Listed here are three updates from previous letter-writers.
1. Former coworker stole my work and retains contacting me for assist
Thanks a lot for publishing a solution to my query! I appreciated your recommendation, Alison, and the recommendation shared by the commentariat. It was validating to see that others agreed Lulu is, effectively, delulu. I do have a small replace to share!
I ended up simply ignoring Lulu’s emails. I haven’t heard anything from her. However – a coworker informed me they’d contacted Lulu a few system she nonetheless had entry to. It was an exterior device that my coworker wanted to take possession of, which required Lulu to take away herself from the account. She did, however solely after being impolite AF and unhelpful to my coworker, ignoring them for weeks as a substitute of simply performing one easy motion.
I did “delicate launch” the problem of stolen IP with my boss (the one who coddled Lulu) by asking if Lulu was working for a direct competitor. She will not be, however my boss did ask why I needed to know, so I informed them. They didn’t actually react, however that’s consistent with the “Lulu can do no flawed” habits I witnessed for a few years, so I used to be not shocked.
Within the feedback, folks have been incredulous that conferences can be moved at Lulu’s insistence…imagine me, I agree with you! It’s very troublesome to elucidate the chokehold Lulu had on administration. It’s essentially the most dysfunctional and irritating vocational expertise I’ve ever had. Think about somebody claiming they want info to do their job, solely they aren’t actually doing that a part of their job, however when anybody presents to HELP with that a part of the job, they throw a tantrum…it was exhausting, however the one one who was ever in the best was Lulu. All of us simply did what we may to keep away from the blow-ups.
Lastly: I don’t work there anymore! I noticed that whereas drawback kids like Lulu have been gone, the systemic points and gaslighting that allowed her to be an issue for thus lengthy weren’t going away anytime quickly. A recruiter contacted me with an excellent alternative, and I jumped at it. This all occurred proper across the time my query was revealed, so I didn’t get to work together with the feedback a lot. Nonetheless, I learn each single one in every of them and took all the knowledge as a lesson realized ought to I ever encounter one other delulu Lulu!
2. My employer is revoking work-from-home however I reside 300 miles away (#2 on the hyperlink)
The query of whether or not my incapacity to adjust to the brand new hybrid requirements would lead to me being formally let go, or if I’d must resign, by no means got here to a head. HR known as me to let me know I used to be being laid off, however as a substitute of invoking the distant work coverage (which I used to be ready to problem), they as a substitute cited the truth that they’d lately (~2 months in the past) employed an extra particular person in my division and the enterprise couldn’t maintain each of us.
I can’t assist however assume this was a really apparent try and keep away from me pushing again on the brand new insurance policies that conflicted with the phrases of my hiring, as this new particular person’s job and mine didn’t overlap in any respect (e.g. I’m a graphic designer and he or she is a copywriter).
I may even maybe uncharitably, however honestly, say that this particular person—let’s name her Susan—could be very dangerous at her job. For the primary publication she contributed to, Susan submitted an article that was so poorly written that I took it to our shared boss and informed her it was unpublishable. Whereas writing/modifying was not at present inside the scope of my tasks at work, the article was so incoherent I felt I couldn’t in good conscience not say one thing—particularly as we have been an academic establishment and I felt it mirrored actually badly on us! My boss agreed and re-wrote the article herself. It wasn’t a matter of grammatical errors or something like that; it was a really clear lack of expertise of find out how to talk within the written phrase.
A month after I used to be laid off, my boss, true to her phrase, contracted me to do one other publication, and right here’s the catch: along with doing the design work (my job), she additionally needed to rent me to write down the copy as effectively (Susan’s job). I quoted double my freelance charge for the extra work, and so they agreed.
So, for these retaining observe, right here’s the place it stands: they laid me off as a result of they allegedly “couldn’t afford” to maintain on each me and Susan, and now they’re paying me a a lot greater charge than they have been paying earlier than, to do each my job and Susan’s job, whereas additionally nonetheless paying Susan. Make it make sense!
3. I do not know who to provide my resignation to (#5 on the hyperlink)
Thanks for publishing my letter and confirming that I used to be positively overthinking this! (Thanks additionally to Manic Pixie HR Lady for his or her remark recommendation too.)
I gave my resignation to our Chief HR Officer, who managed the entire comms throughout their C-suite degree — together with telling my model new supervisor. (Enjoyable reality! Once I wrote in, I didn’t have a supervisor, however within the interim they employed somebody who truly ended up beginning the very same day I gave my discover.)
I haven’t left but, however your website continues to supply a wealth of sources as I shut out my discover interval. Thanks once more, Alison!
