Difficult coworker goes on sick leave after employee refuses to do her work for her: 'I ended up having to take over all of her tasks'

This lady seemed determined to not do any of her work. In theory, her audacity is slightly admirable, but in practice, it's extremely aggravating for everyone else at the company. Sure, one wants to fantasize about shirking one's responsibilities and leaving all their tasks up to someone else to complete, but part of being a decent person (not even a decent employee) is doing your fair share to better the community at large. 

This author reflected on the time that her difficult coworker insisted that she take on her work. When the author refused, the coworker took matters to the next level by suddenly going on sick leave for four weeks during the company's most intense month of business. The author's boss pulled her aside to confirm her suspicions that this was all because of the author's "stubborn" workplace behavior. Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions from members of this online community

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    WORK
    via Unsplash+ (Eduardo Ramos)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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  • It's worth noting that this lady ended up getting her wish! Due to her sudden absence, the author had to complete all of the difficult coworker's tasks and responsibilities during that time. As we mentioned, it was the busiest month and she was the only employee capable of taking on that work. Still, just because she was qualified to take it on doesn't mean she should have. After all, none of these duties were in her job description!

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    "Coworker on sick leave for 4 weeks because I refused to do a task she assigned me"

    My colleague, who's been mean to me and trying to take advantage of me since I started working at the department, tried again to assign one of her tasks
    via [deleted]
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    (which was her responsibility) to me. I have been reporting her to the leadership for 4-5 times because of her behavior in the past (saying mean
    via [deleted]
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    trying to assign me a lot of her own tasks), but they always took her side and even with evidence said that the situation would get worse for me if they confronted her.
    via [deleted]
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    When I refused her assignment (which was to fix something she did wrong due to her not following the correct routine), and put another coworker on copy (who was relevant to the assignment),
    via [deleted]
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    she suddenly had to go on sick leave for four weeks (in June). Mind you it's one of the most hectic period of the year and July is a vacation month.
    via [deleted]
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    I ended up having to take over all of her tasks. Recently my boss took me to the side and told me that I was the reason behind her
    via [deleted]
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    sick leave - apparently our "conflict" was so dehabilitating that she suddenly needed four weeks off.
    via [deleted]
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    CartographerPlane685. 10 hr. ago Yeah nah - start looking for a new job. Your co-worker is clearly a non- performer who tries
    via [deleted]
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    to buy others into doing her work and when politely pushed back upon goes off on sick leave crying
    via [deleted]
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    about emotional distress and conflict to scare management out of doing their fricking jobs.
    via [deleted]
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    Cheezburger Image 10526728960
    via Unsplash+ (Eduardo Ramos)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Management are too weak and lazy to do their jobs and manage her properly,
    via [deleted]
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  • 14
    they clearly expect you and everyone else to it up and work around her. All you can do is find somewhere else to go
    via [deleted]
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    and make it clear to HR in your exit interview why you are leaving.
    via [deleted]
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    TheFluffiestRedditor. 10 hr. ago Just because the tasks have been assigned to you does not mean you have to do them.
    via [deleted]
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    "Sorry boss, I've got this <waves hands> long list of tasks that need my attention already. Don't have
    via [deleted]
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    the capacity to take on more work." and get your resume polished, because this is a show.
    via [deleted]
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    mblkmnsa 5 hr. ago So we need to have a discussion about a raise. No way am I doing the work of 2 people without a raise. Either they pay
    via [deleted]
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    up or have 2 people out. Since there is a documented pattern of you having to do her job, you want compensation for it.
    via [deleted]
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    baliwoodhatchet. 4 hr. ago Her sick leave goes on her employment record, and if she keeps doing that in order to not deliver on her tasks it will eventually catch up
    via [deleted]
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    with her. HR will flag her as abusing the sick leave policy to avoid personal accountability. If you haven't received a "warning" it's not on you to fix.
    via [deleted]
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