip about her to any of your co-workers either. Don't give her that kind of control over you and your emotions - ignore her totally.
I am being 100% honest with you. I'm not leaving anything out. She reported me to my manager for allegedly witnessing me slamming something on my desk. Not only didn't she witness anything (due to the set up of our office; I sit on the opposite side of wall from her), she lied about me throwing a phone on my desk that I absolutely never did. She told the manager that this stirred up PTSD from an abusive relationship and that she was "very shaken up".
The manager is another woman. And I have nothing against women, but I'm sure that being the only guy in an office full of "vulnerable" women doesn't help my case. If someone is alleging workplace violence against a guy, she (the manager) is probably taking it serious in order to protect against her and the company against liability if I were to actually become unhinged. The manager was also brand new to our department at the time, so she doesn't know either of us well. So if someone reports something like this to you, you have no context to formulate an opinion.
My director, a man, responded in a completely different manner than the manager. He has had his own experiences with this woman that has shown her to be a little nutty. So he obviously had my back because of this context, and our working relationship (which has been nothing but professional and positive).
And I have completely ignored her over the past month. She just won't stop coming over to stick her nose in my business.
Her last day is this week. Keep your head down a few more days and if she is hired deal with it then. It sounds like they won't be hiring her. A temp that causes personnel issues as a temp will cause even more problems when hired. Your bosses would have to be total idiots to hire her. They probably just want to let the assignment end rather than fire her and give her any ammunition for false termination even as a temp.
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I think she is full of it, but anyway, she proceeded to tell me that she is sorry if she has been stressed out lately, and that she doesn't like to talk too much because my female co-workers are nosy and listen in too much. These are the same female co-workers that go out to lunch and on walks with her all the time. They work very closely together and there is no reason why she should have ill feelings towards any of them. They have been nothing but respectful and civil to her.
