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O/T - Co-worker (a BM) gets fired

futurestepmomnowstepgf's picture

So I work for a very small firm in the design field, besides my boss, there are or should I say were 4 designers in our office. Well today I got a call from my boss that she unfortunately had to let my one co-worker go yesterday (I was working from home and I am today as well) because she had numerous chats with her about her performance, etc. but instead of getting better it had been getting worse. My boss even asked me if I noticed anything out of the ordinary with her and I said "a little bit" because I didn't want to outright lie and say no, but I didn't want to be on the other end of the spectrum either. 

The behavior I have noticed and have been telling bf about for months is

1. Showing up smelling of booze

2. Showing up really late or not showing up at all. I start my work day by 7 am every day, so my boss would ask me when she got in if I had seen my co-worker or not, which I hated because I felt on the spot about it. Due to COVID, we all work 3 days in the office and 2 days at home. My co-worker is divorced and has been for maybe 2-3 years and has two middle school kids with her ex-husband. School here is virtual so even knowing what that co-workers schedule was, was impossible. 

3. Leaving randomly during the day, usually on Fridays when it was only her or I in the office to which I was curious if my boss knew or not, but was not my business so I didn't give it more than a wondering thought.

4. Not being able to complete construction documents properly and efficently which I was let in by another co-worker multiple times when she asked for my help on drafting or we had conversations about construction documents that went out.

5. Having emotional crying breakdowns at work, probably happened 1 every month or every other month. One time I know it was over her boyfriend breaking up with her, other times, unknown.

6. During installations on job sites, co-worker bringing boyfriend and giving a tour instead of doing her job or during work events disappearing for hours

7. Co-worker fell asleep at desk at least twice that I noticed because at our old office the printers were in here office

8. I think this is the straw that broke the camels back the day before co-worker was fired, my boss was on a virtual presentation in the office next to hers. I whispered to the co-worker if she was having issues with the printer to which I immediately regretted asking her because she responded SO loudly and kept talking. I even said "hey, I don't know if you know, but they are doing a virtual presentation with a client in the next office." The co-worker said that she knew and continued on being loud. A little after that the co-worker made a personal phone call for quite a while that I could hear her being so loud and laughing from my office, 3 offices down, all while my boss was still on a virtual presenation with a client.

So on one hand I really feel bad because between COVID and Christmas so close, it is a totally shitty time to be let go, but at the same time it has almost been a year of her behavior being a complete 180, Anyways guess who now is in charge of picking up two of her projects that install next month like 3 of her other projects? That is right, me. Also am in charge of figuring out the mess she left behind on two other projects. So until my holiday break starts on the 23rd I will be slammed and when I come back after the new year I will also be slammed. As a BM what I know or have been told at least she is not high conflict, but based on how she has been at work the last year, I think she really has a drinking problems and some other problems going on.

Comments

futurestepmomnowstepgf's picture

Because earlier that same day my co-worker when she got into the office had a crying break down in my bosses' office. Bf wonders if she was fired that day versus yesterday, but I don't know! Again, I feel kind of bad because it is crappy time, but it has been so much stuff it is more "babysitting" then helping is how my boss put it

 

Edit: My boss pays us two weeks off for Christmas/New Year and we get a healthy bonus too, so if she wanted to be fired, I would of at least wait until after the new year!

futurestepmomnowstepgf's picture

I like her as a person and hope she gets her life back together!

SteppedOut's picture

Maybe hoping she would be "laid off" instead of fired... that extra fed bump of UI benefits has some feeling froggy in the construction industry...at least around these parts....

JRI's picture

Brings back many memories of employees sliding downhill.  Usually, like in your office, the firing was way overdue.  But the other posters may be correct, unemployment benefits may have been the goal.

SeeYouNever's picture

Your work at a business not a charity, don't feel bad. Maybe ask for a bonus or raise because you're taking on her work. 

It will probably be a wake up call but who knows. Rock bottom is different nfor everyone. 

DPW's picture

Don't feel bad. Like the above poster, this is business. Plain and simple. She was paid to perform and did not; time to sever ties.