Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I want to add to this, you’re a contractor so you’re not an equal footing with the other employees.
I agree with that, I recall when I worked for a government agency, they would hire a contractor for a project, the contractor would hold a meeting or email a FEDERAL employee telling them to do something and often the attitude I saw from the "Feds" is he's a contractor, he can't tell me what to do. And they wouldn't do it. You had ask really nicely and respectfully to get a Fed for do something you needed done for a project you were responsible for. Of course not all Feds were like this, but some of them could get really defensive if you asked them to do something the wrong way.
In short, if your a contractor, your less equal than an employee. If an employee complains about you, they can get you fired. They will almost never fire an employee if a contractor complains unless they do something really bad like sexual harassment with witnesses. The same hold true where I work now, if I ever felt threatened by a contractor, all you have to to do is tell management and the contractor will be escorted off property by our armed security that day.
If you really want to keep the job, then you can spend extra time to make sure work is flawless. If you work 8 hours now and everybody else works 8 hours, then work 9 to 10 hours and double/triple check your work.
Almost nobody would be willing to do that.
But yes, this is the kind of territory that comes with lucrative, hierarchical jobs.
As for your co-worker, she's fairly typical. A lot of posters here straight up say "I only care about going in, doing my job, and collecting my salary." And I know right off the bat, those are the d@uchebags that I have to put up with.
He's caught between a Rhinoceros horn and a Tiger's fang. He already mentioned that OT is generally not that straightforward and requires clearance. He's contract and not salary. This situation has no way out. At this juncture I'd verbally, request a 2 week buyout with Unemployment in writing. Not sure how contract works in his state but in NY if they really hate you that much they'll do anything to wash their hands of you and UE is generally difficult for employers to contest here.
Good to see continued participation in this thread. I'm afraid things are going downhill with no recovery in sight until I pull the plug.
To summarize:
- The manager introduced a new initiative - hold daily pow wows to discuss which projects we're working on, our progress, what's left, etc. Seems useful but on a daily basis? Also seems excessive. But get this. The manager decided that the group pow wow would be scheduled on my days off (fair, I'm off anyway) and when I am in the office, at a time when I haven't yet arrived (early morning). So rather than being able to participate in group discussions and hear what my colleagues are working on, need help with and vice versa, the manager said she'll fill me in individually. I'm going to have to sit with her 3 times a week for this.
- The manager continues to require I CC or BCC each sent email and I continue feeling on edge. I try to be more careful with my communication and that's OK, but today I did my best to write a perfect message, courteous , thoroughly complete a report as my colleagues and I do on a daily basis and yet she STILL managed to make a comment that going forward I'm to include XYZ, while none of my the rest of the colleagues are held up to this standard. I asked and checked 3 other colleagues reports and none of them have the detail that was requested by the manager today and nor was I trained that way. Actually, what the manager requested is really just a redundancy that's already included further down on the page. One full time perm employee who's been out sick a lot (and surprisingly still hasn't been fired) told me that she used to be the micromanager's target and now it's my turn to be the victim.
- After what happened above where I'm feeling singled out, I'm tempted to CC the manager's boss (the department director) and asking if she feels the rest of my colleagues would benefit from the directive she gave me, but I know that could be career suicide and that that could instigate the manager into further attacks.
- A colleague was recently "sick" (just strained a muscle but could actually work from home) left me alone in the office and I struggled under the heavy workload after a last minute assignment was dumped onto me and he declined to help when I called him. Guess what? The following week I needed to step out of the office urgently and it took longer than expected (1.5 hrs instead of 50 mins max) when that same colleague (a full time perm employee) got bogged down in requests at the end of his shift (he complains when he has real work to do in his last 2 out of 8 hour shift). Well it turns out that colleague ratted me out when I had told him that since I do so much unpaid OT I didn't think I had to call the supervisor or manager to get permission to step out for a bit. Plenty of colleagues do it, especially the supervisor. The manager approached me this week and said the colleague felt "overwhelmed" all alone. She also demanded to know where I went (fair but too bad).
- Colleague TT is as bossy and whiny as ever. She even complained to the supervisor about my shift schedule (I get to work alone evenings and weekends for about 40% of my shifts which I like because it's quieter, I don't have to deal with as much drama and I prefer working independently) right when I was in the office claiming that I should do the same as the others. She thinks it's unfair and that she's bogged down too much taking over my projects when I'm off but it works both ways. Her schedule used to mirror mine except on different days and she's probably jealous that I have the better one now.
- Colleague TT left for the day and then called me from home when she was supposed to be off duty to then chew me out on a task she expected me to handle for her (for her client) when in fact she had not specified this at the end of her shift (what does she expect me to read her mind?). She was also rather abrupt on that call (imagine dealing with a curt, demanding customer on the phone) and I did not appreciate her tone. I'm thinking of reporting the incident (her bothering me, trying to tell me how to run my projects and deal with my own clients) when she was supposed to be off duty, but I doubt the manager and supervisor will action it. They'll likely just see me a problem reporter rather than someone who resolves problems.
Frankly I don't know how long I can last in these trying conditions. The job itself is stressful enough - I don't need my own colleagues to add to that stress with their unreasonable demands and criticism. If it wasn't for the decent salary and schedule, I'd be long gone. Still open to suggestions on how to disarm the manager and get her to relax her demands, while continuing to try to make peace with TT who isn't showing me the same courtesy. Not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
Your problems at work match up similar to mine or my coworker.
My coworker is the contract employee and complained a lot and would get angry and report me to the higher level of management and I got called into the office for it. This coworker would get angry with me if I didn't take her side on her views of what is wrong with our department, our superior and our manager. I had to adjust to be more like her so she wouldn't make complaints about me, but being on her side also got me in trouble as I have adopted her poor behaviour.
I am in a no-win situation. This coworker admitted to having mental health issues and we've seen the mental breakdowns on the job.
There are some issues that my coworker raised that I do take her side, but sometimes you need to be tactful and know when to stay quiet.
I am doing my very best to keep my head down, but I have a target on my back and I am worried for my job now, even though I'm unionized. I feel insecure, stress that is affecting my health.
I've read this whole thread and I love the answers you got and there is no right or wrong answer because this is a very difficult situation. I would like you to know that I totally understand your frustration on the situation you have with this company and I really don't know how to handle this problem.
Keep looking for another job and I wish you all the best!
There is one way to handle the problem - QUIT and LEAVE. WALK OFF the job! Try and find someone's couch to sleep on if need be. But there's no way this situation ends well!
I have a feeling this job will not end well either. However, unless you have savings or someone else to support you, I'm sure you need the money. Don't quit until you get another job lined up. Have you been looking?
Quick update. I still work there but things haven't improved. Unfortunately I made a mistake a couple of days ago by failing to take action on an operational issue when everyone was gone for the day and I was alone in the office. I was loaded as usual and my attention was elsewhere. A colleague who I get along with better than TT, the bossy tattling one, warned me (she was passing along a message from the manager) not to leave too late and so I did my best to comply. The problem is that there was a rush of demands right before I was clocking out and so I had to make a tough decision to either respect the manager's directive and clock out or stay OT, handle the pressing issue and THEN clock out. I stayed a bit but thinking I'd get in trouble for staying too long, I clocked out 15 mins past the end of my shift and emailed the colleague on the next shift to take care of the action item I didn't have time to handle. Unfortunately things went bad when that colleague didn't action the item on time and the operations were negatively affected.
Next day there were a flurry of emails from management and my own manager emailed me outright : did I take X action or not? I didn't reply yet because it was my day off.
About my day off: Seeing as I just had a bunch of extra work to do in the past week that made me fall behind on regular workload, I had to put in extra hours. So I decided to come in on my day off which is against the manager's recommendations but the supervisor accepts it and another senior colleague had done it before too. The problem? TT was on duty and she was waiting for me. In fact she had emailed and texted me on my day off, including texting my personal cell phone # to call her (why should I call her on my day off, especially after she threw me under the bus and tattled to the manager a few times putting my job at risk)? I took my time replying, writing I was busy but I'd arrive in the afternoon.
I showed up to the office and guess what was the first thing TT said? She said: "You shouldn't have come on your day off". She was alone in the office and I thought she'd appreciate the help, plus I had my own work to do. Then, bossy and nosy as she is, TT asked me what I was coming to work on, how long I planned to stay, etc. It's none of her business!! It was my day off and she's not my boss, therefore so what? Then she went on a rant how whenever I'm off, my projects fall on her lap even though the supervisor clearly told her that if she needs help, to just ask and he will delegate to other available colleagues. So I don't get why TT is getting so bent out of shape?
Then get this - she actually had the nerve to complain about my shift schedule again, urging me to talk to the manager asking for a 5 days on, 2 days off schedule like the rest. I don't want that! I like my current schedule with longer hours and 1 extra day off. I know my former teammate is jealous, she was grumbling how she's on a regular business hours shift again and how it's unfair/not right that my schedule is different. She needs to mind her own business. In fact another day this week I was on the phone handling my own client and you know what she did? She actually criticized how I was handling it and wasting time , according to her. It was my own project...not hers (we used to share). I started getting angry and turned my back briefly to her but felt the need to apologize to avoid her complaining to the manager,...again.
It's like she enjoys pushing my buttons on purpose.
TT also told me that the manager knew I was there on my day off...I didn't tell her. Turns out TT alerted her I was coming to the office and even questioned her if I was being paid overtime for those hours or not? Sheesh, she needs to focus on herself and leave me alone! I can't believe I agreed to cover her while she'll be on vacation in about a month. Unbelievably, the manager approved TT's time off request that's even longer than senior employees and is unheard of for someone who's been there less than a year. I'm really fed up of this toxic environment but know I have to continue to grin and bear it until I find something else. I've been looking casually but am not seeing as many openings in my field as what I see in the spring when hiring really picks up.
In the meantime is there anything I can do to keep TT out of my cross hairs? I'm thinking that the next day I need to come in on my day off to finish incomplete work, I'll have to check my work email and wait until she sends an end of shift message and then go in an hour later, to avoid her. Because it's ridiculous to me how much TT interferes with my employment there. I don't see why she feels she has to update the manager about everything I do or don't do. She even had the nerve to tell me what I should be doing on my days off - go travel , don't come to work!! Umm, she's not my mom but sure acts like it.
Quick update. I still work there but things haven't improved. Unfortunately I made a mistake a couple of days ago by failing to take action on an operational issue when everyone was gone for the day and I was alone in the office. I was loaded as usual and my attention was elsewhere. A colleague who I get along with better than TT, the bossy tattling one, warned me (she was passing along a message from the manager) not to leave too late and so I did my best to comply. The problem is that there was a rush of demands right before I was clocking out and so I had to make a tough decision to either respect the manager's directive and clock out or stay OT, handle the pressing issue and THEN clock out. I stayed a bit but thinking I'd get in trouble for staying too long, I clocked out 15 mins past the end of my shift and emailed the colleague on the next shift to take care of the action item I didn't have time to handle. Unfortunately things went bad when that colleague didn't action the item on time and the operations were negatively affected.
Next day there were a flurry of emails from management and my own manager emailed me outright : did I take X action or not? I didn't reply yet because it was my day off.
About my day off: Seeing as I just had a bunch of extra work to do in the past week that made me fall behind on regular workload, I had to put in extra hours. So I decided to come in on my day off which is against the manager's recommendations but the supervisor accepts it and another senior colleague had done it before too. The problem? TT was on duty and she was waiting for me. In fact she had emailed and texted me on my day off, including texting my personal cell phone # to call her (why should I call her on my day off, especially after she threw me under the bus and tattled to the manager a few times putting my job at risk)? I took my time replying, writing I was busy but I'd arrive in the afternoon.
I showed up to the office and guess what was the first thing TT said? She said: "You shouldn't have come on your day off". She was alone in the office and I thought she'd appreciate the help, plus I had my own work to do. Then, bossy and nosy as she is, TT asked me what I was coming to work on, how long I planned to stay, etc. It's none of her business!! It was my day off and she's not my boss, therefore so what? Then she went on a rant how whenever I'm off, my projects fall on her lap even though the supervisor clearly told her that if she needs help, to just ask and he will delegate to other available colleagues. So I don't get why TT is getting so bent out of shape?
Then get this - she actually had the nerve to complain about my shift schedule again, urging me to talk to the manager asking for a 5 days on, 2 days off schedule like the rest. I don't want that! I like my current schedule with longer hours and 1 extra day off. I know my former teammate is jealous, she was grumbling how she's on a regular business hours shift again and how it's unfair/not right that my schedule is different. She needs to mind her own business. In fact another day this week I was on the phone handling my own client and you know what she did? She actually criticized how I was handling it and wasting time , according to her. It was my own project...not hers (we used to share). I started getting angry and turned my back briefly to her but felt the need to apologize to avoid her complaining to the manager,...again.
It's like she enjoys pushing my buttons on purpose.
TT also told me that the manager knew I was there on my day off...I didn't tell her. Turns out TT alerted her I was coming to the office and even questioned her if I was being paid overtime for those hours or not? Sheesh, she needs to focus on herself and leave me alone! I can't believe I agreed to cover her while she'll be on vacation in about a month. Unbelievably, the manager approved TT's time off request that's even longer than senior employees and is unheard of for someone who's been there less than a year. I'm really fed up of this toxic environment but know I have to continue to grin and bear it until I find something else. I've been looking casually but am not seeing as many openings in my field as what I see in the spring when hiring really picks up.
In the meantime is there anything I can do to keep TT out of my cross hairs? I'm thinking that the next day I need to come in on my day off to finish incomplete work, I'll have to check my work email and wait until she sends an end of shift message and then go in an hour later, to avoid her. Because it's ridiculous to me how much TT interferes with my employment there. I don't see why she feels she has to update the manager about everything I do or don't do. She even had the nerve to tell me what I should be doing on my days off - go travel , don't come to work!! Umm, she's not my mom but sure acts like it.
Has it occurred to you that your problems may stem from you not listening to anyone?
It would help the workload greatly if you would change your schedule, but - "Im not doing that! I like my schedule like it is." Im not sure why if you are going to work on your days off. Seems pointless. Your boss might like your schedule the way it is too, but you wont know if you don't ask.
Longer hours doesn't mean you are accomplishing any more that you would working normal hours. You might accomplish more working normal hours because you will be rested and less irritable. The work might not seem so overwhelming to you.
Look, you can be as uncooperative and selfish with your coworkers as you wish, but please bear in mind, if its between the wonderment of you, and all of them, regardless of how wonderful you truly are, you will be cut loose. And lets not forget - the customer (i.e. client) is always right. If not, they have a way of taking their business elsewhere.
At any rate - TT will not be in your crosshairs for a solid month. If any problems truly do stem from TT and not you, it will show in that months time. Her abnormal vacation may be by design.
Last edited by ComeCloser; 11-04-2018 at 05:42 AM..
Do you have any savings you can live on for the next 6 months? Is there a way you can reduce your living expenses temporarily so you can leave this job ASAP? Can you sleep on a friend's couch for a year if need be?
You need to start looking into your options because it's clear they are just going to continue just playing these mind games. I would have already gotten fired by now because I would have told TT to shove her bullsh** up her a** and to suck a Buffalo's d***, put a dog d*** in her ear and a hippo's d*** in her left nostril to boot. Maybe that would keep her busy enough to stop the horse sh** antics. This is sheer insanity and sounds like a Netflix drama.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
