Work Problems

[LilLibra]

There's no justice in the workplace, especially when you work under conditions that make it difficult to be there and nothing is done about it.

I've had issues with one person I work with who is in higher authority (I'm just a lowly student-worker). This person is incredibly disrespectful. He yells at me whenever I do or don't do something the way he wants. Even if he requested me to do it that way the day before!

I finally wrote to my supervisor about it last week. My supervisor didn't bring it up to me at all. Yesterday, it came to a head with me and this person and I went to my supervisor about it. He was called in and he immediately went on the defense. The worst of it is he began lying about me. The supervisor let him read the letter which I thought was wrong because that was not meant for his eyes. He claimed that I yell at him (not the other way around), I'm disrespectful to him and all kinds of accusations. I couldn't believe that someone who was supposed to be more mature and adult was literally becoming petty and childlike by making up things about me to save his ass.

What really got to me was that my supervisor really didn't back me up on my complaints about him. All that was said was that he should refrain from yelling if I upset him (which I don't believe that I do w/justified reason) and that he should walk out or take a cigarette break.

For me, I was told to "work around him". The supervisor went as far as telling me that he sometimes gets that way with her, that this is just who he is. Now, where does that leave me? If I couldn't even get a fair decision with my supervisor, I don't have an ally at that job.

I talked it out with my mom and she said I shouldn't make a decision in the state I was in. (So angry I started crying... I know... don't say it.) But I already decided to leave that office. Unfortunately, I need a job so I have to find another office to work at first. There may be something coming up next week but I just don't know how I'm going to deal with being in that office with this man now that he thinks he "won" the battle.

I have to work there today and I'm begrudging going. Some advice I got is to put on an act. Behave like a professional and all that, which I will, but I do know that by next Friday, one way or another, I will not be working there.

If this other job comes through, I'm going to just go to my supervisor, tell her that it is my last day and then, take it to the Dean about this man's attitude and behavior. So many of the students in my school dislike him for the way he speaks to people. (Not to mention his recent bust on watching and downloading porn on his computer.)

I think its about time someone who is *willing* to do something about it should be told about what goes on in that office.

Urgh, anyway, thanks for reading. I needed to vent.

Steph

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I'm in a class all by myself... and its f*cking lonely.
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[ed301]

you let him win. porn at work huh, why wasnt he fired? looks like you have made up your mind about what you wana do. if it was me i would make it hard for him while i wass till there. bust his ballz as muchas possable. hell, see if you can get him in some trouble befor you go.

i know what its like to work with assholes. there are differant ways in dealing with them. in your case you have already you decided to leave so in a sense you let him win.

hope it all works out. give em a nice swift kick in the nutz befor you leave.

http://www.iamtheshiz.com/images/headoff.gif

[HordeKing1]

LilLibra - There are a whole bunch of things going on here.

1. You say you're a "student-worker." You still have rights and among those rights is the right to be treated with respect. Is this job an internship required for your degree? Is it part of a work-study program or assistanceship? Does your program allow you to switch jobs and/or agencies? It seems that others in your school have had some really bad experiences with this guy. (This leads me to believe that this is a school placement). Do you know the students involved? Can you ask them to go with you to the Dean? There is strength in numbers here, as it shows that many students, not just you, had problems with this guy. Is your supervisor, supposed to be the link b/w your placement and the school? Do you have a faculty advisor who can speak to your supervisor on your behalf? Those are both options you can explore. I would recommend that you involve the Dean in this, as he or she should be aware that the placements of their students are not all great. Some suck. The Dean is supposed to advocate for you, if this is part of a school placement. (Chances are he'll end up delegating it) but

2. You approached the problem in exactly the correct way. You had problems with a person in authority at work. You wrote to your supervisor. Your supervisor had a major screw up when she failed to act. Only after a major incident, where you had to physically go to complain to your supervisor was any action taken. This supervisor sucks. If it's a school program, let them know. It was improper of the supervisor to have this guy read the e-mail you wrote to her, as inferentially at least (if not explicitly) in was a confidential communication. When she showed him your e-mail, she demonstrated to you that she cannot be trusted.

3. The resolution, such as it was, does not sound like a total loss. I understand that you are very upset that "my supervisor really didn't back me up." However, she did tell this guy not to yell at you and to walk out of the room if he gets upset at you. Your supervisor also told you to "work around him" and that "this is just who he is." This is a half assed way of saying that although she acknowledges a problem, and that she's actually had problems with him herself, she will not get involved.

4. Based on this your decision to leave the office isn't unreasonable. However there are some factors you must first consider. Firstly, does your school allow you to switch b/w these programs? If it's not a school program, can you afford to quit before finding a new job? Unless the answer to both questions is yes, I'd think very carefully about thinking in terms of "next Friday, one way or another, I will not be working there." In this regard, I'd suggest you don't tell anyone at your office that you're even thinking of leaving. In fact, from the way you were treated, it wouldn't be unreasonable to tell your supervisor on the last day and to explain fully that the attitude of this particular guy made working there oppressive and unbearable.

5. You might want to try to avoid thinking about the situation in terms of him winning the battle. He didn't win anything. He just wasn't reprimanded. You can argue that you won, b/c your supervisor acknowledged that the guy has problems. It's just bad supervision and judgment on her part not to address these problems directly. Rather than "putting on an act," I'd just lay very low and avoid this guy AND your supervisor for the next few days or until you leave. Any contact, will aggravate you and you don't need the aggravation about something you have little control over. Keep thinking that the situation is only temporary and that you've had a bad experience - and you've learned from it. You should also be proud of yourself for writing to your supervisor and by going to her when necessary and not being unduly intimidated by this asshole.

6. The last part of your post blew me away. You wrote something about "his recent bust on watching and downloading porn on

[LilLibra]

Is it part of a work-study program or assistanceship? Does your program allow you to switch jobs and/or agencies?


Its a work-study program and yes, if we feel that we'd be better off in other offices, the supervisors are obligated to let us do so if we have already found somewhere else to go.

Do you have a faculty advisor who can speak to your supervisor on your behalf?

We have Academic Advisors but they generally deal with assisting in the course selections for each semester.

If it's a school program, let them know. It was improper of the supervisor to have this guy read the e-mail you wrote to her, as inferentially at least (if not explicitly) in was a confidential communication. When she showed him your e-mail, she demonstrated to you that she cannot be trusted.

That's what I thought. She didn't even tell me this. While he was berading me in her office, he mulled over it by saying, "This is not even because of the little letter you wrote." That's how I found out he knew about it.

This is a half assed way of saying that although she acknowledges a problem, and that she's actually had problems with him herself, she will not get involved.

But this once again leads me to believe that student workers don't have allies unless the supervisor makes the effort to do so. Going to the Dean would be the next thing to do, however, I believe all he'd do is just reiterate all those lies he made up about me. Perhaps even solidify them by bringing in the supervisor.



Firstly, does your school allow you to switch b/w these programs? If it's not a school program, can you afford to quit before finding a new job?

I can find other offices if I'd be more comfortable leaving.


He just wasn't reprimanded. You can argue that you won, b/c your supervisor acknowledged that the guy has problems. It's just bad supervision and judgment on her part not to address these problems directly.

It already has aggravated me. She evaluated me today and although my marks were very good, she gave me "below average" in "taking criticism" and said that I need to learn to take criticism without thinking its a personal attack. I just shrugged it off and thought, "Its water under the bridge now because I'm still leaving."


When you say, "bust," do you mean criminal charges or do you mean "busted" at work and told to knock it off?

The student workers and most of the office staff knew of his porn obsession. He's the only male here. The student workers decided to bring this up to the supervisor. She really got on top of it and it ended up getting to the Dean. He was called in and I found out recently that he denied everything. I guess he was just let off on a warning because he's still here. ::shrug::

I don't know. I'm hanging in there. Its tough to work with people that you feel went behind your back to sabotage you but I think I'm handling it well so far. As soon as I leave the office, I forget everyone in there. Me leaving isn't so much as me admitting that he won by making me go. I have classes and everything else to deal with. Its unnecessary for me to play childish games with someone older than I am. I'd rather work somewhere that won't make me feel defeated, as a worker. Not to mention, it might show the people in the office that I stand up for myself, no matter who I'm standing up to. That's really what this lesson is about for me.

Thanks King for your help. And Ed, thanks too. Much appreciated. :)

Steph

This message was edited by LilLibra on 2-6-03 @ 6:21 PM

[HordeKing1]

More important than showing the people in the office that you stand up for yourself is demonstrating this to YOU.

E-mail me if you want to talk more.

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