coworker frustration

[swgrl09]

I think I posted here before about my work troubles ... so sorry if redundant but a new issue has come up.

So as you may know I am looking to transfer to the opening closer to home (10 min drive as opposed to current 45 min drive). The corporate office does not want me to even though I have a great record with them, great reviews, etc. Turns out one of my coworkers was talking to the corporate office behnd my back about not wanting them to let me transfer and they are actually listening to him. He is the maintenance superintendant at the building I do social work in. He is mad because I have only been in my position a year and a half (did the same job full time at another office with the company for two years prior to that). Well, the company rule is you only have to be in your current position for 6 months to transfer. And, as my supervisor said to me, what the heck does he care? He does the maintenance and works in a different department.

So now I am at work at my current office and he is acting like nothing is wrong, being friendly, etc. He doesn't know that I know what he did. He even has the nerve to come up to me and be like "Wow, that is a great option for you (he lives near where I live, we have a similar commute), I hope it goes through." And I am thinking BS!!!! It is hard to just smile and pretend I don't know what he did. I used to consider him a friend and we'd chat and laugh together and now he is acting like nothing has changed. What a back-stabber.

Either way if my transfer doesn't go through, how do I continue working with this back-stabber? I left the other office because I had to go part time (and job hours are dependent on the size of the building so I had to change buildings) and the only opening was this one 45 minutes away. Now that the one in my hometown is open, it would be sooooo good for me. This d-bag is ruining it.

I just don't know if I can work with such a fake person. There are only three people working my current building so me, him, and one other person. Every time I see him I just want to tell him I know what he did. I dread if I have to stay here with him.

[Brunette]

How do you know this guy has been talking to corporate? What has he said? If this information has come to you via someone else, what does that person think about the things he has been saying? Do they have any influence over the transfer decision?

If he wanted the job himself his behaviour would make sense (even if it is petty) but since you have different jobs (isn't he just a glorified janitor?) I don't see what his problem is - let alone why corporate would take any notice of him.

[swgrl09]

My supervisor told me "off record" that he complained to the corporate office when he found out because my job has a high turnover rate. Because it is social work, the residents of the building take time to get comfortable with whoever is in my position and have had to get used to quite a few over the past few years. She knew because she is part of corporate. She said she had too much respect for me to give me the run-around on what the hold-up was. He has been at this building for 6 years so I guess that is why they listened to him, even though they shouldn't.

Anyway I have kind of decided that on Monday when I have my next annual review, I will tell my supervisor that they either let me transfer to my home town or I quit. They are losing a lot of people in my position in all of their buildings and cannot afford to lose another, so maybe that is some leverage. Or give me a big raise :)

[Brunette]

Well that's a good idea. It sounds as if you are in a strong position to negotiate.

I still can't imagine they would refuse you the transfer on his say so though - it isn't really isn't any of his business. My feeling is that if your supervisor is part of corporate and has reported back to you, then what he says has already been discussed at a higher level and probably dismissed. I'm not sure she'd tell you otherwise.

[swgrl09]

There is no rhyme or reason to it. This company likes to "keep the peace" and tends to look to people like me, who are willing to be walked all over, to deal with it. I did it with my last coworker who claimed I was hired to "spy on her." She eventually quit thank god. The corporate office doesn't want to upset people for no reason. Lucky for me and unlucky for them, my therapy over the past two years has been to help increase my confidence and respect for myself. I will come to my meeting with my letter of resignation in my bag. If the transfer still is not going through, I will take it out and give it to my supervisor. I am worth more than this BS.

[swgrl09]

The worst part is, I just went back through my old emails and my supervisor said she ran it by corporate in December and nobody had any problems with it. But once I applied to transfer and my coworkers found out, suddenly they are "rethinking." I am just getting more mad because he keeps walking around pretending to be friendly

[Brunette]

swgrl: the way I figure it is that you are in a win/win situation. If you get the transfer - great, if not you can move on and hopefully find a job nearer home that way.

Just sit back and see what comes. Either way the outcome will be positive. :yesyes: