What should I do about this situation at work?

Adore

Adore

"BLONDIE"
Sep 17, 2006
1,695
1
#1
AAHHHHhhggg... I don't even know what to do about this. How do I handle this with this person?
This got long, sorry...


On Wednesday our head teller asked me if I have anything lined up after I get out of school. I said no but I had a meeting with someone just to show them my work (I'm in art college). Like this place was 10 years of experience down the line, I was lucky they even gave me any of their time. I was hopeful at first but I realize now it probably won't go anywhere.

So she turns around the next day when I'm not there and tells my manager that I'm leaving in December.

FLAT OUT. No little extra details in there, flat out. I can't believe it. I am fuming mad right now. My manager took me into her office to talk to me about it and wanted to know about it and I'm like... whaaat??!!


My whole branch knows I had an internship and knows I'm interested in the field I'm going to college for. And I am 22 years old, I know how to give notice and I'd be happy to let them know if something was in the works! I made a connection with someone, GEEZ! And I talked about it! And graduating is 2 months away, if I found out tomorrow for some reason I got hired they'd have plenty of notice anyway-- and they probably aren't going to hire me!


And then, this honestly made me more angry than the first. She told my manager that I "DROVE HER CRAZY" on Wednesday. This woman doesn't even DO anything other than surf the internet!
Let me explain the situation:
I go to school in the middle of the day, I'm only gone for 2 hours and come back with 2 hours more. I take the deposit bags in the morning (takes 20 business deposits to fill a bag and you have to process it, takes like 3 minutes tops) and I was nice enough to stay an extra 5 minutes (doesn't seem like long but I have only 5 minutes to park and run to class by the time I arrive on campus! I really give them as much time as I can) to take another customer before I go because I felt bad as a line formed. It was my 20th deposit bag (just big bag of money you don't have to actually count) and it filled my bag-- it can only hold 20 and it's processed on the computer. I couldn't close it because I had to go to school, which isn't even a problem, I could just do it when I got back, no biggie. But then I get another deposit bag in which I had to start an entirely new one. I even asked if I could just open it and count it as that would be easier but the lazy-ass that she was actually said no, just make a new bag.
So I had to close 2 bags in which it took me like 6-10 minutes.

Then she wanted me to re-make a previous deposit bag because it wasn't closed all the way from the sticky part being stuck to a bag inside, and so I had to do THAT all on my own. Like she was a complete ***** about it, dropping it down by my station "Do this, please!" And I find out this morning from my manager in her office that I'm apparently driving her crazy by leaving everything to do until the last minute :wtf:. HOW in the world is that the last minute, and when else have I ever done this? Never! And there was no mistake she meant me! She is so concerned about getting out so early and this has been an issue with everyone and brought up to the manager as well. She will even make us all sell our money way down 30 minutes before closing when that's when we get a rush of people. And then we have no money.


So Monday, I don't even KNOW how to handle this. How can I? I want to be like "So where am I working in December? Because I wasn't aware I had another job. And are you my mother? I'm 22 years old, I think I know how to give notice on my own. And I'm driving you crazy by leaving things at the last minute?" (I am aching to hear the explanation for that one) I really really don't understand the driving her crazy on Wednesday part. Nothing was left until the last minute-- I'm fuming. Me having to close my window meant more time for her to be on the window and not on the internet, for like 10 minutes and we HAVE to! Like it was minutes... under 10 minutes...
Oh, and I had a nice stack of things to process when I came back too from her, as usual. She just drops things off and yeah, I take them.
The worst of it is when the line gets long she'll take customers deposits and I swear to god, every time she will give them to me, she won't dare give them to anyone else. So I help customers at my window and then I, only ME, I have to process all the rest in between.

I'm ready to just throw something =\ I never thought I'd have so many problems. Like it seems unreal but it's almost enjoyable and eases me to complain because it's so absurd!


Like I literally work right next to her. I don't even care. I just don't know if my reaction is best. I can't believe it, though. I mean, that Wednesday she didn't even have to be involved in ANYTHING I was doing. Like it makes no sense... I don't understand it.

Is it my age? I'm 22, she's probably close to twice my age. I do my job. I love to take responsibilities and feel accomplished. She is NOT MY MOTHER.
I have had internships and have never had these problems... I was always praised for being such a hard worker-- and my most recent one that ended a month ago, I was so thrilled to hear that in comparison to the treatment at this place I stay at only to have an income during school. 2 more months! But it's still 2 more months...
 
#2
I wouldn't really trust her with any more personal information. I don't see how the topic of what your future plans are would come up in casual conversation between your boss and her; she obviously brought it up so it doesn't seem like she has your feelings in mind. I think you should say something to her. Going to school and working at the same time not easy. I have done it before and it just adds so much stress so I can definitely understand how frustrated you are at the moment. I am sure your boss understands this, but if not try to have a talk as far as the deposits.
 
#4
What really bugs me is that now my manager is saying to me "You need to give us as much notice as you can, and we may have to hold you for a couple extra weeks after 2 weeks."

Can they do that? I said to her, I'm not going to school for this, as she knows. I don't even know about this meeting I had until another week (like if they for whatever reason want to hire me. They were also only going to for unpaid but I would have to give up my only paid job for it. NO idea how it will turn out.)

Can they really do that? And now I feel like, well for one thing, that my manager could have said to me well you'll probably leave so here's a cut-off date for you. And then this, telling me in advance I'll probably have to stay there for weeks. SOOOO not happening if I get another job. Can they actually do that though?

As much as I want to handle it myself, maybe I should bring her to my manager. But my manager isn't really that great. She'd stick up for her. She has. She did. I even brought up another problem abut checks (similar to the deposit issue) and she changed the subject. We looked something up but she didn't give an answer and avoided anything that would mean she had to confront them. But confront me! I'm only 22, right, some stupid girl who does her job. =\
 
#5
Even if your contract reads "2 week notice period", if your manager needs you for another 3 weeks and you don't stay for those extra 3 weeks, she will be upset with you. They cannot do anything legally, but she could give you a bad reference or whatever. I think if the interviewer asks you for a recommendation letter, you should be "honest" and let them know you are having problems agreeing on your leaving date which may have an impact on the letter. This s** happens all the time, so they should be Ok about it.
 
#6
Your coworker shouldn't have done what she did, but she did. Now it's up to you to show her, and your manager, that while you won't stand for it, you're also mature and professional. No employer can "keep you" longer than you want to be there, the 2 weeks is a courtesy (and in some cases, if you're going to a competitor in the same industry, it's immediate).

I know it's tempting to tell her off, but by saying things like "I'm 22" and "she's not my mother" does not show people that you're mature. You've worked hard to juggle school with work, and to do a good job at both, so don't let this coworker's insecurity/immaturity/idiocy make you act in a way that jeopardizes that.

Take a deep breath, think it through, and then explain to your boss (even though she's taken sides with this coworker) in a clear, objective, and rational way what happened and what your intentions are.
 
#7
Dont share any more personal information with your co-workers especially when it pertains to leaving a company. You dont want to burn bridges with your employer, if they need you to stay longer, do it. I would probably want to get this woman in a meeting with the boss to see what she actually will say/has said.
 
#8
What should I do when I first walk in? What do I do when I walk past her? We're a group of usually 6 and it's impossible to avoid her and go to my manager first and everything. I feel so fuming mad, I can't get it out of my head.

Like it's a weird situation now. I almost want to give my 2 weeks notice but that would be stupid. I'd be broke. 2 months left or not, 2 months is a long time, especially when nothing is for sure in terms of another job right off the bat.

Thanks for your help you guys. I still feel like the only way I can handle it is by confronting her right off the bat and just be FUMING. I don't know why I can't shake that, but I see why it's probably not the best course of action...
 
#9
Adore said:
What should I do when I first walk in? What do I do when I walk past her? We're a group of usually 6 and it's impossible to avoid her and go to my manager first and everything. I feel so fuming mad, I can't get it out of my head.

Like it's a weird situation now. I almost want to give my 2 weeks notice but that would be stupid. I'd be broke. 2 months left or not, 2 months is a long time, especially when nothing is for sure in terms of another job right off the bat.

Thanks for your help you guys. I still feel like the only way I can handle it is by confronting her right off the bat and just be FUMING. I don't know why I can't shake that, but I see why it's probably not the best course of action...
Click to expand...

It depends on what you guys do on Mondays? Like, if you usually talk about your weekend, just say "my weekend was great, thanks, how was yours?" and let somebody else talk about themselves. If you do not feel strong enough, you can always pretend you're sick or something? That way you can ignore her and if she makes a comment about you acting weird you can always say something like "well I'm sick so I'm not really in the mood for talking". Just don't give her what she wants!
 
#10
Is this my fault for even talking about it? I mean it's not like I was like most people (not saying this is a bad thing because I wouldn't be opposed to doing it) and said NOTHING and then surprise, I'm leaving in 2 weeks! I mean, this is the reality of it, I'm in college and I'm getting out soon, and DURING this job I've had an internship that ended only 1 month ago... I mean this really changes nothing. But I can't help but feel like it's my fault now. Like I have no place to even say anything. I'm still so angry. I have no clue how tomorrow is going to play out.

I have that feeling inside like I want to stick up for myself really really badly... and not just let it go but I might have to play it cool. It's just so hard, I have no idea how tomorrow is going to be =\
 
#12
Adore said:
Is this my fault for even talking about it? I mean it's not like I was like most people (not saying this is a bad thing because I wouldn't be opposed to doing it) and said NOTHING and then surprise, I'm leaving in 2 weeks!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, this is the way of the world ... people keep tight-lipped until they are ready to leave in 2 weeks. It's rare that people give more notice than that.

I once had a job where I gave 2-3 weeks' notice because I decided to move out of state. I knew for a lot longer than that because a move like that took months of planning. My boss actually told me that if she had known earlier she would have fired me. That was obnoxious of her, but from the employer's standpoint, why should she invest more time and resources in me as an employee if I'm leaving?

You will probably have to put on your game face and suck it up until you're ready to leave.
 
#13
Adore said:
Is this my fault for even talking about it? I mean it's not like I was like most people (not saying this is a bad thing because I wouldn't be opposed to doing it) and said NOTHING and then surprise, I'm leaving in 2 weeks! I mean, this is the reality of it, I'm in college and I'm getting out soon, and DURING this job I've had an internship that ended only 1 month ago... I mean this really changes nothing. But I can't help but feel like it's my fault now. Like I have no place to even say anything. I'm still so angry. I have no clue how tomorrow is going to play out.

I have that feeling inside like I want to stick up for myself really really badly... and not just let it go but I might have to play it cool. It's just so hard, I have no idea how tomorrow is going to be =\
Click to expand...

No, it's not your fault. I think you're just inexperienced. Please don't take my comment badly, it's very honorable of you to be honest but unfortunately honest doesn't do well in business. I have made a lot of mistakes like that in the past because I was naive as well; apparently it's the only way you learn!

Also I wouldn't stick up for myself if I were you. Burning bridges is a bad idea because you never know how things may work out for the other person in the future. You're only starting your career, take it easy and remember what doesn't kill you make you stronger.

Ps> I hope Monday was ok? How is it going?
 
#14
Thanks so much you guys. I ended up not saying anything only because the circumstances didn't allow it at all. And so much time passed and she wasn't really around me. But still tried to make it seem like she reiterating everything by telling me what to do-- things I already know. I've been there 6 months (this bank for a year and a half-- I transferred as my school schedule didn't work at my old one because everyone was full time) and every morning she tells me to put a combo in. If the spinner is at 0, I KNOW, and I know to go do it as soon as I put my things down. She doesn't even let me take my jacket off (I do not dilly-dally! This is a tiny bank, not too far I can stray!) before she'll say it, trying to play the part of someone who's got things under control :rolleyes:. Then she's asking me several times if I'm caught up. I don't know why she keeps asking me as if I am not caught up with my things-- she was still trying to run with it that I leave everything until the last minute. I want to smack her for it.

I was up Sunday night crying my eyes out at the thought that someone would be doing this to me. After Monday I got over it but I'm getting so upset again.

It makes me feel a little better knowing my manager caught on to some things she was trying to pull. Like any old excuse to not go to a meeting, and something else made her give a nervous "you caught me!" laugh.
I still have to say something... I think I will wait for the opportunity, and I bet it will come tomorrow.

Thanks again you guys
 
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