88-Year-Old Karen Harasses Her Coworkers, Including a 15-Year-Old Intern

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Aug 2, 2023 7:00 PM EDT

Every workplace has a different mix of generations, which can affect the office's vibe. Right now, my workplace is unbelievably dominated by millennials. I love that for me. I would take millennials over any other generation any day of the week. I have worked with boomers, and they are as shady as they come. One time I worked at a store where a boomer lady would call another boomer lady's store location a couple of towns over to brag about them making more money at their location that day. Boomers are sick, passive-aggressive people, and I am not ashamed about contributing to the "complaining about boomers industrial complex." 

The only living generation I've never worked with is the greatest generation. All of my grandparents are members of that traumatized generation who lived through the Great Depression and World War II, not to mention the past 75 years of history. One greatest generation member works at a law firm, and she's not leaving the best taste in her coworker's mouths. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/antiwork u/Global_Local8177 • 15h F1 88 year old employee harasses me. I work in a law firm and our oldest employee is 88 (will be 89 this year). She was hired 9 years ago for a six month scanning project that turned into a full time gig. We all treat her with great respect and gentleness but it's wearing thin. When she walks by my desk she always has a snide comment. Things like, "I see you're just sitting there again." or "I walked by your desk and you weren't there. We're you hiding?
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  • 02
    Font - Today she walked up to my desk and asked if I could take the big box of candy down from a closet shelf so she could refill her candy dish. This is normal and I'm happy to help her. But today, I was almost finished with a task that an attorney was waiting for. I told her that I could get it for her in a sec and that I had to get what I was doing done asap. She said okay and then began drumming her fingers on my desk. After about 30 seconds of the drumming I said that she could get the summ
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  • 03
    Font - I would NEVER allow that treatment of me and most especially a 15 year old summer intern were it not for this coworker's advanced age. There is no point in complaining to management because they all think she hung the moon. When a manager is near she is the sweetest, most soft spoken, gentle lady you'd ever want to meet. What can I say to her to get her to back off?
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  • 04
    Rectangle - Imaginary_Brick_3643 . 14h 3 Awards Boundaries! Tell her straight up, things like "I am doing you a favor and I don't mind it, but I don't appreciate you drumming or rushing when I need to get work done" - " I haven't said that and prefere you not putting words on my mouth" - "I don't think is necessary for you to know where I am at all the times, you probably have some stuff to get done too right?" You don't need to be rude, but you need to me stern... some people need a little shak
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  • 05
    Font - NowareSpecial 13h "Keep drumming those fingers, honey, and you ain't gettin no candy!" ... 2k
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  • 06
    Font - Shojo_Tombo. 8h 1 Award This. She is is still working full time at 88 years old. This woman is obviously not frail, so OP should stop treating her like she's made of glass. If she can't handle professional boundaries, then it's time for her to retire, plain and simple. 41.3k ...
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  • 07
    Rectangle - TwitterHandle99 - 6h Had to scroll pretty far to find this. Exactly. She knows what she is doing. Enforce your boundaries. ... 319
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  • 08
    Font - Nicetits_gimmeMayo69 9h ● You don't need to use so many words. When she does the drumming just tell her to stop it that you are trying to focus. If she wants to know where you are, ask her why and that you are a busy person so she should get busy too. Like, "how do you have time to notice me? I thought you were drowning of work." Something like that. Just reactions, make them public ofc better when there are people around. If she pushes it, that's when you use long, neutral and firm sente
    via u/Nicetits_gimmeMayo69
  • 09
    Font - HavePlushieWillTalk. 8h Absolutely. "Drumming your fingers on my desk is distracting, so I think you should leave and ask someone else to help you since I'm not going to be able to on your schedule." I don't do things for people who are rude to me. I don't make their lives easier, I don't help them get things down, I don't find them supplies. 250 ...
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  • 10
    Rectangle - HandoJobrissian . 7h A stern, monotone "I would prefer if you didn't" has a lot of power in a workplace. And if the offender escalates, they're the one that looks like a bhole 100% of the time. 分127凸 ...
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  • 11
    Font - mike_riff 14h ● Oh my, what type of place has 88 year olds and 15 year olds in the same office lol Reply 2.2k
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  • 12
    Font - Global_Local8177 OP 14h ● Lol, it's definitely interesting. Oh! And the 88 year old got grumpy because the 15 year old intern didn't want to sit next to her while removing staples from files because she's mean to her. 88 complained to office manager that intern doesn't want to work. The child doesn't want to be around her because she's mean! Office manager is a genius and told intern to destaple back by 88 but she could wear her headphones and listen to music. 1.5k
    via u/Global_Local8177
  • 13
    Font - belmoria 12h ● We have one of these at my job. In her 70s with cancer but won't stop coming to work (she brags she doesnt need the job while threatening others' jobs), I figure she needs people to take her anger out on. Unfortunately for her one of those people will never be me. I've told her to her face her behavior is the reason I won't help her, but I'm pretty sure it made her day bc she just enjoy being spiteful and provoking people. ... 615
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  • 14
    Font - darksquidlightskin. 5h We have a bunch of them in the state system and it's the absolute worst. I'm leaving employment with the state for many reasons, working with old people who refuse to change processes and can't adapt to the new HRMS is one of them. It's like they can't fathom work doesn't take hours anymore because we have computers. These boomers are miserable and the ones that continue to work when they clearly shouldn't are ALWAYS the ones caucusing the most drama. 144
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  • 15
    Font - Shebolleth - 12h You need to stop thinking of people this old as fragile. I guarantee this lady has seen some shit and is tougher than nails. Either give her some sass, or be straight with her that she doesn't get to talk to you or the intern that way. And while she's at it, she can stop doing [specific behaviors] (like the finger drumming... gods, I'd have sent her away immediately). Reply 569
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  • 16
    Font - Willing_Actuary_4198 • 13h Old people don't deserve respect just because they are old. They are still just people Reply 1.1k
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  • 17
    Font - Big Tex380 14h ● 1 Award Try looking at it as a friendly rivalry. Assume she needs the banter and start giving it right back to her. Make a point to go by her desk and make ask if she was asleep? Need more candy "What are doing with it Trick or Treat over there?" Just be snarky in general and see if it either gets a laugh out of her or makes her decide to back off. ... Reply 2.2k
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  • 18
    Rectangle - Tallin sleeplessjade • 14h 1 Award This. Here's a few more: "My god Janet, that's a daring outfit choice. You're so brave." "What's with that sour look on your face? Do you need your candy dish refilled?" 1.4k ↓ ...
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  • 19
    Font - sleeplessjade 13h ● OP I just had an idea. Watch some Golden Girls' episodes or Dorothy's best lines on youtube. Granted a lot of them are about Blanche being sexually promiscuous, but there will definitely be some good lines you can steal. Being that they are older lines (80s -90s dialogue) and written for senior citizens it might just be the exact phrasing to throw her off her guard or hit home to her. 4737
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  • 20
    Font - wild_hedgehog_ . 13h Workplace bullies (any bully) will keep harassing you until you show them that you're not one to tolerate their bullshit. They thrive off seeing people be bothered by them but usually back off once you firmly establish yourself as being off-limits to their bullshitery. Give her a taste of her own medicine. Worked for me to some extent. ... Reply 141
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  • 21
    Font - Edit to add: Wow! I had no idea this would blow up! I've had plenty of time to calm down and see things more clearly. I LOVE the advice to just banter back but unfortunately I'm no good at it. When I try light hearted teasing I come off as rude. I'm in administration, it is my job to take care of the staff, so I'm not in the position to just tell her no. I really like the 'be prepared, grow a thicker skin, and be coldly professional' advice and I am that way usually but this has been ongo
    via u/Global_Local8177

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terrible coworkers karens antiwork workplace-stories jobs toxic-workplace job work coworkers wild-karen karens in the wild workplace coworker karen toxic-work-environment
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