If you read this thread, you will know what I’m talking about.
“Amy” showed up to work on Sunday, expecting me to be there (I wasn’t, I was at the happiest place on Earth). She wanted to “punch me in the face”, because after she was gone, and HAD been gone for a long time, I repeated the story of the $500 to a cow-orker, and told him my theory that Amy had taken the money. I also said; “I don’t really know what happened, I wasn’t there.” I said that in my opinion, it looked suspicious because Amy was going away, had suffered a financial setback when her “stash” was discovered at work (she was dealing weed) the week before, and was also a freaking drug addict.
Unbeknownst to me, the owner didn’t know about Amy’s habits and was going to hire her back. I probably shattered any chance of that happening, which is probably what she is so mad about. I am going into work early today to tell the owner everything I know about Amy’s transgressions, which will probably implicate the (now) ex-manager and his assistant, who were the ones buying drugs (and not just pot) from Amy. I pray he believes me.
Am I doing the right thing? No matter what I do, Amy (and her little attack dog, who still works at Subway, and who she is trying to use in order to get to me), makes me feel like I’m wrong. I don’t want to be wrong. I just want this to be OVER.
Have you started documenting this? I mean, in a pinch, the threads you’ve started could count, but you’d be better off if you had something semi-official in hand if things hit the fan. Documenting is still the #1 CYA technique out there.
Had you interacted with her in the beginning, you may not be in the spot that you’re in. Rethink this “live-and-let-live” philosophy - this is the beginning of the road to attending a funeral of someone who died too young while others stood around, doing nothing.
Since you still have everything to lose and she doesn’t, you do what it takes (honestly) to defend yourself and the company’s best interest by explaining to the new manager what has happened in the past. If the manager re-hires her anyways, and things start “missing” again, then the manager will remember your warnings and hopefully do the right thing…saying nothing to the new manager will make you just as much of a suspect as Amy…I don’t think you want to be in that boat again, do you? Again, re-think the “live-and-let-live” philosophy.
You’re doing the right thing, regardless of what Amy tries to tell you. I know it’s not easy, lady, and my heart goes out to you. Check with some of your other coworkers, maybe the two you mentioned in your last thread. They might be able to back you up and have been reluctant to say the same things for the same reasons. Believe me, I hate office politics as much as you do, but there are times when you have to speak up for yourself and do what’s right.
E-mail me if you need to, keep us posted, and good luck!
CJ
As for you, Siege, I wish what you said was true. But the fact is, Amy has (or had) almost everyone on her side. The new manager at the store is an employee who was promoted into the position. He knew Amy when she first started (which was before me), and he was completely shocked to hear about the heroin use. He knew nothing about it. He even asked me, point-blank if I was “twisting things to make [myself] look better and Amy look worse.”
Amy is one of those very insidious drug addicts who is super personable and puts on a very likeable front. This is typical of a certain group of addicts, since it helps them to feed their addiction. It’s like a survival skill. Amy had years to practice getting sympathy and loyalty from people when she lived on the street, because she used her diminuitive size and big puppy eyes to get people to give her stuff. The two employees I mentioned in the last thread are on her side, one of them is the “attack dog” I mentioned. We get along ok, but if it comes down to choosing between Amy and me, Amy is their first choice.
On the plus side, the owner of the store said he would not re-hire Amy, not even if hell froze over and the Pope converted to Judaism and started dividing equations by zero. He also said that he knew she was passing off fake $100 bills to make money (in other stores, not ours) and hanging out at the store at 3 AM during her last few weeks in his employ. He mused aloud that he wondered what she was up to in a Subway at 3 AM and I said blithely, “entertaining her drug dealers.” Which she was.
And can you believe it, some people actually still think that Amy is the better person.
You’re not wrong. You’re doing what you should have done the first time you found out about her drug usage at work. Being truthful is never wrong, Lola. It’s sometimes difficult, but it’s never wrong. Grit your teeth and hang in there.
So as I understand it, you’re working at a store where they owner not only believes you, he knows even worse things about Amy.
But the new manager, on-site, doesn’t believe you (or the owner) and wants to hire this person.
You’ve got bigger problems that a drug-addicted, manipulative co-worker. You’ve got a completely dysfunctional organization. I think this cannot turn out good for you. Even if something doesn’t blow up regarding Amy, I predict future problems, because you have a manager who doesn’t care what the owner thinks or knows, and an owner who either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about the kind of person being promoted to manager.
Or perhaps she was a very likeable, responsible, personable individual before drugs began consuming her soul. Vestiges of said trait will continue to surface from time to time, especially when she needs to feed.
Addiction can strike at nice people too, you know.
Otherwise, I think you’re doing the right thing. Addicts must suffer the consequences of their actions if they are ever to get well.
If you go to this thread, you will find that apparently the owner doesn’t believe me now, either. Although he still saw the fake $100s.
As for manager/owner problems, the former manager is now fired, the guy promoted to manager (temporarily) has been demoted to Asst. manager (his name is Steven), and we have a brand-spanking new manager who is awesome, but doesn’t know any of this (well, not my side anyway. God knows what Steven told her).
I think in that case you’re best saying nothing unless you’re asked. Otherwise it will look like you’re spreading malicious gossip. You have no proof.
But then the first time you encounter her up to any of her old tricks you inform the manager. With the facts. Not your suspicions, no matter how valid you feel they are.
And if they do nothing then it isn’t your problem. They deserve all the problems that she’ll inevitably cause. She is the perfect profile of a drug addict. She’ll lie and cheat to get what she needs. Without fail and concern for who it’ll harm, and none of it will be her fault. As long as you look like the opposition it’ll be your fault. It’ll be you that she tries to throw all suspicions on. You need to steer well clear until she digs her own hole.