Is there anything I can do..about this co-worker?

Question

I come to work on time (if not early). I do my job correctly everyday (if not exceed the mininum). I never call in sick.

My problem is here I work side by side with this employee(we are equal). She always comes in late. She calls in all the time. She even called in once said she would be in later and never showed up(no call to let know). Without her here, everything gets thrown onto me. She is very rude and inconsiderate towards me (I believe always be nice to someone no matter what-I like to kill her with kindness). She tells me what to do and how to do things (when we are a team; we do the same work!).

I've already talked to my boss about her rude she is and she just goes back to him saying "she is soo not like." But, of course he doesnt have to see or be near how she acts (its only towards me noone else!). And he just got fed up that he said no more complaining, or else he will fire both of us! So now I keep my mouth shut and take it up the...

Help, Info, Advice?

Answer 1

Let me guess, are her initials CF??? Sounds like someone I used to work with!

Continue to kill her with kindness. And start recording everything extra that you have to do when she's not there. Do it on a piece of paper at work one day at a time, then bring it home and start a log on your pc at home. When she is rude, make a log of that, too.

When you are so fed up with her you can't stand it any more, go to HR with the log and explain how your boss threatened to fire you.
Or when your boss fires you for "complaining", you now have evidence for your discrimination suit. Good luck; I will pray for your situation.

Answer 2

Does the company have an H R department? If so, go them and see if they can do anything.
In the mean time, document, document, document, even the day, date, time you informed the HR department of the problem. Every time she's late, gone, calls in, and shoves her work off on to you, document it. Make sure you have day, dates, and times on it.
When she tells you what to do, remind her that she isn't your boss, that you're equals. And document it.
When she tells you how to do your job without you asking, tell her thanks, but you already knew that. And document it.
Refuse to do her work when she's there, and if you can get away with it, refuse to do it when she's not there. Or just do the important things and leave the rest for her when she comes back. And document all the extra work you did while she was gone.
Document the conversations between the two of you, but try to avoid anything that may get confrontational. Don't be hateful, as much as you may want to, don't be rude. Just say things in a normal voice and let it go.
It's called passive resistance, and you need to learn how to do it.
You should take the documentations home with you and don't let anyone else see them, as they can do the same thing only making things seem to be your fault. Should push come to shove, not literally, you have documentation to prove your point of how long the conflict has been going on and who you told and how they handled it.
Honestly, all of this documentation could be worthless, but then again, it could prove to be very useful in the future.

Answer 3

First and foremost its bad management skills to ignore an employee's problem. I suggest contacting your boss's manager, human resource, or a department specifically created for handling situations where you feel your work environment is becoming impossible to work in happily This girl you're complaining about does not have to be nice to you unfortunately the company cannot control that. However, if your boss or she is handing off her work to you because she's not there continuously that's grounds for a complaint. I'd complain to the supervisor first and then contact HR if nothing is done. I also want to point out that in most states its illegal for your supervisor to threaten termination because you voice a complaint.

Document whats going on over the course of the next week or two. Confront your supervisor one last time of these issues if you feel comfortable, if not contact the departments I've suggested before. Remember keep the emotional factor out of it. Unfortunately, they are not concerned with your feelings being hurt. Also if a coworker tells you to do something that is not your responsibility or within your job description note it as well. If you don't want to do it say no. Youre not there to make sure her feelings arent hurt.

Remember it's great to be kind but its even better to be smart. Kindness isn't keeping your mouth shut and doing what people say to make them happy. That's called stupid. Kindness is when you handle situations like these with grace and dignity, and stay positive. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Can you get your desk put in another location? This is verbal harassment.I would stop letting her bossing me around since we are doing the same thing and getting paid for the same amount of work. If all else fail contact your Hr dept. and file a comment. Start documenting these incidents when this abuse happen to you. This is your weapon. But I believe your supervisor will be ticked off at you if you go behind his back. So what, he doesn't have to sit next to this person.

Answer 5

Has she been there longer than you? Maybe she has an arrangement that you don't know about. I'm not trying to defend her, but I was in a similar situation where I had a very flexible schedule and I had been working there so long, I knew what needed to be done, and how it needed to be done. A new girl came to work in our office, and she had set hours and specific things she had to do for me and she was very jealous and caused a lot of trouble for me. She agreed to the job description and hours when she was hired, but then resented the fact that my job and hours were not the same.

Answer 6

You need to document everything in a secret book that is only seen by you. Don't keep this on the company computer.

Keep track of your attendance.

Keep track of her absences, all of her work you end up doing and all her unkind words and orders.

Kill her with kindness.

If she does give you an order you don't have to follow it. Refer to company protocol or doublecheck what she says with your supervisor.

If this problem continues you are going to have to take this up with your bosses boss or hr. Don't just walk in their complaining about one thing. Come in with a mountain of evidence about this person. Be able to demonstrate how this co-worker of yours is hurting the company.

Answer 7

Good for you for already taking the high road! You have something she will never possess: class. The most effective approach is indifference. Do not acknowlege her comments, suggestions, etc. Take no notice. That will kill her. And your boss is right...he shouldn't have to play referee. If she asks you questions, anything, respond with "why do you ask?" always throw it back, deflect. Good luck.

Answer 8

Give her some of her own medicine. When your boss gets upset with you because you are out...come in late...etc...tell him that it apparently is the way things are done around there since your co-worker has set the new standard. Hit them with the truth.
(What?...she had to do my work? Now there's a first! Let's see...how many times have I had to do that for her? Really...and I'm supposed to feel guilty about this? Explain to me what leg YOU have to stand on. Don't let people walk all over you. Stand up for yourself.

Answer 9

If you have been there over 12 months. Speak to a solicitor as you may be able to leave and put in a claim for Constructive unfair dismissal! You have complained about the situation and nothing has been done so you would have the grounds to! And if they say nothing can be done then beat the s**t out of her!

Answer 10

You need to move up higher than your boss, Talk to your company's HR department, or talk to your Boss' boss.

If he does have the gall to fire the both of you because he "doesn't want to hear it", not only would he not be doing his job, but you'd have a wrongful termination suit on your hands.