I have a question and my situation seems different than the norm. I work in a very small center and am being harassed by a coworker not a sup. I seem to have pretty good managers I have gone to the managers about it, they direct the guilty party to stop doing X so the next day the same coworker just changes the way he harasses me to Y and it continues. What can I do I don't think the guilty party is capable of changing and is very good at harassing me while staying within the rules ..such as sexual, religuous, or race type of harassment so he has got away with what he is doing for years now. Is there any help within the company? Or the law?
Coworker bullying
- Thread starter givinup
- Start date
From your post I can't get any sense of what form this alleged harassment is taking, but you certainly have a right to work without being harassed and it's management's responsibility to ensure that you have a harassment free work environment. If your direct supervisors haven't been much help, try HR.
How is this person harassing you? What is he doing to harass you. One of the best ways to deal with people like this is to totally ignore them. What they want from you is a reaction apparently you have given that to them so they are going to keep doing it. Just ignore them and they will move on to bother someone else.
Well an example is ignoring me, pretending he does not hear or see me when I have to interact with him for work, Mocking me for talking to my managers about being harassed such as making crying noises and them repeating things I've said as loud as he can. This was today. So how does HR work?
some1else
Banned
I would say going to managment is the worst thing to do. First ask the person direct or if you are uncormftable ask your steward to talk to him and give them a chance before going to managment. But that opportunity seems to have passed at this point all you can do is play "whats grosser than gross". Anything he says think of something twice as bad and give it back.
brownedout
Well-Known Member
There should be a poster up somewhere fairly accessible in your building titled UPS Helpline. It is a 1-800 phone # for situations like this.
TheDick
Well-Known Member
If you've givin your local mgmnt the gift of allowing them to put a stop to a fellow employee "creating a hostile work environment", and i'm not saying thats the case, then going above their heads is the next step. Your manager might even get fired for this one. The last time a part-timer got picked on by another employee he was warned that if it happened again he'd be terminated easily because there were witnesses to the bullying.
Don't be in a hurry to call HR, they can really screw things up.
Does he do this to others and would they go with you to complain? Are there any witnesses who would stand up and support you?
If he's ignoring you maybe that's a good thing. Sometimes I get childish co-workers who want to act up. I just do my job. If they play games to make mine harder or impossible I just let the chips fall while doing my best. When sup comes to ask what the problem is say you're doing the best you can. Chances are they will watch from somewhere and see the a-hole not cooperating and take care of it.
As I've said, I have ridden this crap out sometimes for years with someone who just doesn't like me. It's good practice for backbone and tolerance to disregard the games and keep your head up. Best of luck!
Does he do this to others and would they go with you to complain? Are there any witnesses who would stand up and support you?
If he's ignoring you maybe that's a good thing. Sometimes I get childish co-workers who want to act up. I just do my job. If they play games to make mine harder or impossible I just let the chips fall while doing my best. When sup comes to ask what the problem is say you're doing the best you can. Chances are they will watch from somewhere and see the a-hole not cooperating and take care of it.
As I've said, I have ridden this crap out sometimes for years with someone who just doesn't like me. It's good practice for backbone and tolerance to disregard the games and keep your head up. Best of luck!
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
This may be a situation best resolved outside of work.
I would go back to the manager you already reported this to with a steward. Give the manager one more chance to resolve the situation AND let him know that if it is not resolved today, you will be calling the 800 number to report both the employee and the manager.
Did this all start becasue you went to your SUP becasue this idiot was ignoring you.
Ignoring you isn't harassment I ignore alot of people that I work with at UPS including SUPs sometimes. Before you go calling the HR person or the 800 number you better have some good reason how you are being harassed I don't believe being ignored by a co-worker is one.
Just do your job and don't worry about this idiot he got exactly what he wanted from you a reaction. If possible ask your SUP to move you to a different work area. I know you said your building is small but I started working in a building that only has 26-28 routes on a given day and there place to be moved so you didn't have to work with other people. If your in the primary ask to go load cars or the other way.
Somethings are better handle by just moving on and not playing the other person game. No matter where you work your not going to get along with everyone just because you don't get along or talk to each other doesn't rise to the point of harassment or mean that you have to inform management.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
This is why they invented I-Pods. Plug in, turn on, and forget about the morons around you. 
UPS Lifer
Well-Known Member
Bullying has become a very sensitive subject more recently. People are quick to judge if something goes wrong. Years ago, if someone came up to me and said that John Smith was making fun of me and making crying noises I would have said get a pair of big ones! In today's culture an investigation has to take place if someone makes an accusation of bullying. This definitely fits the workplace violence policy. NOW, does it really fit the "bullying" category? I don't know.
Without an investigation, I really can't say for sure.
What I do know is that bullies are looking for attention and reaction. They are trying to take your energy. This "bully" is probably bored, and messing with you passes the time. He knows he will get a reaction from you. I agree with toonertoo. Another reality is that this will not be your first encounter with this type of person. Are you going to always be looking to someone else to protect you or provide a bubble for you to work in? You need to develop the social skills to interact with all types of people. Unfortunately, you will cross paths with many people like this. The key is to understand how to maneuver through the mud and muck without veering off the road.
To be very blunt, your example of making "crying noises" paints a very unflattering picture of you in my mind. I would be more focused on getting my job done than having any concern about some immature person mocking me with crying noises.
As a manager, if I found that there were no witnesses to this "bullying", I would set up a meeting with both of you and my HR rep and review the Workplace Violence Policy. I would probably include the shop steward. I would let you both know there would be zero tolerance to this childish behavior. I would probably moderate some controlled discussion and be looking for "tells" (body language - verbal and nonverbal signals) from the both of you. This would give me some insight as to how serious a situation this is and what direction to go to monitor and diffuse further issues.
Both of you would be on notice and further problems would be followed up with the appropriate disciplinary action. If this guy has a pattern of doing this, he will have another issue with another person and progressive discipline will follow.
Without an investigation, I really can't say for sure.
What I do know is that bullies are looking for attention and reaction. They are trying to take your energy. This "bully" is probably bored, and messing with you passes the time. He knows he will get a reaction from you. I agree with toonertoo. Another reality is that this will not be your first encounter with this type of person. Are you going to always be looking to someone else to protect you or provide a bubble for you to work in? You need to develop the social skills to interact with all types of people. Unfortunately, you will cross paths with many people like this. The key is to understand how to maneuver through the mud and muck without veering off the road.
To be very blunt, your example of making "crying noises" paints a very unflattering picture of you in my mind. I would be more focused on getting my job done than having any concern about some immature person mocking me with crying noises.
As a manager, if I found that there were no witnesses to this "bullying", I would set up a meeting with both of you and my HR rep and review the Workplace Violence Policy. I would probably include the shop steward. I would let you both know there would be zero tolerance to this childish behavior. I would probably moderate some controlled discussion and be looking for "tells" (body language - verbal and nonverbal signals) from the both of you. This would give me some insight as to how serious a situation this is and what direction to go to monitor and diffuse further issues.
Both of you would be on notice and further problems would be followed up with the appropriate disciplinary action. If this guy has a pattern of doing this, he will have another issue with another person and progressive discipline will follow.
22.34life
Well-Known Member
for once i agree with you.
brownedout
Well-Known Member
This is where I would be most inclined to "take it". Just wanted to throw out all options when I spoke of Helpline.
TheDick
Well-Known Member
File a grievance, let the union deal with it.
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