Little story about the time I worked with a bully in an office for a national non-profit, and how I used covid to land me one helluva better job.
One woman in particular focused on me intensely. She was very two- faced. And it was over the pettiest, and most innocuous shit. She did it to take the focus off her and her lying about her time on the clock and other shady shit she was doing.
The office i worked in, they leased out an office in a huge office building, i was alone. Huge office with like 5 other smaller office-rooms in it, but I was alone. Everyone “worked” from home. I was not allowed to because someone had to be there incase someone came in or a package needed to be signed for. In the 8 months I worked there, 3 times did a package needing a signature come in. In-person training was given 2 days a week every other week. Thursday and Fridays because that's when Petty Broad wanted to give training. PB had keys, and literally all they did was come in, train, leave. Fridays she would end training after half a day and put down a full day on her time report. No interaction between us other than “hey good morning”, and “see ya”. Training was held in the conference room at the end of the hall, opposite from where I was.
One day i get a call from a regional manager asking if I was wearing shoes. I said yes. She said PB called and reported I wasn't wearing shoes at my desk. I said well yes I took them off to adjust my socks they were slipping into my shoes. “Well, Blanket, it's not professional to take your shoes off. You're giving us (company) a bad name and image. Buy better socks.” I said “well wait, my desk is enclosed, no one can see my feet or legs. Pretty sure you can't tell me to not fix my socks and force me to be uncomfortable in my work setting. Besides, how am I giving any sort of image if I'm the only one here and PB came in to pick up a pen (yes….a pen) she forgot and she's gone? She was in here all of 1 minute.” Boss said it doesn't matter, buy better socks or walk to my car fix them then walk back. 10 minute round trip to do that.
Other things PB reported me for: clearing my throat, she said it's a sign of covid and that I said I didn't take a test to prove it wasn't covid. RM called and told me to take one then and there.
I asked PB to take her personal call to the break room or conference room because I was on a zoom meeting, her call was very uhm, personal and full of explicits and she was VERY loud. She said she was offended because I singled her out. She was the only one aside from me there. RM called and told me to just mute my mic until I had to talk. Yes she called during the meeting to tell me this.
It took me 3 rings to answer PB's call. She said she knows I did this on purpose because I knew it was her. I explained I was on the phone with IT and RM and PB could ask IT for the call recording.
I didn't greet her one morning. She failed to mention I wasn't even there. I got chewed out for this even though they knew I had taken the day off. It just went on and on.
RM was my immediate supervisor's Boss. Immediate boss resigned so did second and third immediate bosses. They tried to defend me while they were there but to no avail. I ended up having panic attacks whenever my phone rang, when she walked in, HR was a joke and never helped. They actually gossiped about me to RM. Talked to others about my medical condition.
Finally I had enough when a panic attack landed me in urgent care because i couldn't breathe i was shaking and was trying to drive. I had to pull over on the side of the freeway. I wanted to get out and just run away. My bf kept me on the phone talking to me until he could get to me. The following week, I lied that I had covid and sent a pic of my friends positive test she had to send in to her job months prior. And I found a better job making twice as much, 98% less stress, better people and no petty shit. AND I can adjust my socks if needed. The owner even said “hell take off your shoes, I don't care. You're an adult, and we want you to be comfortable here. “
Quick side note: PB was making almost $50/hr. So far above my pay grade. She was not my supervisor, we were same level on employee pecking order.