So very long story short, I work at a law firm. I'm a demand writer, and there is a big office where all the writers work in. I've been in this position the longest, and I guess you could say there maybe is a little bit of respect because I went through HELL with some coworkers and crazy managers and never quit because I needed the money. Things are a lot better now (I've been considering moving to a different field because this has been more of a job to pay the bills than like anything related to my passions or goals but that's beside the point), but there is this newer writer that was a former teacher. She is friends with a person that was our former manager who got demoted because she tried to get me fired and had a breakdown when she got caught and threatened our boss. No one knows why she hasn't been fired yet, but whatever.
Teacher lady does not seem to like that our new manager, who is doing well, is 26 and she is 34. She doesn't blatantly do or say anything, but she will double check anything our manager says with someone older. Which then causes drama because those people will tell our manager because they don't like all this sneaking around.
Well I've noticed, especially since our manager has been gone due to a funeral, that teacher lady likes to keep tabs on me. She is constantly asking me for progress updates, looking over my shoulder, and it always seems like whenever I tell her where I'm at, she leaves the room and goes to her friend's office. It always makes me feel like I'm a little kid, especially if I'm behind or something. Other times, if she feels I've been chatting with someone for too long, she tries to get me back on track and I don't particularly care for the way she makes me feel like a child. I've told my manager before and when she came back, we talked and she told me that apparently both teacher lady and her friend have both demanded to be made manager. One of their main arguments is that I need to be reeled in because I'm basically an infant with no supervision.
The only thing wrong that I can see, especially because I've been working closely with our boss lately due to some unusual circumstances, is that I've been behind on my assignments. I've also been working a lot of overtime (thank God I'm hourly) to get back on track, but that isn't good enough. I need to be kept on a leash and have my ever step dogged by them.
Apparently our boss asked around and that caused quite a stir, but it seems the only thing that came from them doing this is they got their pay docked as punishment. But it's still made me and the new manager really nervous. A paralegal warned us to keep an eye on them because they are making notes of everything we do.
Any advice? Especially in what I can do when they keep trying to act like they're teachers checking on a student's progress when we're literally in the same position. I've been making notes of their behavior, I've been communicating with my manager, and I'm sending out resumes. Things seem fine with the boss, but I just want to be prepared. I also am looking for a job that's more specific to my degree, but this is still a good paying job to hold onto in the meantime.
TLDR; two older coworkers went from teaching and administrative positions to entry level positions as demand writers at a law firm are resentful of the fact that their manager and all the other writers are in their 20s. Despite not being my superiors, they certainly act like it and have openly expressed that I am an idiot that needs to be monitored closely. They try to be subtle, but they are constantly looking over my shoulder and want me to give them updates. Any advice on what I can do to put them in their place? More importantly, protect myself?