psycho co worker

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hard_worker

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Making it short. Been with a co. for 5 yrs. always get along and do a good job. A co-worker, been there for 20 yrs, works hard, good job, nice guy. BUT, Him and I work on the same stuff. He has the personality that you should worship him. I have been in the industry longer just not there. Ok. He doesnt like me and wants to get me fired because I am as good as he is, dont worship him, in awe of him extra.
For the last 3 yrs, he is one grade above me but I dont report to him. He has behind my back put me down and turned weak minded managers thinking he has to fix my stuff, I dont know what I am doing and trying to get me fired. Hasnt happened because I do a good job. I have talked to the two managers that I have had. They know he talks trash against me, sends group passdowns that sounds like I messed up, dont know what I am doing ect. I used to be a manager and was always taught that this comes down to Harrassment, hostile work envirenment and defimation of charactor. The problem is my former and current manager wont stop the behavior and wk by wk, month by month, yr by yr it continues. The guy just thinks he owns the place never get fired etc and probably right. But I have to deal with it and I am ready to buy him a beer out in the parking lot. Isnt there employment laws where I can sue him, the company etc. I am not a sue kinda guy but I should not have to put up with this and cant imagine why management wont tell him to just shut up, be proffesional etc. He is good at making it look like he is trying to get along. My other coworkers tell me stuff he says behind my back all the time to make me look bad... I have documentation, its widely known in our group he is doing this but other then taking him to court I quess wont stop it> What do I do...??? It is blantent and obvious. Past managers who depend on my work has been turned against me just by listening to this guy and not out of ???? look at my work against his words. Luckily most of them are gone and the ones still there dont listen but I hear it and it stress's me out and just want to shut him up one way or the other. My current boss has no back bone and if I escalate it to HR, who we all know sides with corperate will alianate me ... I hope that makes sense, at will situation and if he cause's me to get fired or under the shadow of layoff which there is no way they can justify that being as important and short handed in my field.
I almost wish they would with a severance and not the 14 days to think about it at my age just so I can say, why didnt you just tell him to do his job and be proffesional.. Ok, kinda long winded but I was kinda getting it off my chest too. I am a smart guy, been a manager an the class's I have taken this is not legal for me to have to put up with this BS..
Thanx... Ahhhhhh
 
That block of text is nearly impossible to read.

Please identify what law you believe is being violated.
 
Hard Worker

I am sorry to everyone, that was a babbling/ranting desperate plea that made no sense. Long day and I was frustrated. Other then that, no exuse to have wasted that space.
I have a co-worker that is telling others in my maintenance group and some off shift managers that I dont know what I am doing and when I say I fix a tool its not really fixed and he has to come in behind me on his shift and fix it right and save the day. When my shift is over I send out a passdown explaining what tools went down, why and what I did to fix them. The next day I come in and his pass down is spun like I screwed it up, it was an easy fix etc and it goes out to everyone in our group along with the managers. A small example of him saying things behind my back is I sent out an email to the group that I had mis-placed a tool and asked if anyone finds it to let me know. He told people on his shift that I am always losing my tools and he has to find them for me making me look irresponsible. He has told them that I am lost, dont have a clue and he has to hold my hand because I cant fix anything. I am very good at what I do so all this is not true, he just hates me and wants to turn the managers against me and get me fired.. bottom line.
This probably sounds petty but in the past he has turned some weak minded shift managers into thinking I cant fix anything and has gotten me a bad review and cost me money. Even in a shift pass over one of those managers said to about 13 people, me included that now that "he" was there all the tools are working... That was not only unprofessional and stupid by that manager it was stressfull and made me worry about my job. A co-worker that was there next to me told me, "Dude, you need to watch out, they are trying to get rid of you".
There are alot more examples, some more intense and implies that I could wind up costing the company money or getting someone hurt.
To me, it is causing a hostile environment and slander.
Personally, I prefer asking him out in the parking lot for a beer and deal with it but in a professional environment you cant do that. I have brought it to the attention to my managers and nothing is being done. The last time I was told just not to stoop down to his level..
Thanx and any advice would help.
Hard Worker
 
First off, the only way someone can state that they are working in a hostile work environment is if the employer creates the situation, not a fellow employee. Secondly, everything he is stating about you is hearsay as of right now and there is nothing legally that you can do about that either. Basically, you have two choices: 1. ignore it and continue working, or 2. find another job.
 
de novo said:
First off, the only way someone can state that they are working in a hostile work environment is if the employer creates the situation, not a fellow employee. Secondly, everything he is stating about you is hearsay as of right now and there is nothing legally that you can do about that either. Basically, you have two choices: 1. ignore it and continue working, or 2. find another job.
Click to expand...
That is incorrect. Anyone, the employer or an employee can create a hostile work environment. All the employee must do, is be able to show that s/he is being subjected to either sexual harassment or illegal discrimination under Title VII (race, religion, national origin, age etc.) and anyone including fellow employees can do that.
 
Thanx but not sure I agree

Thank you de novo and mLane for ya'lls input.
A hostile environment is just that no matter who creates it and no employee should have to be subjected to it. And the discrimination is nothing about race, creed, religions etc.. , its personal so that federal law is out.
I guess it comes down to slander and defamation of character that the managers are aware of and wont do anything about it which continues to make it a hostile envornment for me. When I was a manager I went thru all the "how to treat all the employees" as the same etc... which confuse's me because now as just a worker, carry a tool box I am continually subjected to this obvious harrasment by a co-worker. I made my manager aware of it many times and it still continues. Maybe one of these days he will get me fired so I continue to worry about that and especially my reputation as being a good technician! Some of the ex managers that he did turn against me I might run into looking/working for another company down the road. I am tired of listening to his BS and the only option as novo said is to put up with it or find another job. I should not be forced into that kind of situation especially now when there isnt any other jobs and as the previous comment implies I might run into someone he has convenced that I am a bad technician and their opinion keeps me from getting that job. My industry is a very small world! I prefer to deal with it and put an end to it. I just dont know how? I am not looking for a lawsuit but if that is what it takes then I am willing, more importantly then money is to teach the ass he cant do that. My managers wont do it so I am constantly put in a position of dreading going to work and wondering what this guy has said about me. I have been thru the last 4 layoffs and we are down to the "A" team so I know I am one of the special ones that the company knows they cant do without.
It comes down to I have certain skills and he has certain skills and they dont want to rock the boat and lose either one of us so trying to laugh it off like its not a big deal. Fine for the company but I am stressed, tired of it and down the road its probably going to bite me in the butt and cost me a job. To be honest, if he says what he says behind my back to me face to face, which he wont but, I am afraid I am going to grab the dude and get in trouble.
Like I said, been thru the chain of command many times and the next stop is HR. But if I do that it would alianate me with my boss since he knows about it and hasnt done anything about it so that would screw me. Rock and hard place right now....

Thanx again
Hard Worker.
 
Hmmm...mlane is correct about the hostile work enviornment, but not about only being about sexual harrassment or discrimination. Since your other managers are aware of it and have been unwilling to do anything about it, you do have cause to state that the environment has become hostile. However, you must clearly state to the members of management and HR that this has been going on for some time now and that something needs to be done about it. This will put the ball in their court and they would have to act on it. If that does not happen, then you COULD file. However, you said in the post that "I have been thru the last 4 layoffs and we are down to the "A" team so I know I am one of the special ones that the company knows they cant do without." With this in mind, maybe just bring the comments to the attention of HR, wait for them to act, and try to ignore this guy in the meantime?
 
de novo said:
Hmmm...mlane is correct about the hostile work enviornment, but not about only being about sexual harrassment or discrimination. Since your other managers are aware of it and have been unwilling to do anything about it, you do have cause to state that the environment has become hostile. However, you must clearly state to the members of management and HR that this has been going on for some time now and that something needs to be done about it. This will put the ball in their court and they would have to act on it. If that does not happen, then you COULD file. However, you said in the post that "I have been thru the last 4 layoffs and we are down to the "A" team so I know I am one of the special ones that the company knows they cant do without." With this in mind, maybe just bring the comments to the attention of HR, wait for them to act, and try to ignore this guy in the meantime?
Click to expand...
De novo, unless the OP's situation is about their race, gender, age, religion or any other protected catergory, or is about sexual harassment, then it isn't a hostile work environment under the law. It may be an unfriendy or unpleasant work environement, but it is not illegal.
 
I understand that the anti-discrimination statutes are not a general civility code. Thus, federal law does not prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not extremely serious. Rather, the conduct must be so offensive as to alter the conditions of the individual's employment. The conditions of employment are altered only if the harassment culminates in a tangible employment action or is sufficiently severe or pervasive to create a hostile work environment. The employer has the right to at LEAST document the incident in order to avoid a hostile work environment lawsuit, if not suspend and/or (and this is a drastic step in my opinion) sever the employee-employer relationship. I think that while the law may be black and white about what is protected, the employer needs to know what is going on in order to avoid this spinning into a hostile work environment lawsuit since it is unclear exactly what all of the comments pertain to.
 
And I think that you really need to learn more about what does and does not constitute a hostile work environment. You really do not seem to have a good grasp of it at all.
 
Hmmm

I did not intend for this to be a debate about who knows more about the law then the other.
Simply, this is the strangest situation I have been in. The bottom line is a co-worker is sabataging my career with this company by making up BS and turning others against me. To me, slander and defamation of charector is illegal no matter where or how. You hear all the time about someone saying or printing something that is not true, could have a finacial/social affect on that person and they get sued for it. Why would this be different?
I do have alot of info about what he has said and most of my co-workers all have told me different things about me thats not true. Under oath and out of friendship they would and have to testify.
True, he is someone that the company needs. He knows this and feels like he can do/say anything he wants. But he doesnt realize he could get the company sued. But when you start to go there you better be damn sure what the laws/rules and evidence are first. That is why I am here.
Thanx to all for the input.

hard worker.
 
cbg, I know what the law says under Title VII to constitute a hostile work environment and am explaining that an employer needs to know aspects of the primary complaint in order to rectify the problem BEFORE it falls under this category. While Title VII clearly states what it is, its interpretation by the employer and employee in a work environment may differ from the characteristics needed to be classified as a hostile work environment. Therefore, while a suit may be filed by an employee and eventually be dismissed, it was still filed.
 
Decided to do more research into Title VII to get a better understanding of it. You were right and I concede the point. I was WAY off. HardWorker, please disregard my comments pertaining to this. It will not help you in this situation.
 
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