'I can smell it on you': Karen coworker falsely accuses employee of vaping in the bathroom, tries to get him fired

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Feb 27, 2023 8:00 AM EST

When your Karen coworker has it out for you, you have to watch your back. That's certainly what this employee learned after the bully he works with falsely accused him of vaping in the bathroom, when in reality, he was taking a longer time than usual due to a bodily health issue. This Reddit thread was posted by u/eli_still_exists, who works at a center for children with developmental disabilities where there is a strict 'no smoking' policy.

 

The story, unfortunately, gets worse from here on out. Karen reported the Redditor to their supervisor, who went ahead and fully searched him (only to find nothing, of course). Still, however, the supervisor gave the Redditor a warning. We agree with the folks in the comments section who suggested that the employee file a complaint against Karen. A coworker should not be monitoring one's time in the restroom like that. It's just creepy. Keep scrolling below for the full story. For more, here's one about an entitled choosing beggar's evil revenge.

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  • 01
    Photograph - en Motion ojos Gojo "Woman at work accused me of vaping in the bathroom because I can smell it on you.""
    via Jahongir ismoilov
  • 02
    Font - Woman at work accused me of vaping in the bathroom because "I can smell it on you." For a little context: I (16M) work in a center for children with developmental disabilities. In normal work places, smoking in the bathrooms is a bad move. Here, it's a HUGE no-no. Smoke can linger for a long time and in a 23 mile radius, if my memory serves me correctly. Even the idea could get you in trouble, whether it's corrective action or straight up termination.
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 03
    Font - So, I told my co-workers I was going to use the bathroom, and I went and did my business, as you do. I had recently started menstruating (I'm a trans man), so it took a little longer than normal. All said and done, accounting for the few minutes it took to walk to and from the bathroom (it being all the way down a flight of stairs), it took about 10 minutes.
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 04
    Font - I walk back onto the unit - not my usual unit with my usual coworkers, mind you - and one of them, I'll call her M, wrinkles her nose and glares at me. I ask her what's up, and she says, "were you vaping in there?"
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 05
    Font - I shake my head and say no; I've never smoked or vaped a day in my life. She clearly doesn't believe me and says the quote in the title. I'm try to think of anything to say that doesn't sound rude or suspicious, because I know two things: one, I've never touched a vape, and two, vaping doesn't stick to clothes like cigarettes or only know this because most of my friends vape, and never once have I smelled like smoke while being around them. 1. I
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 06
    Font - I end up just saying "Well, I wasn't" because I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't sound rude and overly mean, so we left it there. At some point, M says she's going to step off the unit, and very pointedly looks at me.
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 07
    Font - Turns out, she reported me to my SUPERVISOR. The supervisor comes and gets me and makes me completely empty my pockets and searches me until she's found nothing, as expected, and lets me go with a warning. I'm sorry this is so so long but I'm so pissed. M risked my job, a job I actually like and that treats me well, and had NO REPERCUSSIONS for wrongly accusing me. man.
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 08
    Font - fiachra973 14 hr. ago Sounds like workplace bullying. Not cool. 00 1.1k Reply Share eli_still_exists OP. 14 hr. ago No, it isn't cool :< 249 Reply Share
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 09
    Font - Jealous-Percentage-7 - 9 hr. ago Tell them you want the warning stricken and you want to have the other lady written up for lying about you. 416 Reply
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 10
    Font - YesterMorrow. 11 hr. ago She's trying to bully you. File a complaint. If she so much as looks at you sour, file another. If she makes another comment to you that is personal, and not professional, file a complaint. Make no mistake, this type of person will get you fired and feel GRATIFIED. So pull no punches and don't feel bad about being confrontational. 244 Reply Share
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 11
    Rectangle - watcher0223-9 hr. ago I agree. You're already on their radar. Protect yourself first.
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 12
    Font - Z breathofari 14 hr. ago You should tell your supervisor that you had to use the bathroom due to being on your period and that the coworker that accuses you of vaping made you feel incredibly uncomfortable by commenting on your bathroom usage. It's very weird for a coworker to monitor you like that, there are a lot of reasons it may have taken you a minute to use the bathroom. Maybe you could even report something like this to HR because making you empty your pockets just because you used
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 13
    Font - jpmatth 14 hr. ago Why did you even get a warning? What were you supposed to have done differently? 190 Reply Share
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 14
    Font - 00 eli_still_exists OP. 14 hr. ago Honestly? I have no clue. I think it's required when you get in trouble for anything (they're really strict about rule n stuff) but idk what they want me to do 109 Reply Share
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 15
    Font - Affectionate_Act6982. 12 hr. ago Something is very wrong with this picture, Your coworker has it out for you for some unknown reason. No reasonable person would continue to press and then go to a supervisor while you categorically deny any wrongdoing. I would give her a one time pass for a temporary delusion, but keep your distance from her. If she gives any more hint that she doesn't like or trust you then you have a workplace bully on your hands, which is a nightmare that is very hard t
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 16
    Font - HeadFaithlessness548. 11 hr. ago at work They can test for nicotine in the blood, so I'm shocked they don't threaten you with that. I would send an email stating "I just wanted to clarify for what the warning on x date at x time was for. I was under the impression that it was for using the bathroom due to a monthly health issue."
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 17
    Font - throwaway21805891 14 hr. ago That's where you slip a heap of office supplies into her handbag and anonymously tell supervisor she's stealing office supplies
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 18
    Font - Visible_Ad_309. 14 hr. ago (edit this) This is petty AF, and morally required to be your next step. 74 Reply Share
    via u/eli_still_exists
  • 19
    Font - AHO Garraty_47 12 hr. ago You should have told her she must be confusing your kiwi strawberry shampoo/body wash with whatever vape smell she thinks she's detected. Vapes can smell like about 1,000 different things.
    via u/eli_still_exists

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toxic-workplace manager job work coworkers Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit toxic-work-environment
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