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Yes, I have dealt with this type before. The first couple of times I dealt with them badly, but I am getting better. I find that the best approach is to not let them into your life, and don't allow them to dictate terms.
Good luck. They are miserable people to be around.
Thanks. I was lucky that I knew about her pretty quickly. She used to sit near me in the office and I heard her one day complaining about me. It was my 2nd day and she was telling someone that I was "trying too hard" which is one of the most ridiculous statements you could ever make about a new person. But from that moment on, I knew exactly what she was. So I have refused on the dictation of terms, as she has tried, and have always given a reason that it is not the most productive or best for the business to do it that way.
She managed to work from home yesterday, should be in the office today. Could be interesting....
This is why I avoid adding coworkers to my facebook. I also don't give my cell # to the annoying ones.
AMEN AND AMEN!!!!! Facebook has ruined many a person by now. Never put anything on FB, if you must be on it at all, that you would not want your saintly grandmother to read, your boss to read and his boss to read, the FBI and your children. That ought to be it.
This is why I avoid adding coworkers to my facebook. I also don't give my cell # to the annoying ones.
I agree. And I don't have any coworkers on FB...for this exact reason. And in this case, it is the whole reason I had NO clue about the post on FB until I was accused of doing it or being involved in it....
As for giving out cell numbers, still wish it was an option to not...
AMEN AND AMEN!!!!! Facebook has ruined many a person by now. Never put anything on FB, if you must be on it at all, that you would not want your saintly grandmother to read, your boss to read and his boss to read, the FBI and your children. That ought to be it.
Yet sadly, as proved by my coworker, this lesson has still not been learned.
So, myself, another coworker, and the person who saw the text on my phone and posted it in Facebook got called into a meeting. The coworker who had been doing all of the trashing and complaining about everyone, about being left out, etc....she sent an email to the bosses claiming that she was being bullied. No shock. She gets caught and all of a sudden it was not her doing. She also managed to get a doctor (due to health issues she mentioned to the bosses a long time ago and even discussed on Friday afternoon, in an email, prior to the whole text incident) to give her medical advice to work from home.
It was pretty obvious the boss was intending to scold us for our behavior...although it was mentioned that it was pure high school, thank goodness...until the one who posted on Facebook chimed in with all of the ways in which she was also being bullied and harassed by the person. Which we all had witnessed and had been victims of the bully at one point or another. So, it became a room of "have you ever had anything happen to you because of this person?" I was honest as were the other people in the room. We were all asked to write statements and the bosses had the rest of our area of the office go in to a meeting right after us to discuss if they had seen the same things, which they all said they had. As far as I know, nothing has been said to the "Toxic Tracy" about the meeting or the fact that all of us had issues with her bullying in the office and harassment by her.
Also, today she complained that one of the people who she works with (she does staffing) called and complained that I was rude on the phone to him yesterday. She said the person did not know who he talked to, she said it would have had to have been me or one other person (not shockingly the FB poster) as we are the only ones who have been unprofessional. My boss asked me, via email, if I had talked to the person, I said I had and it was dropped after she told me to be careful and to make sure that I was nice to everyone who calls in, even if they work for her. I was pretty mad about this, but I kept my cool and said that I was not rude to this person. This is the first time I have ever been talked to about being rude to anyone in more than a year, so I am sure it is obvious the motivation as there has never been a coincidence that big in the history of the world.
So, now what the heck do I do and how do I go on from here? The person who posted on Facebook was honest in the meeting and did tell the boss that she saw the text on my phone when she was looking at it, like we all pretty much do (which is true). There were no accusations brought against me other than the text message conversation (which the Toxic Tracy forwarded to the bosses) and that was dropped when the person admitted that I did not tell her of the message.
I don't think I am in any danger of losing my job, at least not at this point, as I did not share the text and the supposed incident of my being rude to a person who she works with also did not happen...and there is enough doubt due to timing that I don't think my boss totally believes it happened the way Toxic Tracy said anyway.
Sorry for the long jumble...but thoughts on the best way to protect myself going forward? Before anyone suggests it, I now have a passcode lock on my phone that does not allow texts to be seen unless it is unlocked and no coworkers are friends on Facebook. How do I best protect myself from getting fired in the fallout?
Same stuff as before. Stay away from toxic Tracy, do your job and archive emails.
The statements that everybody signed will be used to fire toxic Tracy, most likely sometime in the next two weeks.nobody collects signed statements of this type unless they are building a case. Don't get involved and screw it up.
I wouldn't worry about the rudeness phone issue. Your boss received a complaint and must follow up. By talking to you he can say the matter has been addressed, even though everybody knows that it was groundless.
Same stuff as before. Stay away from toxic Tracy, do your job and archive emails.
She is thankfully working from home. I talked to my boss today and said that due to the situation with her, I wanted to cc the boss on all emails, just so everyone knows what is going on and what is being said. I got an agreement on this with no issue.
The statements that everybody signed will be used to fire toxic Tracy, most likely sometime in the next two weeks.nobody collects signed statements of this type unless they are building a case. Don't get involved and screw it up.
Do you think there is any chance they will let her go while she is out on light/modified duty? I know they are not dumb enough to fire her because she is on leave, but her health condition is chronic and the issues that she is out for now are the same issues that she has been out for numerous times, so it is not new nor can she claim it was caused by work...at least not and be credible about it.
What do you mean by don't get involved and screw it up? I participated in the meeting (ok, I was drug into the meeting and forced to participate but I did participate) I wrote the statement. I gave it to the boss. Other than that, I went to work today and did my job. Please explain what you mean by "don't get involved". I mean, I get the words and the basic idea, but I want specifics, LOL I am trying VERY hard to navigate this without doing damage to my reputation at work or losing my job. And it seems obvious that Toxic Tracy is going to try to do her worst to make sure that if there is even a HINT of anything, I am on the hook for it.
I wouldn't worry about the rudeness phone issue. Your boss received a complaint and must follow up.
This is how I saw it too. The person who complained has been working with Toxic Tracy for about 10 years, and has never called before in the year he has been on staff with this company, about his timesheet. It was kind of obvious. And in the email, even though the person did not know who e spoke to, Toxic Tracy said it was obviously me or another employee. COuld not have been more obvious.
By talking to you he can say the matter has been addressed, even though everybody knows that it was groundless.
He emailed her back that I was the one who spoke with the employee and that the other employee was not there when he called.
I guess I am concerned that the rude to a caller issue would be what they use to decide to fire me AND Toxic Tracy. The woman is crazy enough to sue...doesn't it protect the company if they fire all involved who behave badly and isn't the supposed rude phone call enough?
Don't talk about the issues with anybody other than management. Unless something new comes up that is obviously, completely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, iron clad proof originating from toxic Tracy don't start any conversations with management. You don't want to seem like you have a vendetta.
If management asks questions you should answer fully. Do not exaggerate even one tiny bit. Facts only, preferably ones that can be documented and proven. Your credibility is vital here.
Don't do anything to set toxic Tracy up. Don't dig to start trouble.don't start remembering and reporting past issues.
With any interactions you do have with toxic Tracy, have a witness. CC the boss is good, but I suggest if she is going to see the message that you use BCC instead. Use speakerphone with a coworker nearby. No closed door conversations if she is on site.
Take extra time to make sure that you don't screw anything up. If you do make an error, admit mistake and fix ASAP. Don't give Tracy anything to work with.
She certainly could be fired while on leave. As long as the reason for termination is unrelated to the leave and is sufficiently documented it is fine. Out of caution the company may want to make sure that the documentation is iron clad, but sick/disability leave is not a an invulnerable protection for screwball employees, although many think it is. Toxic Tracy going on leave is a classic sign for her personality type. She realizes that she overextended, so she will try to use leave to shield herself from consequences and let the heat die down.
I doubt you would get fired for one rude call, given the dubious evidence that it was even you who did it. Stranger things have happened, but you would have to have a knucjpklehead HR guy to let that happen.
Sorry for typos. It is the middle of the night, I have insomnia but I am also groggy.
Thanks again, and no problem on the typos. I appreciate the reply.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fishbrains
Don't get involved...
Don't talk about the issues with anybody other than management. Unless something new comes up that is obviously, completely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, iron clad proof originating from toxic Tracy don't start any conversations with management. You don't want to seem like you have a vendetta.
Already did this. Did mention a couple of things to them after the meeting, but one of them was something I had forgotten about the became relevant due to something that happened to another employee and the other was the cc thing.
If management asks questions you should answer fully. Do not exaggerate even one tiny bit. Facts only, preferably ones that can be documented and proven. Your credibility is vital here.
Did that too. My statement was pretty long, and unfortunately there were things that were not documentable, but in that case I made sure I mentioned when the conversations happened, where we were and any witnesses to them. It was the best I could do.
Don't do anything to set toxic Tracy up. Don't dig to start trouble.don't start remembering and reporting past issues.
Nope. I went back through emails I have from her and used them to remind me of any issues with her. I was truthful but only put on the statement those things that I clearly remember.
With any interactions you do have with toxic Tracy, have a witness. CC the boss is good, but I suggest if she is going to see the message that you use BCC instead.
I would be surprised if there is anything that she manages to state in email that is interesting. She talks about people. Preferably to as many people at a time as possible. At this point, I can pretty much guarantee that she sees the "cc" and she thinks I was severely reprimanded due to her initial email and her "rude phone call" thing. I think it is her goal to come back to one of the 3 of us that she accused being fired.
Use speakerphone with a coworker nearby. No closed door conversations if she is on site.
Heck no. As for talking to her on the phone, that rarely happens so I think I am safe. As for her being on site, I don't think that is going to happen either. I think she is going to wait until she is victorious and one of us is no longer there because of this before she appears on site.
Take extra time to make sure that you don't screw anything up. If you do make an error, admit mistake and fix ASAP. Don't give Tracy anything to work with.
Luckily on this front my job and hers overlap infequently at best. The only reason I answered the phone to even get the complaint was that someone else was away from their desk. And that whole thing makes me SO mad...I know it is amazingly obvious what she is doing, and in the long run I know it helps make her look like the problem, but it is still so maddening.
She certainly could be fired while on leave.
This is my take on it. I am in the side of HR who writes the handbook and makes sure we comply with the laws...I hate the petty he said she said side of things, but I can't see a single thing in this that protects her. Especially as she has been out numerous times for the health issue.
As long as the reason for termination is unrelated to the leave and is sufficiently documented it is fine. Out of caution the company may want to make sure that the documentation is iron clad, but sick/disability leave is not a an invulnerable protection for screwball employees, although many think it is.
I think she is under the impression that she is untouchable because she was "bullied and is now sick" GRRRRRR
Toxic Tracy going on leave is a classic sign for her personality type. She realizes that she overextended, so she will try to use leave to shield herself from consequences and let the heat die down.
That much is obvious too. I think she realized she got caught as the text message is pretty concrete proof that she is abusive toward coworkers and has it out for a certain one. I think she figured out that was a bad move.
I doubt you would get fired for one rude call, given the dubious evidence that it was even you who did it. Stranger things have happened, but you would have to have a knucjpklehead HR guy to let that happen.
Thanks. This is what I think too. I am just glad that I have never had that complaint before so it makes it even more suspect that all of a sudden I was rude. Although I am still afraid we are all going to get caught in the fall out.
Sorry for typos. It is the middle of the night, I have insomnia but I am also groggy.
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