A Cause For Concern or Am I Just Paranoid?

[pbbth]

I am an insurance agent in New York. I don't really like my job but it pays a ton of money so I accept it for what it is and continue to keep looking for something better to come along. Up until about a week ago when I got written up I wasn't actively searching for other work, just kind of watching in case that job that was designed specifically for me fell into my lap. I do my job well, or at least I thought I did. At my job I have many responsibilities, one of which is ordering appraisals for high value properties that we insure. 3 times in the past 2 months I have had my supervisor come to me with a list of policies for which I ordered appraisals and tell me there was nothing in the system, no record of the work I had done and now I had to go in and redo all of the orders. After the second time I was put on a written warning because the appraisal process is so important to what we do and if I keep screwing up large batches of orders we won't be charging correct premiums to those customers, etc.

Well today was the 3rd list I was given of work that I had done that no one could find. I almost started crying because I just knew this meant I was going to get fired. Like, escorted out of the building with my stuff in a grocery bag kind of fired. So I went into the system and searched and didn't find anything. There was no record of my work. That is, until I started searching for appraisals that had been suspended or cancelled. Then about half of these appraisals showed up on the list. I kept looking and found others tucked in incorrect folders and places where no one would ever think to look for them and they wouldn't show up in the search function.

I really don't think this is an error on my part since I do this every day and have done this every day for 6 months and only recently have I been having work dissapear on me. I want to say it is a system error or something that is doing this because that would mean it would be easily fixed and I would never have to deal with it again. However I am leaning towards the notion that someone in the office is sabotaging my work and going in behind me to move and delete the appraisals to make me look stupid and incompetent. The only reason I would think that is because the appraisals were moved around to different areas, some suspended, some cancelled, kind of spread about in a way that I can't imagine being the result of a bug in the system.

After pointing out the found appraisals to my boss she says she will look into it and see if she can find out why this happened, but now I don't trust anyone in the office. I really don't want to be here anymore and I am trying to convince myself that it isn't an attack on me by anyone else and is just an error but this isn't the only thing that makes me think I'm being sabotaged, just the biggest issue. The other things I have noticed though I have always attributed to other people being lazy or being jerks but now I am starting to wonder if maybe there isn't more to it than that.

I am waiting for my boss to come back and let me know what she found in the appraisal system, but what do you think? Does it sound like something that isn't to blame on anyone or does it sound more like something that would have to be done on purpose? And either way does it matter since I don't really feel compelled to stay here and will continue to search for a new job?

[Nutty Bunny]

I would probably think the same thing and it would make me very worried. Here's a somewhat similar story.

At my current job, we just fired someone for "anger management" issues. She had it in for everyone, especially new people, thin and/or attractive women or anyone in a position higher than her.

I heard stories about how she would train someone wrong or leave a few important details out. After she left, the girl she trained a few months ago found a notebook full of things that the new girl was doing, right down to what she did on her lunch hour. I was as if she were taking notes to build a case to have her fired. She wasn't the Alpha female anymore since someone younger and thinner and equally as talkative joined the staff and was always getting attention.

In your case, you may have someone there who is jealous of you or doesn't like you. But I doubt it's an office-wide thing. If it's the boss who wants an excuse to fire you, THEN I would worry. For now, maybe your boss can find out who's behind it and the person can be taken care of. IF indeed that's what's happening.

[Phlosphr]

Hmmm - my paranoid self says you better grow eyes in the back of your head...My rational self says don't worry about it, as you are looking for another job. Now in reality, if you truly do not want to stay there, and are acting as such someone may indeed want to get you out the door.

Are you acting in a manner that someone may suspect you want to leave?
Write ups are usually done before a firing to make sure they follow company protocol for letting you go. Liability stuff.

If you truly are leaving and soon, maybe you should simply follow up with your boss, make your digging around well known to people and do your work diligently until another job comes through.

[pbbth]

Are you acting in a manner that someone may suspect you want to leave?
Write ups are usually done before a firing to make sure they follow company protocol for letting you go. Liability stuff.

I haven't said a word to anyone that I am looking elsewhere except my roommate, and it isn't like I am using monster.com on my work computer or anything. Heck, the resumes I have posted online are all private so I have to send them out and my company can't stumble upon my job search while looking around online.

I honestly think I know who it is if it is, in fact, someone sabotaging me. I guess I am just going to have to start taking screen shots of my work and keeping copies of things in a folder in my locked desk drawer to cover myself because though I am looking I have only REALLY been looking for a week or so and I know it will take probably a month or more to find something else.

[ivylass]

Is there a way that you can document your work? Sort of cc your boss, "I'm done with appraisal X, it's in folder blah-de-blah?"

Is there a new employee there, new manager, etc? Is it possible the new employee is unaware that they're doing anything wrong?

If you are ordering appraisals and they are cancelled, what does that mean? Can you figure out if anyone in particular is cancelling the appraisals?

I would also get your IS department involved....it could be a software bug. Stranger things have happened.

I would also have your boss watch you..."I'm done with this one...see, I'm putting it in folder blah-de-blah." If it later moves, at least you have a witness that you're not crazy.

I wouldn't get paranoid yet, but I would be very diligent about documenting my work, telling my boss everything I've done, and getting the IS department involved until you get everything straightened out.

[Phlosphr]

Yes, screenshots are good. Hard copies can't be monkey'd with nearly as easily as electronic stuff. C.T.O.A

Cover
Thine
Own
Ass

[Nava]

If you are ordering appraisals and they are cancelled, what does that mean? Can you figure out if anyone in particular is cancelling the appraisals?

If their IT is any good, this should be doable; maybe they have an extremely-manual system, but most companies with more than 3 employees I've seen keep track of "who does what" with anything similar to a purchase order. So should be tracking who moved the folders. Unless it's one of those companies where people share passwords all over the place, a practice that gives me rashes just to think of it but which you find in the most amazing locations (pharmaceutical companies that are otherwise completely paranoid, for example).

[pbbth]

We have 1 username and password for the entire company under the appraisal ordering system. They only reason they know the reports that dissapeared were mine is because they were assigned to me and not someone else. I have complained about the username/password thing many times but no one listens.

[tdn]

Very odd. Take screen shots, but also make a handwritten log of everything you do. When you save an appraisal, write down the file name and location, and write down the date and time. Every now and then, go through and check that everything is where you left it.

[Beadalin]

Geez, that's the kind of thing that would leave me trembling. Ugh!

I think ivylass's suggestions are very good. I am a little curious why, if you are being sabatoged, the person didn't delete or cancel all of them, rather than just move stuff around.

[Sprockets]

And either way does it matter since I don't really feel compelled to stay here and will continue to search for a new job?

What a horrible situation. I say to believe your gut feelings. From what you've said you don't feel comfortable there now (who would?), so if you can leave you probably should.

Ask yourself what your boss could say, after investigating, that would make everything all right. Anything?

I know your curiously will chew on this endlessly, but at the end of the day it's probably enough to know that someone there has targeted you and even if this issue is cleared up there will probably be other issues and the bottom line is you do not feel safe.

Take care of yourself.

[jacquilynne]

Does your computer system assign document or record numbers when you submit these orders? Record them, in a spreadsheet that you keep on your own harddrive, or on a hardcopy file.

If someone is messing with your records in the database, even if it's an IT person, unless it's one of your alpha geeks, the database will know who did it (or at least under whose ID it was done) and when.

Also, scan your computer for keyloggers and spyware and then change all of your passwords to something very secure. Use lots of punctuation. In fact, if possible, go change your passwords on someone else's computer.

[jacquilynne]

I think ivylass's suggestions are very good. I am a little curious why, if you are being sabatoged, the person didn't delete or cancel all of them, rather than just move stuff around.

That's precisely why I think she might be being sabotaged -- if everything was being treated in the same way, that would either be a) a bug or b) very obvious that something was happening. By moving things, suspending them, generally screwing them up in a variety of ways, it's harder to recognize as a single problem, and easier to blame on the OP as a personal screwup.

[Nava]

We have 1 username and password for the entire company under the appraisal ordering system. They only reason they know the reports that dissapeared were mine is because they were assigned to me and not someone else. I have complained about the username/password thing many times but no one listens.

EEEK! There's things about which I'm willing to let my customers go whichever way they feel, but "let's get only 50 users for the 300 employees and just share" isn't one of them, I'm a bulldog about that.

It completely defeats the notion of an audit, you have no idea who was responsible for what and who actually did it!

[Nutty Bunny]

That's precisely why I think she might be being sabotaged -- if everything was being treated in the same way, that would either be a) a bug or b) very obvious that something was happening. By moving things, suspending them, generally screwing them up in a variety of ways, it's harder to recognize as a single problem, and easier to blame on the OP as a personal screwup.


I agree. I think it's to show incompetance. If things were just deleted, it could either be, as you said, a bug or it could also be proof of a sabotage. If only one person's work is being deleted, she would appear that someone was targeting her. I'm not sure I explained that right, but that's the jist of it.

[ivylass]

I honestly think I know who it is if it is, in fact, someone sabotaging me.

So this person has enough time on their hands to screw with your stuff?

See if you can set some sort of trap for them. Maybe mention in their hearing that you've FINALLY finished this horrible bitch of an appraisal, it took you hours, and you're so glad it's behind you.

Take screen shots, then see if it gets moved.

[Phlosphr]

I think on the Sabotage schtick - moving things around isn't illegal where deleting things out right may be illegal....

[ivylass]

As this woman should have known (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,325285,00.html).

I don't know about illegal, but deliberately screwing with another employee's work should be a firing offense. And since the employee is also having a negative impact on the employer's efficiency...

[Cervaise]

We have 1 username and password for the entire company under the appraisal ordering system. They only reason they know the reports that dissapeared were mine is because they were assigned to me and not someone else. I have complained about the username/password thing many times but no one listens.Is your company public?

Because an offhand mention to some external auditors would, I'm sure, garner a great deal of interest.

Heck, it's insurance, there have to be hundreds of pages of regulations to comply with.

Seriously, that's insane. It's a miracle the company's still in business.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted by Cervaise

Is your company public?

Because an offhand mention to some external auditors would, I'm sure, garner a great deal of interest.

Heck, it's insurance, there have to be hundreds of pages of regulations to comply with.

Seriously, that's insane. It's a miracle the company's still in business.

The company just celebrated our 1 year anniversary on Wednesday, so they are still trying to work out the kinks in the system so to speak. As far as our company goes we are a reciprocal exchange, meaning that we are owned by the policy holders. There is no public to mention anything to unfortunately.

[tdn]

I honestly think I know who it is if it is, in fact, someone sabotaging me.
Who is this person and why would he or she want to do this to you?

[pbbth]

Originally Posted by tdn

Who is this person and why would he or she want to do this to you?

My guess is that it was the guy who sits in the cube to the right of me. Let's call him Paul. Paul is a misogynistic jerk, to say the least. He and the guy who sit on the other side of me constantly lean over my cube to talk about all "the bitches they screwed" over the weekend or "that fatass whore who thinks Paul is hot" and things like that. He shows up half an hour late almost every day and takes extra long lunches. He called a bunch of guys over to his desk and called this girl from his cell phone, put her on speaker, and broke up with her in front of a group of people, openly mocking her and telling her she was crazy if she thought he would ever be interested in anything more than a quick fuck with her. He spends all day on myspace and facebook (I am on the dope a lot though so I don't begrudge him that.) He has made it perfectly clear that he thinks I am ugly and he doesn't want to sit next to me. He even tried to have our boss make me switch cubes with someone else so he wouldn't have to sit near me.

He is a jerk, but he is fast and efficient so nothing will ever be said to him about it. In December I was given this long term project where I have to collect data from everyone on my team every day and compile the results for our CEO. Paul is on my team. He HATES that he has to interact with me and purposefully falsifies numbers to skew my data so I have to go back and manually fix it. I am thinking that if it was anyone it was probably him, but up until this whole situation causing me to get written up I just let stuff go because I am not married to this job and I don't want to make waves and then leave in a month if I find something better. Now that I am dealing with this whole situation though I will be keeping a record of all of his shit to present to my boss if I don't find another job elsewhere.

[ivylass]

Dammit, pbbth, why are you putting up with this creep? You need to say something to your boss. He's a crude individual subjecting you to a hostile work environment, and the fact that he's deliberately giving you false info that you have to fix should be brought to your supervisor's attention.

It doesn't matter if you're leaving in a month, a week, or planning to stay there until you retire. This guy does not need to be at your job. For the sake of his future co-workers...document his bullshit and go to your boss. Fast and efficient be damned.

[Nutty Bunny]

Wow. I didn't realize there were people like him in real life. He sounds more like a character in a bad comedy, like a character breaking up with someone over speakerphone. He seems to be really immature ("I don't want to sit next to her...she's a girrrrrl!").

Yeah, if you know he gives you false information, I'd put him on the short list, too. With any luck, now that it looks like someone is sabotaging you, maybe you can somehow prove it was him.

[TheMerchandise]

IANAL, but this guy's behavior sounds like textbook workplace harrassment. (http://www.fcc.gov/owd/understanding-harassment.html)Document, document, document and not just these appraisal mishaps but everything he does to you.

This sounds horrible. Best wishes to you.

[pbbth]

I would have said something by now but he seems to have the support of most of, if not all, the men in the office. They stop by for the bitches and whores conversations, they all crammed in to listen to him break up with some chick, etc. He has this kind of Eddie Haskell thing going on where he is a total douche but I am the only one who sees it and all the higher ups think he is golden because of the sheer amount of work he produces in a day. Well, I guess if I am the only one who sees it maybe it is more of a Michigan J Frog thing than Eddie Haskell. :) And I figured that since I seem to be the only person it bothers if I find something new next week I don't want to throw everyone into an uproar and then leave immediately.

I will be documenting every single thing from this point forward though. I am not losing my job because he is a jerk.

[ivylass]

And I figured that since I seem to be the only person it bothers if I find something new next week I don't want to throw everyone into an uproar and then leave immediately.



Who. The. Hell. Cares.

You don't know you're the only one it bothers. The other women in the office may be too afraid to speak up.

I can see why you want another job, though. And if you ever get the opportunity for an exit interview...

[tdn]

Wow. I didn't realize there were people like him in real life. He sounds more like a character in a bad comedy
Yeah, that's pretty surreal. I've met some real jerks in my time at various jobs, but never any so openly misogynistic and hostile.

[Faruiza]

Are there any new developments, pbbth? That guys sounds like something out of a book, to be sure. I'm a big believer in people eventually getting what's coming to them, even if you don't get to witness it, but I'm hoping you do.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted by Faruiza

Are there any new developments, pbbth? That guys sounds like something out of a book, to be sure. I'm a big believer in people eventually getting what's coming to them, even if you don't get to witness it, but I'm hoping you do.

Well, after I discovered all the missing appraisals I took scren shots and sent them to my boss. The written warning I was supposed to receive has not shown up so I am hoping that since I showed her that I did the work and it was not my error the write up will be forgotten.

I have a word document on my computer where I am documenting anything inappropriate that Paul does and keeping copies of screen shots when necessary.

I am still looking for another job though. Even if this all comes to light that it isn't my fault and that someone (I assume it is Paul but I can't be positive) has been sabotaging my work I still have a supervisor that up until about a week ago assumed I was incompetent and a work environment where I feel uncomfortable and targeted. At this point I am just kind of trying to keep a low profile while I find something better in a more friendly environment.

[Cat Whisperer]

That sounds like a good idea - you're absolutely right when you say your work environment and supervisor have been soured. You make one wrong step in the future, and all the suspicion comes back instantly.

And Paul is an unbelievable jerk - I can understand if you just want to get the heck out of there, but it would be satisfying to hear about him getting taken down.

[Zoe]

Women need to learn how to empower themselves so that they can bring a stop to these horrid situations. I'm sorry that this is so rough on you. I remember how it feels.

[Quartz]

Have you spoken to your boss about getting the previous write-ups rescinded?

[jimmmy]

I would have said something by now but he seems to have the support of most of, if not all, the men in the office. They stop by for the bitches and whores conversations, they all crammed in to listen to him break up with some chick, etc. He has this kind of Eddie Haskell thing going on where he is a total douche but I am the only one who sees it and all the higher ups think he is golden because of the sheer amount of work he produces in a day. Well, I guess if I am the only one who sees it maybe it is more of a Michigan J Frog thing than Eddie Haskell. :) And I figured that since I seem to be the only person it bothers if I find something new next week I don't want to throw everyone into an uproar and then leave immediately.

I will be documenting every single thing from this point forward though. I am not losing my job because he is a jerk.

I get and understand all this. Good for you - as long as you understand that you don't have to just live with it. I understand that at this point it makes more sense for you to do so and I respect that and am not pushing anything. Just sayin'

[pbbth]

I understand that I don't just have to live with it, believe me! If his being a jerk was the only thing going on here I would have said something about it by now. Given the situation though I don't want to throw my hat in the ring and start giving written statements to supervisors and get the rumor mill churning if I can avoid it. I don't need more attention drawn to myself when I am trying to quietly find something better someplace else. Right now the less I have to deal with in the office the easier my time will be at work.

[NurseCarmen]

I think you need a microcassette recorder too. So when Eddie haskell denies everything you have audio proof.

[Zebra]

You mentioned that your company is young. They probably haven't figured out yet how to deal with hostile work envrionment issues either.

Even if you don't keep this job, starting them down that path by making a stink would be a good thing, for you and for everyone else.

[pbbth]

Good point, Zebra. I will certianly make mention of the situation, whether it be in a formal complaint or an exit interview. Really it just depends on how things go from here.

[Faruiza]

No advice, then. Just encouragement. Either I hope you get out from under this nasty stuff quickly, or find the strength to whup up on tptb and get shit straightened out. Paul certainly sounds like quite a piece of work.

[Cat Whisperer]

<snip>Paul certainly sounds like quite a piece of work.
Absolutely. My husband works in the construction industry, and he tells me that construction workers (traditionally very sexist) aren't allowed to be as misogynistic as Paul is any longer, never mind a guy working in an office environment with women co-workers around all the time.

[Omniscient]

I can't believe that I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but go to HR immediately. Certainly the ignorant stuff that Paul is doing is worth mentioning, though I generally shy away from ratting someone out for just being an asshole, but as it applies to your work and the possible sabotage you need to have another person outside of your direct line of authority involved.

Telling your boss that you think someone is screwing with you only helps if your boss isn't somehow involved with it. Hell, even if he just dismisses it you're in trouble. You need to explain the situation to HR and show them the tracks behind these moved files to protect yourself. Work to get the previous write-ups rescinded and see that HR leads the effort to get IT working to investigate. Do not go directly to them because it's possible that they could destroy evidence accidentally, especially if they are under the impression that they are just supposed to fix the glitch, and it's equally as likely that they'll dismiss it as a non-technical problem because it might cover their own ass for some mistake. The one username issue is a potential lawsuit and/or reprimand on it's own, so one might think that IT has it's own issues which it doesn't want light shined upon by upper management.

So, in short, cover your ass. Don't trust anyone and get a paper trail going both personally and officially. Even if this becomes the final straw towards you taking a new job, you should not let this lie because it can follow you later in your career. If this makes it appear that you cost the company money that could come back at you and at the very least you want to have good references.

HR is usually pure evil and they don't earn their worth, but situations like these are where they are supposed to be interested in protecting you and in turn protecting the company.

[Omniscient]

I don't need more attention drawn to myself when I am trying to quietly find something better someplace else. Right now the less I have to deal with in the office the easier my time will be at work.

Fuck that! The solution here is absolutely not to lay low. I think it's reasonable to not want to tackle both the Paul situation and the possible sabotage situation at once, it could make it appear that you are trying to scapegoat him or smokescreen your issues. You should however confront the accusations of incompetence aggressively and officially. Once they have isolated the problem, or at least created a situation where no one can tamper with your work (different logins!) then you can address the Paul situation. Perhaps he would be found to be responsible for screwing with your work and kill two birds with one stone anyways. But I can't say this emphatically enough, defend your reputation and your job if you are confident that you were not at fault. As it stands it sounds like you have plenty of evidence to show that you did indeed do the work and it should warrant a real inquiry into the issue from people other than just your boss. It illustrates a lack of control on his part at the very least.

[Jimson Jim]

I'm just here to offer consolation. That is horrible and completely unjust. Your story sounds like a script for a law school class on sexual harassment. Its the kind of thing that makes me think "Damn that guy needs his ass kicked". I know that's a horribly primitive reaction. Then again it sounds "Paul" operates on just his brain stem anyway.

I'm in insurance too. There are plenty of jobs in this industry. That your employer would tolerate such openly disrespectful behavior is troubling. I say start looking for something in a more established agency or brokerage. NY is chock full of insurance companies, brokers and agents.

[Cat Whisperer]

I<snip>
HR is usually pure evil and they don't earn their worth, but situations like these are where they are supposed to be interested in protecting you and in turn protecting the company.
I agree with most of what you posted except this one point - HR is ONLY interested in protecting the company. When an employee also gets protected by HR policies, that is coincidental. In this case, HR would work to protect the company from the sexual harassment lawsuit that pbbth could bring against Paul, and that might involve helping pbbth with him.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted by Omniscient

HR is usually pure evil and they don't earn their worth, but situations like these are where they are supposed to be interested in protecting you and in turn protecting the company.

We have no HR department. We have less than 40 people here in the office...in fact I think we might have less than 35 people so I don't think they have decided that we need HR quite yet.

The appraisal situation is being looked into but they will not give us more than 1 login. Apparently that isn't cost effective. :rolleyes: The CEO is looking into the appraisals as well so I am simply waiting until I hear back from the higher-ups about it before I start attempting to address the other issues.

[Siege]

One thing you might want to keep in mind is you're probably not the only person who's bothered by this guy's actions. Even some of the men may not be comfortable with it. If he's the office golden boy with record sales though, or if no one else is speaking up about it, others may not be the one to say something and get themselves in trouble.

I'm also concerned about this business of having one password for all users. You said it isn't cost effective to have more than one. This raised a red flag with me. If you only have one password because the software is only licensed for one user and more than one person is using it, the company which sells the software may get rather upset when they find out about this. They may get upset to the point where they take legal action. I don't know how often software vendors go after customers who do this sort of thing and I don't know what the legal ramifications are, but it might be worth pointing out to the powers that be.

[GargoyleWB]

I'm also concerned about this business of having one password for all users. You said it isn't cost effective to have more than one. This raised a red flag with me...

It sounds weird to me also...unless they have had some seriously good IT person from day one, young startups are always improperly sharing licenses and installations, or using pirated or unregistered software. It is very common for software vendors, especially Microsoft and Adobe, to come crashing down hard with audits on companies like this. Big fines, penalties, settlements, yadda yadda.

It could be used possibly as leverage to fix your IT security holes if you can show how non-compliant they are, but it would be very tough to spin it in a way that doesn't sound like you are threatening to rat your company out.

[Omniscient]

We have no HR department. We have less than 40 people here in the office...in fact I think we might have less than 35 people so I don't think they have decided that we need HR quite yet.

The appraisal situation is being looked into but they will not give us more than 1 login. Apparently that isn't cost effective. :rolleyes: The CEO is looking into the appraisals as well so I am simply waiting until I hear back from the higher-ups about it before I start attempting to address the other issues.

I thought this might end up being the case, while you have no HR department there certainly is someone tasked with those duties. You have healthcare, benefits, vacation and sick time and ultimately someone who is responsible for hiring and firing. You'll have to at the very least bring the issue to them. That the CEO is involved is probably a good thing since he's the one who'd ultimately be responsible for anything negative within the company. With luck he'll isolate the issue and locate the problem. I would argue that its a 98% likelihood that the one-login situation is at it's root, and with luck it will get them off that decision when they see that the cost of the proper licenses outweigh the potential risks.