Dear Happy Cow

I wonder if you can help. I’m at my wits end. I work in a large organisation with many layers of management. I have a great relationship with most of my colleagues and, for the most part, enjoy my work. The only problem I have is with one colleague who will not leave me alone. She is one tier above my immediate manager. As soon as I arrive at my desk in the morning she finds something to pick on, I’m a minute or two later than she would like me to be, or she comments on the (un)suitability of my clothes. She then proceeds to check on the work I have done, at this point I still have my coat on and haven’t even turned on my computer, she says what she wants me to do, asks when it will be done.

At some point during my day, she usually comes over and makes derogatory remarks about my part-time work pattern calling me a slacker, telling me that I only contribute half as much as the others and saying that she wished women would make up their minds about whether or not they want to work or stay at home because they can’t have it both ways. If I step away from my desk she notices and comes over to ask people where I have gone and how long I have been. Fortunately, she cannot nitpick at my work, although she tries, because I perform reasonably well. There was even a situation where my line manager put me on a training course and this other manager came onto the course on the second day and said that I was not to do the training because I am part-time and therefore my availability is unpredictable. Of course, my work pattern has been agreed and I adhere to it and therefore is predictable.

The thing is Happy Cow I’m starting to have anxiety attacks about going to work. I have spoken to my line manager about the situation but he feels his hands are tied because she is his manager and he doesn’t want to rock the boat. I don’t know what to do. Should I quite my job? What do you think?

Under the Thumb.

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