'Any issues you have are not my problem': Backstabbing coworker takes admin's job, admin takes all her work with her

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Nov 6, 2023 9:00 AM EST

Thinking that you can trust someone, that they're your friend, and confiding in them only for them to turn around and stab you in the back—throwing your confidence back in your face—has got to be one of the hardest lessons to experience. You never know when a new friend or friendly coworker is actually going to turn out to be another rat racing up the ladder to the top, gnawing every rung they climb as they go to ensure that others are unable to follow.

This administrator was blindsided when her coworker sought to cut her out and maximize her own growth potential by telling a higher-up that she could do all of the group's work herself. Spoiler alert: She couldn't—especially not after the administrator undid all of her carefully prepared personal templates, ensuring that the coworker would have to remake everything herself from scratch. See this tale of revenge, as originally shared with a popular Reddit community below.

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  • 01
    Posted by u/Ok_Student_3292 4 hours ago Steal my job? Fine, but any issues you have are not my problem. So until recently I worked at my university in an admin position. I loved the job, my boss (Elle), was really happy with me, but I was temporary, and when my contract came up for renewal, my 'friend', (Bea), who was also an admin assistant with a permanent contract at the uni, went to the
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 02
    dean and said, basically, that she could do everything I was doing as part of her already existing duties, so there was no need to renew my contract. I know this because Bea told me that she had done this, because she wanted to work with Elle, despite Elle not wanting to work with Bea. Elle was just as upset about this as I was, and asked the dean to reconsider. No luck.
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 03
    Elle and I had started a whole bunch of projects together, which we'd split the work for, but I had created the bulk of the content because Elle had other responsibilities, and I'd handled a lot of the communication with the few dozen people we had roped into helping. The same day Bea took over, she sent out a bunch of emails talking about the projects Elle and I had completed together, and in these emails Bea presented it all as her own work, with input from Elle. Elle apologised to me for Bea
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 04
    I still had access to all of the materials, and had created about 80% of them entirely alone. So, I very simply locked everything down. Bea messaged asking where the material was. I responded that as I am no longer employed by the uni, I no longer have access to confidential material(s), and if no one but me can access it, that's Bea's issue to sort out. The materials contain everything from promo pieces to email templates to spreadsheets regarding
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 05
    annual leave. The remaining 20% of content, which both myself and Bea had access to, was all fairly rough, had some typos, some incorrect dates, the wrong titles in a few places, incomplete paragraphs, minor things like that, all of which were on my list to fix because only I knew about them, and all of which Bea overlooked and just sent out.
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 06
    As a result, Bea has signed lecturers up for events that they are not available for, she has had to remake all of my content from scratch, she has not sent out a single email that is 100% correct, she can't get into the social media I created, she can't access the shared inbox I made, she's advertised events with the wrong date/time/content, and she's behind on everything. I know all
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 07
    of this because Elle complains about it to me every time I see her (and I did admit all of this to Elle and she says I'm being reasonable here), and Bea messages me almost daily to tell me how awful a person I am because I won't share any resources with her. It's the only reason I've not blocked Bea - the updates.
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 08
    I'm also getting regular emails from various departments and people who don't know Bea has taken over my job yet, asking why they've been put down to present a talk at uni on a day they'll be on another continent or something like that, and I've just responded that this is Bea's job now, but everything was fine when I left, so clearly whatever happened, Bea needs to fix it. Bea now hates me, but that is not my problem, either.
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 09
    RangeMoney2012 4 hr. ago Bea will be leaving soon 749 Reply Share Ok_Student_3292 OP 4 hr. ago Fingers crossed 412 ●●● Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 10
    Miss Linden 3 hr. ago. edited 2 hr. ago If you're looking for fulltime work and Bea's job isn't unionized and forced to hire from within, perhaps send the Dean your resume with a cover letter that says you'd be happy to meet with him regarding the upcoming vacancy in Bea's role 243 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 11
    Ok_Student_3292 OP · 2 hr. ago I've already been told by both Elle and another department head that if there's ever another vacancy for admin I'm going to be the first person they contact, because I'm not one to toot my own horn, but
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 12
    I'm really good at HE admin. I have a couple years of experience doing it both at my uni and another major uni nearby. And honestly, if Bea ever calls me the c word again, I might just send the Dean that email. 188 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 13
    MLIOne 2 hr. ago Did she do that in writing? 47 Reply Sh Ok_Student_3292 OP 2 hr. ago I wish. She's got just enough intelligence to do
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 14
    it off-record, but if I could prove it, I can guarantee that the uni wouldn't approve of a staff member calling a student that word. 474 74 Reply Sh
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 15
    ConfusedAt63 - 4 hr. ago I guess she fell into the hole she dug for herself by adding to her job now didnt she! 264 Reply Share ●●● Ok_Student_3292 OP 4 hr. ago Yup. She was already full time and salaried, and I was part time on either a half or full day a week, so she's basically
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 16
    given herself 6 days of work a week with the pay of 5 days because she wanted to work with Elle, who doesn't want to work with her, and now Bea can't keep up with either job. It's a real shame. 277 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 17
    toujourspret 4 hr. ago ● Sounds like Bea hated you before too, tbh. 118 - Reply Share ● Ok Student_3292 OP 4 hr. ago I would think that, too, but she's always insisted that we're 'besties'. 109 ●●● Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 18
    Furrrrbooties 3 hr. ago Elle warned the dean to reconsider. He had someone come to him, telling him that the person would do extra work for free. Lol. The line manager said... reconsider. He still went ahead. 61 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 19
    Library Mouse4321 3 hr. ago ● I hope all Bea's failures have been forwarded to the Dean, and Bea's days are numbered. Have anyone contacting you with a problem complain to the Dean. Elle can remind the Dean that she tried to keep you, and can request that you be hired to fix the dumpster fire Bea created. You will be the hero when everything gets fixed. Reply Share 54
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 20
    Ok_Student_3292 OP 3 hr. ago Apparently Bea has already blamed the bulk of her failures on me and Elle has said that they were all Bea's failures, but the Dean would rather save the money by having Bea do it. The funny thing is they were only paying me just over ten an hour, for 3-6 hours a week, and Bea has probably
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 21
    cost them much more than that with these errors. Elle has requested I be re-hired more than once, but Dean is resolute on keeping Bea on and says Elle has to just train her up basically. Elle has said to me that she's spent to much time teaching Bea the absolute basics that she'd rather work alone if she can't have me back. 80 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 22
    Awesomekidsmom 3 hr. ago . What is the Dean saying now? Every time someone complained to me (or my boss) I would suggest they email the dean with their issue because she made promise xyz & you were let go Reply Share 25
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 23
    Ok_Student_3292 OP 3 hr. ago ● That Elle needs to train Bea up. Elle has said she's spending so much time teaching Bea how to like... send an email... she'd rather work alone and do all of this extra work herself than waste time teaching Bea basics. I know a couple of people have looped the Dean in on their issues, but he's maintaining that Elle needs to train Bea for the role. 30 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 24
    Fun-Yellow-6576 • 2 hr. ago Elle needs to begin performance improvement plans addressing all of Bea's mistakes and deficiencies now with copies to the Dean stating how wonderful it all went until Bea took credit for work she didn't and was unable to do. Bea needs to be fired. 17 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 25
    ransuru 4 hr. ago Bea got stung... 442 Reply Share . AlaskanPuppyMom 3 hr. ago 6 Good one! And Happy Cake Day. Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292
  • 26
    ophaus 3 hr. ago Whoops, imagine demanding enough rope to hang yourself. Amateur hour. 8 Reply Share
    via u/Ok_Student_3292

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terrible coworkers pro revenge petty-revenge-reddit revenge coworkers revenge-stories petty revenge coworker revenge-stories-reddit
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