My co-worker is a troublemaker
Dear TNBD Crew,
I’ve worked in the same office for 18 years, and for most of that time, our division had five people: three women and two men. About a year ago, one of the men left and was replaced by a woman, “Carla,” who has proven to be very difficult to work with. I’ve come to believe that she is dishonest and thrives on stirring up trouble.
The only man left in our division, “Fred,” is a quiet, shy, and genuinely kind person. He’s never married, doesn’t seem to date, lives with his mother, and spends much of his time at church. He keeps to himself and doesn’t appear to have many close friends, but he has always struck me as gentle and respectful.
Not long after joining, Carla claimed that Fred asked her out, which surprised me. Soon after, she accused him of sexual assault, which I found impossible to believe. She reported this to HR, who conducted an investigation. Poor Fred was so shaken I thought he might collapse.
The outcome was telling: the most “forward” behavior they uncovered was that Fred once gave Carla a ride home when her car was in the shop. He then went home to dinner with his mother, who confirmed his account. Carla’s allegations simply didn’t hold up. HR found no evidence of misconduct and told Carla she could pursue the matter with the police if she wished. She chose not to.
Despite this, the atmosphere in the office has soured. I used to enjoy my job, but now I dread facing Carla every day. Fred must feel even worse. The other two women in our division agree with me and avoid Carla whenever possible.
I’m determined to find a way to remove Carla from the workplace, but I don’t know how to proceed. Do you have any advice for us?
— Dreading Carla
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