The Mrs is having a difficult time at her job at the moment. In her project there's just her, her boss (academic, work on the project part time) and a bloke who works on the project one day a week. The project was set up by the other two and deals with giving education and science to schools and community groups. Her part of the project is almost separate to his part.

Basically

1. This guy is a obnoxious. He had been 'in her face' shouting at her in an open plan office on occasions. He's not easy to work with, which her boss agree with. He does everything that they are supposed to collaborate on late or not at all.

2. When she had a meeting with a large group of schools to discuss getting them involved with her work she was told that this guy had told their school than in no uncertain terms, he had told them they are not welcome to work with this project, use its facilities (a botanic garden) or anything. She reported this to her boss verbally.

3. Since this he has written to his boss, my GF and her boss accusing her of 'gossip' and that she is 'harassing' him. He claims this this 'informal' and he doesn't want to take it any further. If you've met my GF you'd realise how preposterous this accusation is. She's as timid as he is obnoxious.

A week ago she was almost in tears just because he was obstructing her from doing her job (see point 2) making her work-life horrible (point 1) and was dreading the presentation he was preparing that they were supposed to be presenting to the national assembly of her project (also point 1).

Now that she received this email (on a Sunday!) she's in tears and wants to quit.

I've told her

1. Don't quit. If you can't work because he's making it so bad then you're stressed sick and on sick leave. You need the money

2. Join a union. They'll offer better advice than I can.

3. Write all of this down (as I told her when she started having problems with him). Go back and make notes of his conduct where they're missing.

4. Talk to the other folks in her office (open plan university post-doc type office) and find those who were nearby who can account for instances of near violent in-her-face shouting and general nastiness from him.

Now, I don't know what the best outcome of all this is. She's be fairly happy continuing in her job but having nothing to do with this guy.

On the other hand she harbours thoughts of crafts and a nicer job.

Thanks for reading – If anyone has any better, additional or experienced advice we'd e very welcome of it. Any kind thoughts to advice to help her get through would also be very welcome.

cheers

/edit – just seen the length of this 😯 and didn't think I'd ever be posting this type of thread

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

I'd tackle the boss first – I'm an academic and the type of management that takes place (or does not take place) in university research groups can be very different to mainstream workplaces. Very easy for the boss just to ignore this sort of stuff – he's got 100 other things on his plate, he needs it spelled out that he has to straighten this other bloke out as a priority.

I wouldn't be too arsed about the union – first because it will probably be UCU, a feeble and disappointing collection of individuals; second because it's nailed on that the other bloke's in the union. He's probably the department rep.

The length is not really an issue, but your account is a little disjointed. We could be missing some key issues so take what I say with a pinch of salt.

I have some experience of this as I've worked predominantly in HR consulting firms for the last five years. I would say you don't need a union as there is plenty of protection against harassment/bullying in the work place and that is what this sounds like. The employer has a duty of care to rectify any work place bullying and you would only really need a union or a lawyer if they failed to do this.

Your GF needs to bring this up with someone in HR. That will start with a conversation as to the problem and could then escalate to becoming a formal complaint that would need to be investigated. The initial conversation can be undertaken in strict confidence so if she doesn't want to pursue the issue she won't have to.

If there is no HR function (i'd be amazed if there isn't even if it might not be immediately apparent) then take it to a senior manager or director. It sounds like the employer is an academic institution; is that right? If so then perhaps a Head of Department/Head of Faculty would be the person to approach in the absence of HR.

If she does quit, then she does have 30 days (pretty sure it's this long) in which to lodge a retrospective formal complaint for bullying/harassment. That would then need to be treated in the same way as if your GF was still in employment.

chin him! 😈

following on from your 4 'steps':

5a. Make a formal complaint through the procedures outlined in the organisation's grievance policy?

or, more drastically,

5b. Resign, clearly outlining her reasons for leaving in her resignation letter, start a nice crafts job and look into a 'constructive dismissal' claim??

Personally I'd choose 5a.

edit: I've mainly repeated what geetee said haven't I? 😳

tankslapper – ta

Thanks Garry – "has to straighten this other bloke out as a priority" This was my initial attitude some weeks ago, but she (the boss) hasn't been very effective at. I'm worried in fact that she isn't capable of straightening him out.

Cheers geetee – I'm sure my account is a little disorganised but thanks for what you have said. She's off to meet HR tomorrow to check up some things missing from her contract that she needs to know and I'll talk to her about this as well. She's worried because he's accusing her of harassment first; while she's still sat there thinking of quitting 🙁

tails – he is a big fecker….

/edit

headfirst – 5a is on the list for tomorrow, 5b is our trump card (or last resort?)

She's spoken to her mum who seemed to say 'join a union' and 'go on stress related sick leave'

Union is well worth doing IMO ?IME

You have given here good advice I think – but going formal grievance would be well worth doing

Don't quit and go for constructive dismissal and don't go of on sick unless you really have to.

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