Catty Coworkers.

[Jekka]

Why is your integrity only a semblance of integrity in the first place?

I think you two es need to get it on, a real, scratching, hair-pulling, blouse-ripping, brassiere-strpping, hissing, miawling, cathartic cat-fight. , ya, baby. I'll be there.

You might rethink that if you ever saw her. She's been compared to Toad from Frog and Toad - we're thinking about getting her a waistcoat as a goodbye gift at the end of this mess.

[furry_spurry]

I would let it blow over and say nothing- but that is how I have always been in work environments. I am the person who does her job and keeps quiet about what everyone else is doing- figuring the boss actually knows the truth- and he or she always has, in my case. I am a little unclear as to why you feel the need to say anything about it- could that not make you appear to be part of the cattiness? Talking about it- even separately to your boss- seems to present the possibiltiy of making you look like you are more involved than you want them to think you are. Does that make sense? If the drama doesnt really involve you, then you have nothing to say about it.

[clambake]

Is your boss someone worth impressing to begin with?

Do you trust his/ her judgement to the point of impacting your future?

Does this boss separate fact from fiction, or only care about his/her position

Does this boss deserve your respect?


If the answer to all these questions is yes, then trust he/she will respect your concerns.

[travis2]

Slightly off the wall question...to anyone, really...

What are the laws in Texas concerning references? It is my understanding that former employers aren't allowed to randomly give bad references...but I'm not a lawyer, so I don't really know...

[ShoogarBear]

I seem to recall a previous thread on that exact question a year or two ago . . .

[SpursWoman]

I would let it blow over and say nothing- but that is how I have always been in work environments. I am the person who does her job and keeps quiet about what everyone else is doing- figuring the boss actually knows the truth- and he or she always has, in my case. I am a little unclear as to why you feel the need to say anything about it- could that not make you appear to be part of the cattiness? Talking about it- even separately to your boss- seems to present the possibiltiy of making you look like you are more involved than you want them to think you are. Does that make sense? If the drama doesnt really involve you, then you have nothing to say about it.

Eh, I'm pretty much the same way ... but I'm not a fall guy, either. I'm not letting someone else's ineptness have anything to do with my livelihood, and if I'm doing all of the work, I'm getting credit for it. And since that way of operating got me from staff accountant to corporate controller in about 4 years time, I'm pretty sure it's a more effective route than keeping your mouth shut and getting stepped all over. Looking like a doormat will get you about as far as looking like a drama queen.

[boutons_]

furry spurry, are we talking post-pubesence, finally got the advice right.

STFU, know your job, do your job, head down, nose to the grindstone, coolly professional not hotly emotional, and refuse to get sucked into the hormonal hysteria (actually, its sounds like it's probably too late ).

In that hen house, you're probably all sync'd up menstrually anyway.

[SpursWoman]

furry spurry, are we talking post-pubesence, finally got the advice right.

Sure. If you want to be someone else's secretary for the rest of your career. Or a career administrative assistant...why not? You have your own *day* and everything.

[FromWayDowntown]

Slightly off the wall question...to anyone, really...

What are the laws in Texas concerning references? It is my understanding that former employers aren't allowed to randomly give bad references...but I'm not a lawyer, so I don't really know...

I don't do much employment work and can't say for sure that there isn't a prohibition against giving bad references, but I would think that an employer could offer bad references if it chose to. The reason most employers don't, though, is that if the employee sued for wrongful termination and sought back pay as well as damages for the period of time between termination and the start of the next job, the employer's actions in giving bad references could be used as evidence of an effort to deprive the employee of a job. From a practical standpoint, the risk is too great -- if there's effort of the employer's complicity (subtle or otherwise) in keeping the employee jobless, a jury or a court could easily assess the damages resulting from that period of unemployment against the employer.

While in college, I worked in HR for a fairly sizeable local en y and fielded about 5-10 calls for references each week. That en y had a hard-and-fast rule limiting references to a verification of employment, position, and dates of employment. Nothing beyond that information. I also made reference calls to other business about prospective employees for that en y and found that the variety ran from the sort of vanilla stuff I was permitted to disclose to some who were willing to provide every detail of a person's tenure and offer editorial comment about personality and job performance.

[1Parker1]

What kind of law do you practice, FWD?

[furry_spurry]

Sure. If you want to be someone else's secretary for the rest of your career. Or a career administrative assistant...why not? You have your own *day* and everything.

Being as I have never been a secretary or an administrative assistant, that does not quite apply to me. I have never, ever had a problem with a boss not knowing that I do my job well and my being recognized for it. Every place I have ever left was VERY sorry to see me go. It has been my personal experience that bosses for the most part know sure well who is doing what, but then again I have always worked with highly-educated people. Since college, I have never had a boss without at least a Master's Degree.

In this poster's particular case, she was talking about an interniship. Coming across as griping that you had to do too much work and someone else did not do enough at an internship is a BAD move in my opinion. Plus, she is the one who classified it as cattiness. You stay out of cattiness at work by closing your mouth- not opening it.

[Jekka]

I'm emotionally invested in this story. Post how it turns out.

Catty Coworker quit and solved all of our problems. It was generally agreed upon in the meeting that she was the root of all issues and is now gone, so hallelujah. Granted, this means extra work for all of us, but I really don't mind so long as I don't have to deal with the crazy lady.

[tlongII]

Catty Coworker quit and solved all of our problems. It was generally agreed upon in the meeting that she was the root of all issues and is now gone, so hallelujah. Granted, this means extra work for all of us, but I really don't mind so long as I don't have to deal with the crazy lady.

You realize of course that you have a cat for your avatar?

[Sportcamper]

Catty Coworker's ARE LIKE FORUM WHACKOS...Get rid of one & somebody just steps up & takes their place...

[furry_spurry]

It was generally agreed upon in the meeting that she was the root of all issues and is now gone, so hallelujah.

So the boss knew??

[SpursWoman]

I wouldn't be too sure ... her boss might only have a BBA.

[exstatic]

Catty Coworker quit and solved all of our problems. It was generally agreed upon in the meeting that she was the root of all issues and is now gone, so hallelujah. Granted, this means extra work for all of us, but I really don't mind so long as I don't have to deal with the crazy lady.

Actually, it sounds that way, but it also sounds like you had group objectives, and had to cover her lazy/worthless ass. Asking the boss for clear individual objectives for everyone really cannot be taken the wrong way, and WILL reveal the source of the problem in a fast, real-world indisputable way.

[MannyIsGod]

I tried to get Jess to be more confrintational in tihs situation because as I've been in the pressence of many of her group meetings and I've seen the work she's stayed up all night at times doing, I really looked like to me that their "boss" really thought he could simply hand off the objective and it would work itself out.

I think they did a damn good job of putting the data together, but when issues arose this guy was pissed because it was his ass on the line. Well, thats fine but how about you take some time to take care of the situation BEFORE it gets to this point instead of being a pissed off asshole when it does? As SW said, I think this guy is relativly green because he lacks a lot of "mangement" sense and it showed this time around.

I didn't want Jess to get run over by some guy who obviously didn't know how to properly delegate the objectives and clarify what should have taken place or nip problems in the bud. It all worked out in the end quite well seeing as the main root of the problem removed herself but hopefully her boss takes something from this experience as well and provides more guidance/supervision in the future.

[Guru of Nothing]

I tried to get Jess to be more confrintational in tihs situation because as I've been in the pressence of many of her group meetings and I've seen the work she's stayed up all night at times doing, I really looked like to me that their "boss" really thought he could simply hand off the objective and it would work itself out.

I think they did a damn good job of putting the data together, but when issues arose this guy was pissed because it was his ass on the line. Well, thats fine but how about you take some time to take care of the situation BEFORE it gets to this point instead of being a pissed off asshole when it does? As SW said, I think this guy is relativly green because he lacks a lot of "mangement" sense and it showed this time around.

I didn't want Jess to get run over by some guy who obviously didn't know how to properly delegate the objectives and clarify what should have taken place or nip problems in the bud. It all worked out in the end quite well seeing as the main root of the problem removed herself but hopefully her boss takes something from this experience as well and provides more guidance/supervision in the future.

Hate me, but that is some passive prose Manny. Actually, it's downright disgusting.

Don't let the bas s drag you down.

Thank me later.

P.S. - I deal with SOX auditors and thusly I hate passive statements. I'm biased.

[MannyIsGod]

I'm lost man. You're going to have to spell it out fo rme.

[TDMVPDPOY]

pull the race card, get her fired

[furry_spurry]

From people I have spoken to--it's better to do an individual internship than one with a group of interns.

As for the remark about the degree: Not only am I being interviewed, I am also "interviewing" my prospective boss. To seek someone who has higher credentials and education for one's boss has created successful work relationships for me. I like someone who has shown their dedication and intelligence by pursuing an advanced degree- as I am doing the same. Nothing is more frustrating to me than knowing more than my boss. I am there not only to work but to learn.

[Guru of Nothing]

I'm lost man. You're going to have to spell it out fo rme.

Check your PMs dude.

Adios.

[MannyIsGod]

pull the race card, get her fired

Jess is a cracka.

[SpursWoman]

I inherited a horrible employee when I'd gotten my promotion, whom I wasn't allowed to replace for several unmentionable reasons ... so I was stuck having to constantly waste my time and effort, on top of an already stressful job, correcting her mistakes.

My boss never saw these mistakes because since the end product came from me, I made damn sure what I turned in was correct, regardless of how much extra time I had to spend getting it that way. I kept my mouth shut for a long time and just did it ... but when things started getting really bad, I started to hate my job because it seemed so ing unfair, but I was too afraid to complain because he knew I didn't like her from the moment I interviewed her and that I was pissed at him for pulling rank and hiring her anyway...so I didn't want to seem catty, because some genius told me I should just shut up and do the work.

Well, I finally snapped ... and went into my boss' office and had a long heart to heart about this woman and what was really going on behind the scenes. And I didn't present it in a way that I was bad-mouthing her, but with solid examples of the mistakes she was constantly making and my efforts to teach her the right way, the bad at ude she had with customers & vendors, and several other gems ... and how what she was doing was affecting the quality of my work and how much time I had to spend correcting it...and to top it off I told him about other ideas I had of things I wanted to do for the benefit of the company but never had time to do them because of her.

He finally let me fire her, and hire someone that was awesome whose work I could trust...my job got exponentially better and I was able to move on to bigger and better things. So no, sitting on your ass when something is going on to the detriment of the company is not always the answer, just because you're afraid to look like a PMS'ing female.

My boss was pretty ing smart, too (an MBA and a CPA!)... but he was also very approachable. Being the owner of the company, he was very busy and gone a lot, so he didn't have time to waste making sure an accounting clerk was doing her job right. So he didn't know. And was pretty incredulous that I hadn't brought it up sooner.